海角大神

A decade ago, the Brazilian gangster Li鈥檒 Z茅 took movie screens across the world by storm in the low-budget crime drama听鈥淐idade de Deus,鈥� or "City of God." Set inside the eponymous slum in Rio de Janeiro, the film grossed $30 million, received four Oscar nominations, and won festivals from Los Angeles to Toronto.

Li鈥檒 Z茅 dies at the end of the film. The actor who portrayed him, however, still lives in the notorious slum, or favela, of Cidade de Deus. For his role in the original film, Leandro Firmino was offered either a percentage of the film鈥檚 potential revenue or several thousand dollars. A poor kid who had been pulled directly from the favela into the film studio, he took the cash.

Bitterness over the wildly successful film's uneven distribution of wealth for Mr. Firmino and others who starred in 鈥淐ity of God鈥� 鈥� which famously recruited its amateur cast from Rio's slums 鈥� is palpable in the new documentary 鈥淐ity of God: 10 Years Later.鈥� The film premiered this week at the Rio Film Festival and explores the lives of the actors since 2002.听

The documentary asks the question: 鈥淐an a work of art change someone鈥檚 life?鈥� In part, the answer appears to be yes.

鈥淐ity of God鈥� shined an international spotlight on Brazil鈥檚 favelas and pressured the government to address the ingrained crime and poverty. In 2009, police established a permanent security presence in Cidade de Deus as part of a citywide "pacification" program. By 2012, the annual homicide rate had dropped to five from 38 while the annual robbery rate had plummeted to 53 from 618,听according to state data.

For many of the favela kids cast in the film, like much of Brazil鈥檚 poor, life has changed little.听Firmino says he spent most of his salary on a computer that soon broke. Others bought groceries, marijuana, jewelry, a skateboard.

鈥淭hey said either you take 10,000 reais [$4,500], or you can have a percentage of the movie鈥檚 box office revenue,鈥� Alexandre Rodrigues, who played Rocket in the original film, says in the documentary. 鈥淎nd what did I听choose? I chose the 10,000 reais. Man, what a call! If I could go back in time, 10 years ago, I鈥檇 say, 鈥榃hat I want is the box office, man!鈥� Now I鈥檇 be like, 鈥榳ow!鈥欌��听听

Such resentment is a driving tension in the film, but was also a hurdle for directors Cavi Borges and Luciano Vidigal as they shot over the past year on a shoestring budget of $90,500. While neither filmmaker worked on the original movie, both knew many of the actors through the local non-profit film studios Cinema Nosso and N贸s do Morro, which work with kids from Rio鈥檚 favelas. To make their documentary, Mr. Borges and Mr. Vidigal听just had to convince the one-time stars to settle for $90 per interview.

Some balked. Phellipe Haagensen, who played Li鈥檒 Z茅鈥檚 sidekick Ben茅, refused to participate in the documentary, according to Borges. Others, like Rubens Sabino da Silva (Blackie) and Renato de Souza (Goose), seemed to eagerly accept the chance to air grievances and supplement their salaries from selling peanuts and fixing cars.

鈥淪ome actors didn鈥檛 want to participate,鈥� says Borges, speaking on the sidelines of the documentary鈥檚 world premier here. 鈥淥ther actors said they wanted to be paid to do the interviews. They think we have a lot of profit and say, 鈥楾he last film I didn鈥檛 get a lot of money so I want money now.鈥� 鈥�

The documentary includes interviews with 18 of the original film鈥檚 actors, some who continued to act in domestic television and film and others who were subsequently propelled to international fame, such as Seu Jorge (Knockout Ned) and Alice Braga (Ang茅lica). Brazilian director听Fernando Meirelles, who received an Oscar nomination for the film, declined to participate in the documentary but supported it with access to archival footage from the making of the 2002 film, Borges says.

Something akin to a survivor鈥檚 guilt lingers between those who seemingly made it out of poverty after the film's acclaimed release and others who felt left behind. The documentary reintroduces us to Felipe Paulino, who played a young boy shot in the foot by Li鈥檒 Z茅 during one of the film鈥檚 most riveting scenes. Now we follow Mr. Paulino in a bellboy uniform as he visits Seu Jorge in an upscale hotel in Leblon.

鈥淎re you working here?鈥� asks Mr. Jorge, who is now an international film and music star.

鈥淚鈥檓 working here, right next to you,鈥� says Paulino.

鈥淚鈥檓 always staying at this hotel,鈥� says Jorge, awkwardly. 鈥淲here are you living?鈥�

鈥淩ight here in Vidigal [a nearby favela].鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a sweet commute. On wheels or on foot?鈥�

鈥淣o, I walk,鈥� says Paulino.

More than just a film about a film, the documentary underscores how Brazil has lifted millions out of poverty during the past decade while at the same time leaving many behind. Much like The Economist鈥檚 cover last week of Rio's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue as a flailing rocket 鈥� four years after the UK-based magazine portrayed the statue rocketing skyward with the nation鈥檚 soaring economy 鈥� the documentary shows the side of Brazil still suffering from poor听education, inadequate infrastructure, and a notoriously corrupt government.

"Now I have this to tell people: 'I was in "City of God," I was the kid who was shot in the foot,' " Paulino tells the camera. "So I have that as a childhood memory."听

Wondering how he will now support his family and young daughter, Paulino adds:听"I just need a break."听