In the 1960s in the slums of Rio de Janeiro's Cidade de Deus, a housing project designed to push the poor from the city center, two boys grow up on divergent paths amidst a place overrun by violence and drug trafficking. One is Rocket, an aspiring photographer looking to capture the reality of his environment without becoming part of its criminal underbelly. He navigates through life in the favela, attempting to dodge the influences that drag so many down into a cycle of violence.

By contrast, Rocket's childhood friend Li'l Dice embraces the criminal lifestyle, becoming a feared drug lord known as Li'l Zé as he grows up. His ambitions and ruthless tactics lead him to take over the drug trade in the City of God, sparking a turf war that threatens the safety of everyone in the slum. The favela becomes ensnared in Li'l Zé's ambitions and the struggles of those caught in the crossfire, setting the stage for a gripping narrative of survival and morality.