The streets of the world's most notorious slum, Rio de Janeiro's City of God, are a place where combat photographers fear to tread, police rarely go, and residents are lucky if they live to the age of 20. Based on a true story, the film follows a young boy who, amid the oppressive crime and violence, grows up to discover that he can view the harsh realities of his surroundings with an artistic eye. In the face of impossible odds, his brave ambition to become a professional photographer becomes a window into his world and ultimately his way out.