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IMDbPro

Roberto Santos(1928-1987)

  • Writer
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Roberto Santos was born in a working-class suburb of São Paulo in 1928. Started his cinema activities around 1952, in the first big studio built in Brazil, the Vera Cruz Studio. In 1956 makes his first movie, "O Grande Momento" ("The Great Momment"), the first neo- realistic movie made in Brazil. In 1965 Roberto Santos adapts a short novel by Guimarães Rosa, "A Hora e Vez de Augusto Matraga" ("Matraga"), the only successful adaptation to cinema of a work by Guimarães Rosa, the most important name in Brazilian literature in the 20th century. The movie goes to the Cannes Festival and it is well received. During the late 60s and 70s his career is marked by problems with the censorship. Nevertheless, he directs more 6 movies, among them the two experimental movies "Vozes do Medo" ("Voices of Fear") -- a movie with the structure of a magazine -- and "As Três Mortes de Solano" ("The Three Deaths of Solano"), an experiment where the same plot is told three times, first in the fantastic realm, then as a realistic plot, and finally as a circus pantomime. Meanwhile he works in TV and directing commercials. The success of an adaptation for TV of another Guimarães Rosa's story prompts him to write a screenplay for the marvelous short novel "Campo Geral", about a kid growing in the back-country of Brazil. After months of trouble to obtain the rights, the project is abandoned, and he decides to tackle another myth of Brazilian literature, 'Machado de Assis'. His last movie, "Quincas Borba", recreates Machado de Assis's fin-de-siècle universe in the troubled 80s. Roberto Santos died of a heart attack at the São Paulo airport, just after returning from the Festival of Gramado, where "Quincas Borba" was shown and heavily criticized by a click of critics.
BornApril 15, 1928
DiedMay 7, 1987(59)
BornApril 15, 1928
DiedMay 7, 1987(59)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Awards
    • 5 wins & 2 nominations

Known for

The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965)
The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga
7.7
  • Writer
  • 1965
As Três Mortes de Solano (1978)
As Três Mortes de Solano
6.3
  • Writer
  • 1978
Quincas Borba (1987)
Quincas Borba
6.8
  • Writer
  • 1987
O Predileto (1975)
O Predileto
6.7
  • Writer
  • 1975

Credits

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IMDbPro

Writer

  • Quincas Borba (1987)
    Quincas Borba
    • Writer
    • 1987
  • Nasce Uma Mulher (1985)
    Nasce Uma Mulher
    • writer
    • 1985
  • Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema (1981)
    Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 1981
  • Contos Eróticos (1980)
    Contos Eróticos
    • Writer (segment Arroz com Feijão)
    • 1980
  • Os Amantes da Chuva (1979)
    Os Amantes da Chuva
    • writer
    • 1979
  • As Três Mortes de Solano (1978)
    As Três Mortes de Solano
    • writer
    • 1978
  • Parada 88 - O Limite de Alerta (1978)
    Parada 88 - O Limite de Alerta
    • Writer
    • 1978
  • O Predileto (1975)
    O Predileto
    • Writer
    • 1975
  • Vozes do Medo (1972)
    Vozes do Medo
    • Writer
    • 1972
  • Um Anjo Mau (1971)
    Um Anjo Mau
    • Writer
    • 1971
  • África Eterna
    • Writer
    • 1970
  • Juliana do Amor Perdido (1970)
    Juliana do Amor Perdido
    • Writer
    • 1970
  • Embu (1968)
    Embu
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 1968
  • Rossana Ghessa in Bebel, Garota Propaganda (1968)
    Bebel, Garota Propaganda
    • writer
    • 1968
  • Paulo José in O Homem Nu (1968)
    O Homem Nu
    • dialogue
    • screenplay
    • 1968

Director

  • Quincas Borba (1987)
    Quincas Borba
    • Director
    • 1987
  • Nasce Uma Mulher (1985)
    Nasce Uma Mulher
    • Director
    • 1985
  • Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema (1981)
    Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema
    • Director
    • Short
    • 1981
  • Contos Eróticos (1980)
    Contos Eróticos
    • Director (segment Arroz com Feijão)
    • 1980
  • Os Amantes da Chuva (1979)
    Os Amantes da Chuva
    • Director
    • 1979
  • As Três Mortes de Solano (1978)
    As Três Mortes de Solano
    • Director
    • 1978
  • Vozes do Medo (1972)
    Vozes do Medo
    • Director
    • 1972
  • Um Anjo Mau (1971)
    Um Anjo Mau
    • Director
    • 1971
  • Carnaval São Paulo
    • Director
    • Short
    • 1969
  • Embu (1968)
    Embu
    • Director
    • Short
    • 1968
  • Paulo José in O Homem Nu (1968)
    O Homem Nu
    • Director
    • 1968
  • As Cariocas (1966)
    As Cariocas
    • Director
    • 1966
  • The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965)
    The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga
    • Director
    • 1965
  • O Grande Momento (1958)
    O Grande Momento
    • Director
    • 1958

Producer

  • Quincas Borba (1987)
    Quincas Borba
    • producer
    • 1987
  • Nasce Uma Mulher (1985)
    Nasce Uma Mulher
    • producer
    • 1985
  • Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema (1981)
    Chick Fowle, O Faixa Preta do Cinema
    • producer
    • Short
    • 1981
  • Edson Celulari in Asa Branca: Um Sonho Brasileiro (1980)
    Asa Branca: Um Sonho Brasileiro
    • co-producer
    • 1980
  • Os Amantes da Chuva (1979)
    Os Amantes da Chuva
    • producer
    • 1979
  • Parada 88 - O Limite de Alerta (1978)
    Parada 88 - O Limite de Alerta
    • associate producer
    • 1978
  • Rossana Ghessa in Bebel, Garota Propaganda (1968)
    Bebel, Garota Propaganda
    • co-producer
    • 1968
  • The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965)
    The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga
    • producer
    • 1965
  • O Grande Momento (1958)
    O Grande Momento
    • producer
    • 1958
  • Rio, Zona Norte (1957)
    Rio, Zona Norte
    • producer
    • 1957

Personal details

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  • Alternative name
    • Roberto Santos Pinhanhez
  • Born
    • April 15, 1928
    • São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Died
    • May 7, 1987
    • São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Spouse
    • Marilia Santos

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    After seeing "Matraga", Guimarães Rosa -- the author of the original story -- commented that Roberto Santos' end for the story was more interesting than his. He also told that "They are vindicated", referring to previous adaptations of his work to movies.
  • Quotes
    I fell in love with movies when I fell in love with my wife.

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