International Cinema essays

International Cinema essays AN ANALYSIS OF HECTOR BABENCOS FILM, PIXOTE This film takes place in Brazil during the early eighties. At first appearance, Brazil seems to be a modern day paradise. Large and exotic beaches line the city where tourists flock all year round. Even the people, at first glance appear to be very cultural and rich in heritage. However, this only part of the picture. What you dont immediately see is the overwhelming number of delinquent children who have no home. There are approximately twenty-eight million children in Brazil and roughly three million of them are homeless. Also, half of them are under the age of twenty-one. Children under the age of twenty-one commit the majority of all crimes in Brazil. This is because here, the laws protect the children. Until they reach eighteen years of age, they cannot be convicted of a crime. In the film Pixote, by Hector Babenco, this issue is addressed. The everyday struggles of the children on the street portray a dark counter-culture o the beautiful scenery that surrounds them. The film depicts the lives of numerous adolescents who take part in drugs, rape, theft, murder and prostitution. Because of their age they seemingly go un-punished. I believe the director used the main character, Pixote as a metaphor for the current state of Brazil. Through this character we see that the kids do survive despite their harsh surroundings and learn at a very young age how to survive at any cost. Children are constantly picked off the streets and thrown in to reform schools. However, these reform schools do little to help the children improve their standing. In fact, most of the children end up taking part in drugs; violence and pick up even more deceitful skills to use to help them survive in the world outside the reform school walls. I believe this expresses the main theme of the movie. I think Babenco, portrayed the homeless children of Brazil to show the differences between appearance and rea...