Figure 1.--This is Zezé in 'Meu Pé de Laranja Lima'. We are not sure just how a film like this was costumed. Some directors might have just had the children invokved wear their own clothes. Child actors were presumably better off than the average child. So we assume that the boy playing Zezé had to be dressed down. As to Zezé's friends, we are not sure if they were professional child actors or boys recruited off the streets.

Brazil is a huge country. About half of Latin America in population, area, and national economic output is Brazil. Thus it is not surprising that Brazil has the the largest film industry in latin America. The domestic economy easily can support a film industry, even though there are few other Portuguese speaking countries. Unlike Argentina and Mexico, Brazilian Portuguese-languafe films can not be as easily marketed in the neighboring Spanish-speaking countries. The Brazilain film industry has received Government support as well as enjoying a roubust national market. The number of films produced was very limited throughout the 20th-century. Actually the Brazilian film industry was once among the most active in Latin America. Filmakes were hampered by Government economic policy,including devaluations, hyperinflation, and a range of shifting government policies. In many years no films were produced and in others only one film despite the large domestic market. As recently as 1991 only 2 films were made. That was about the same time that Brazilian officials noting the success of free market capitalist reforms in Chile adopted similar measures in Brazil. The result in two decades was the virtual remaking of Brazil. The film industry is just one of many Brazilian success stories. The growth of the film industry has been phenomenal. Brazilian studios produced 90 films (2008). The first Brazilian film we have noted is 'Meu Pé de Laranja Lima' (1970). Perhaps the best known Brazilain film is 'Pixote' (1981) about an inderprivlidged street urchin. It is a rather brutal, but powerful film about the life homeless street children face in Brazil. A HBC reader has provided information on another film, 'Central Station' (1998). An excellent recent film is 'Drifting' (2008).

Background

Brazil is a huge country. About half of Latin America in population, area, and national economic output is Brazil. Thus it is not surprising that Brazil has the the largest film industry in latin America. The domestic economy easily can support a film industry, even though there are few other Portuguese speaking countries. Unlike Argentina and Mexico, Brazilian Portuguese-languafe films can not be as easily marketed in the neighboring Spanish-speaking countries. The Brazilain film industry has received Government support as well as enjoying a roubust national market. The number of films produced was very limited throughout the 20th-century. Actually the Brazilian film industry was once among the most active in Latin America. Filmakes were hampered by Government economic policy,including devaluations, hyperinflation, and a range of shifting government policies. In many years no films were produced and in others only one film despite the karge dimestic market. As recently as 1991 only 2 films were made. That was about the same time that Brazilian officials noting the success of free market capitalist reforms in Chile adopted similar measures in Brazil. The result in two decades was the virtual remaking of Brazil. The film industry is just one of many Brazilian success stories. The growth of the film industry has been phenomenal. Brazilian studios produced 90 films (2008).

Individual Brazilian Films

The first Brazilian film we have noted is 'Meu Pé de Laranja Lima' (1970). Perhaps the best known Brazilain film is 'Pixote' (1981) about an underprivlidged street urchin. It is a rather brutal, but powerful film about the life homeless street children face in Brazil. A HBC reader has provided information on another film, 'Central Station' (1998). An excellent recent film is 'Drifting' (2008).

Menino de engenho (1965)

'' (Plantation boy) is a 1965 Brazilian movie directed by Walter Lima Jr. It is inspired by a novel written by the Brazilian writer José Lins do Rego published in 1932. It is a coming of age nivel set in the middle of Brazil's evolution from a slave society toward a modern multi-ethnic society. The author describes the education and evolution of a somwaht neurotic young man and at the ame time provides a wonderfully nunaced trip into the northeast heartland of Brazil during the early-20th century before World War II. The young Carlinhos after bring orphaned is sent from Recife to Santa Rosa, in the plantation that belonged to his grandfather, Colonel José Paulino. There he spent most of his time with the children of the plantation laborers, former slaves. The story is set largely in the 1920s. In Brazil slavery was ended less then 40 years earlier, but the condition of the African Brazilians had only changed legally, not economically, as is depicted in the movie.

Meu Pé de Laranja Lima (1970)

The first Brazilian film we have noted is 'Meu Pé de Laranja Lima' (My Sweet Orange Tree) (1970). It is is a novel written in 1968 by the Brazilian writer José Mauro de Vasconcelos (1920-84). It is the story of a little boy named Zezé belonging to a very poor family. The family has to move to sa smakler home in an unfamilir neighborhood. Near his new home there is a little sweet orange tree, that becomes the best friend of Zezé. The novel was very popular in Brazil. A movie directed by Aurélio Teixeira was made from the novel in 1970. In the same year a Brazilian television broadcasting company made a soap opera based on the novel. Other soap operas were made in 1980 and 1998.

Pixote (1981)

Perhaps the best known Brazilain film is 'Pixote' (1981) about an underprivlidged street urchin. It is a rather brutal, but powerful film about the life homeless street children face in Brazil. Rather brutal, but powerful film about the life homeless street children face in Brazil. The gripping story of their life outside the law. The lead was played by 12-year old Fernando Ramos da Silva who was plucked off the streets of Rio by director Hector Babenco. Fernando won enormous acclaim for the part he played. Unfortunately his career fizzled after a couple of stage plays and 6 months on a Brazilian TV show. He turned to crime. In 1985 he was arrested for burglary and later escaped from jail. In 1987 the police arrived at the scene of a robbery in progress and in the ensuing gun battle, Fernando was shot and killed.

Central Station (1998)

A HBC reader has provided information on another film, 'Central Station' (1998). Brazilian films with important boy characters often deal with the underprivlidged. Central Station is no exception. The film is about a Josué of Rio de Janeiro who sees his mother die in a traffic accident and is left by himsef. The plot of the film deals with a woman is alternately torn between caring for him and abandoning him.

Drifting (2008)

An excellent recent film is 'Drifting' (2008). The director was Heitor Dhalia. The film was based partially on his childhood. The $3.4-million-budget film was partnered with Universal Studios, one of the many foreign studios activev in Brazil.

Created: 7:42 PM 5/31/2012
Last updated: 4:44 AM 10/17/2021