ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

hddu10 The film Pixote embodies the word exploitation on several levels. Set in 1970's/80s Brazil, the central theme is that of "throw away" marginalized children, who for various reasons find themselves at the mercy of state institutions. While there are many Latin American films of this genre going back as far as the 1950s (i.e. the Mexican classic "Los Olvidados"), the difference here is the realistic style using type-cast non-actors. The sad reality is that these same children/non-actors were in effect victimized themselves for this film; "discovered" (like the lead character) by the film crew off the streets due to their economic desperation, and thus willingness to do anything on film. There are some very blatantly homosexual/pedophile scenes with gratuitous nudity of young/adolescent children, along with other scenes where the lead is made to witness and participate in some very explicit sexual acts. While the film's message is clear, the point could have been made without sacrificing the childhood of these actors (and if anyone here knows the story of what became of those who participated in the film, they will know exactly why).

giapvu Amazing, controversial, and painful are some essential adjectives to allocate this important piece of art, that depicts the searing and factual adolescence of the marginalized children; i.e. victims of our global village.Pixote prepubescent, with the unflinching stare of the innocent-all-knowing, left an impression of raw truth in finding credence to the old African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child". The awful reality, though, that director Hector Babenco visualized is that Brazil, with it's confusing, twisted, and socio-economic disparity, is the cause of this robbed innocence. In desperation, we see these children in search of nurturing and love, but only permitted leftovers of what society has tossed aside. Institutionalized rape, prostitution, drug dealing, and murder are the only voice they have in order to be nurtured, be loved, and have power. The only thing that Brazil has to offer these lost children are predators; repeating the cycle of hopelessness. Brazil, as a nation is an unworthy parent.In retrospect, I believe the film "Pixote" is a parable on the world governments turning a blind eye to the hunger pains of the destitute and impoverished victims of an ever-expanding economy; and the force of irresponsible globalization is leaving blood soaked tear trails of destruction through the interconnected avenues of the world. We see through the symbolism of a child that the inequality or disparity in society has a snowball effect causing cannibalism within ourselves.

runamokprods A deeply disturbing and heartbreaking neo-realist film, about an abandoned, unwanted 10 year old living first in a reformatory, and then on Brazil's mean streets. The performances Babenco gets from his non-professional cast are amazing, especially his tiny young lead. The film almost totally avoids the twin traps of false sentimentality (although it's got plenty of emotion), or needless flashiness. It occasionally feels aimless, but somehow, in the end, it always adds up. Probably the weakest, most problematic moment is the opening, where the 'director' (Babenco, or an actor?) tells us that these actors are real people, gives us some facts and figures about them, and tells that their lives are much like those shown in the film. It then took me the next few minutes to forget about that, and get involved with the characters, and not get all caught up in pondering the artistic complexities of 'real people' playing a dramatic variation on their lives. The film doesn't need that kind of blunt framing device.So perhaps I don't consider this terrific, important film a 'perfect' masterpiece as so many do - but I deeply admire it and respect it, would encourage everyone to see it (though you doubtless find the experience upsetting) and look forward to seeing it a third time. You will never be able to look at a poor kid on the street quite the same way again.

ninoguapo I liked the movie. At the beginning it started as documentary as some guy was talking about the tough conditions in Brazil. What actually impressed me was that as the guy mentioned all the kid actors including the main character Pixote played by Fernando Ramos Da Silva were coming from the real world – from the poorest neighborhoods, with one mission in life – to survive.Drugs, rape, prostitution, murder – Pixote has seen them all, and after reading the biography of the actor I am inclined to think that he has seen this things much before the idea of crating of that movie came up. You could actually sense that in his acting.Not only the horrors of the street life are shown, the cruelty of the police and people who are in theory responsible for people for problems which have found themselves arrested for some stupid crime – do they deserve to die for it ?!? Any why does no one cares – but instead the police and the director of the brostel in which Pixote is taken are trying to cover everything up – to avoid any responsibility, blaming everything upon the people they are supposed to help. In the movie when a boy asked his mother to take him out of the place where he was locked up – she said " what could happen to you here " – only she didn't know and he did not want to tell her – to describe the dimensions of the hell surrounding him – invisible to the outside world but existing. And I have to tell you that this is just as things are in the real life – but no one cares...