Mani Ratnam's Ayudha Ezhuthu

CNN.com - The mysterious 'City of God' director - Feb. 28, 2004: "Who is Fernando Meirelles?
That's the question casual Oscar watchers may ask about the surprise directing nomination that went to this Brazilian filmmaker for 'City of God,' his gritty, time-twisting drama about flashy street gangs in a Rio de Janeiro slum.

The fame from the movie has changed many of their lives, Meirelles said, giving them a sense of pride that replaces, for some, the desire to be gangsters.

"Everybody wants money, but what they really want is to be respected. If you have a gun, all the girls will look to you, if you go to a bar people say, 'There's the guy ...' You're important. You're someone. You belong to a group, and that's what they're looking for." "