Katia Lund - Spring 2003

Katia Lund was the spring of 2003 Visiting Chair in the Study of Brazilian Culture at the University of Notre Dame. She is the codirector of the internationally acclaimed film Cidade de Deus/City of God (2002) about the gangs of Rio de Janeiro's slums. By one estimate, the film has been seen by more Brazilians than any film in nearly 30 years. It was Brazil's entry for consideration in the Academy Award "best foreign film" nominations in 2003, and it received a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign language film. In 2004, the film received various nominations at the Academy Awards including Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Editing.

Lund previously directed a documentary, News from a Private War, and a feature, Golden Gate, which broke new ground in the realistic portrayal of slum, or favela, life of Brazilian television. She has been assistant director of numerous productions, including another internationally recognized film, Central do Brasil/Central Station (1998). As a producer of Brazilian rap videos, she was honored at the Video Music Brasil Awards. She established an acting school for favela youths, and the school has produced many of the actors seen in Cidade de Deus and her other films.

Lund is a graduate of Brown University. She is originally from São Paulo and is of Norwegian descent. She has worked on numerous film projects in Brazil, including features that received international recognition, as well as documentaries and rap music videos. While at the University of Notre Dame, Lund has held a number of dialogues with students and faculty which, in conjunction with screenings of her work, shed light on the social issues depicted powerfully in her films.

Cidade de Deus (City of God)

"City of God…has become a watershed of cultural and political event in Brazil, and has now been seen by more Brazilians than any film in nearly 30 years."
--Larry Rohter, The New York Times

"That whole experience was an eye-opener for me and I wanted to know what was happening and why no one was doing anything about it," she said. "I believe that people change through emotional rather than intellectual understanding, and since a feature film like this offers a way to reach many more people in a much more direct way than a documentary, I welcomed the chance to get involved."
--Katia Lund as quoted in The New York Times

http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2003/01/ 012401.html

Photos