A wonderful film that opens up a window to the gang violence in favela outside of Rio de Janeiro

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2007)

The movie is very well put together and it offers viewers (especially for international audience) a close look to the daily challenges that favela residents (mostly displaced people) have to face outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The storyline revolves around 2 main characters growing up in the 60's and 70's in favela (the Brazilian equivalent of a shanty town, which are generally found on the edge of the city) and how one becomes a professional photographer and the other one becomes the most infamous drug dealer.
The documentary "News From A Personal War" comes with the DVD of the movie and it definitely worths the time to see. It shows us perspectives or insights from the residents, the policemen, the prisoners, the young gang members and gang leaders how the drugs and guns are part of an on-going fighting between different groups of gangs.