Pixote (1981)
"Pixote: A Lei do Mais Fraco" (original title)

The life of a boy in the streets of Sao Paulo, involved with little crimes, prostitution, etc

Director:

Hector Babenco

Writers:

José Louzeiro (book), Hector Babenco,

Stars:

Fernando Ramos da Silva, Jorge Julião, Gilberto Moura

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fernando Ramos da Silva	...	Pixote
Jorge Julião	...	Lilica
Gilberto Moura	...	Dito
Edilson Lino	...	Chico
Zenildo Oliveira Santos	...	Fumaça
Claudio Bernardo	...	Garatao
Israel Feres David	...	Roberto Pie de Plata
Jose Nilson Martin Dos Santos	...	Diego
Marília Pêra	...	Sueli
Jardel Filho	...	Sapatos Brancos
Rubens de Falco	...	Juiz
Elke Maravilha	...	Debora
Tony Tornado	...	Cristal
Beatriz Segall	...	Widower
João José Pompeo	...	Almir (as Joáo José Pompeu)

Storyline

Pixote, a 10-year-old runaway boy, is arrested on the streets of Sao Paulo during a police round-up homeless people. Pixote endures torture, degradation and corruption at a local youth detention center where two of the runaways are murdered by policemen who frame Lilica, a 17-year-old transvesite hustler. Pixote helps Lilica and three other boys escape where they make their living by the life of crime which only escalates to more violence and death.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | runaway | escape | violence | corruption | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Release Date:

5 May 1982 (France)

Also Known As:

Pixote

Filming Locations:

Avenida Paulista, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embrafilme, HB Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's star, 'Fernando Ramos Da Silva', who plays a young street criminal, actually was a street criminal before he made this film. After completing it he took up the criminal life again, and was killed in Brazil in 1987 in a shootout with police.

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Connections

Referenced in Nurse Jackie: Smile (2013)

User Reviews

...emotionally devastating...

"Pixote" is the one of most powerful, shocking, and moving motion picture to come from Brazil. It's about the lives of street kids on the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro, and it centers around a ten-year-old boy. The camera follows them around in an almost documentary style;from the juvenile detention center (where most of the staff is as corrupt as the police) and back to the streets, and it never turns away from the horrors of the city. Prostitution, drug use/dealing, corruption, and murder are all witnessed by these youths; yet it's something they're painfully used to. Director Hector Babenco used real street kids as the actors, adding to the films brutal reality. Although not for everyone, a film I highly recommend. An emotionally devastating movie.