CINEMA IN SÃO PAULO IN SEVENTIES

Production and behind the scenes of the movie scene of Sao Paulo in the 70s in the collection of MIS

Photo filming "O homem nu" (1968)Museu da Imagem e do Som

The films produced in São Paulo in the 1970s became well-known for their experimentation, creativity and daring, and they were all characteristically striking in their thematic and aesthetic diversity.

Photo filming "O homem nu" (1968)Museu da Imagem e do Som

Such diversity can also be found in the MIS archive: photographs, objects, videos and films that tell various stories about São Paulo’s art and culture. One of these stories is the subject of this exhibition, put together from materials that have been researched within the museum’s collections, regarding the films produced in São Paulo between 1968 and 1980 and the filmmakers who were active in the city during this period.

Roberto Santos by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Filmmakers

 in action!

Greater São Paulo was host to a significant cinematic event for Brazilian Cinema in the 1950s: the founding of the Cinematográfica Vera Cruz production company. As a result of the company’s development, the city of São Paulo came to be home to film schools, such as the São Paulo Cinema Studies Centre and the São Luiz Film School of Higher Education, which produced some of the young artists who would later become renowned in Brazilian cinema in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.

Walter Hugo Khouri (1989) by MIS-SPMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Rogério Sganzerla, José Mojica Marins (Zé do Caixão), Julio Bressane and Ivan Cardoso are interviewed by Jairo Ferreira to the documentary "Horror Palace Hotel"Museu da Imagem e do Som

Jairo Ferreira, a critic, filmmaker, and actor born in São Paulo, was a close friend of many of the contemporary filmmakers and was well-versed in what he called “The Cinema of Invention”. He penned powerful phrases which he used to identify some of the directors who are paid tribute to here: “Ozualdo Candeias – An Advanced Departure Point”; “Rogério Sganzerla – Hidden Earthquake”; “Carlos Reichenbach – Synergy of Cineutopia” and “José Mojica Marins – Total Genius. (Jairo Ferreira, “The Cinema of Invention. São Paulo: Limiar, 2000).

“Ozualdo Candeias, America’s rebel” by Unknown authorshipMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Carlos Reichenbach (1989) by Museum of Image and SoundMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Many more talents appeared in São Paulo during this time, such as Roberto Santos, Luis Sérgio Person, Walter Hugo Khouri, Ana Carolina, João Batista de Andrade, Carlos Ebert, Hermano Penna, Hector Babenco, João Silvério Trevisan, Jairo Ferreira, Júlio Calasso Júnior, José Agripino de Paula, Andrea Tonacci, among others.

Rogério Sganzerla (1990) by Museu da Imagem e do SomMuseu da Imagem e do Som

The filmmaker Ana Carolina during an interview at MIS in 1989. by Produção MISMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Ana Carolina (1989) by MIS-SPMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Bar SoberanoMuseu da Imagem e do Som

In movie theaters...

Peripheral, underground, “da boca”, political, experimental, innovative… Many labels were used to attempt to define the films produced in São Paulo in the 1970s. A number of the productions from this period, some of which have been represented in this exhibition, were markedly auteur films.

Little movie poster "O abismo" (1977) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

It was during this same period that auteur cinema made great strides, producing such fascinating films like Bang-bang (Andrea Tonacci), Awakening of the Beast (José Mojica Marins), The Prophet of Hunger (Maurice Capovilla), Nenê Bandalho (Emílio Fontana) , Orgy or the Man Who Gave Birth (João Silvério Trevisan), Sea of Roses (Ana Carolina), The Woman of Everyone (Rogério Sganzerla), The Angel of the Night (Walter Hugo Khouri), Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind (José Mojica Marins), Love, Prostitute Word (Carlos Reichenbach).

Little movie poster "O abismo" (1977) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

After beginning his career as a film critic and filmmaker in São Paulo, Rogério Sganzerla directed and produced “The Abyss” in Rio de Janeiro, which included songs by Jimi Hendrix and memorable interpretations by Norma Bengell, Jorge Loredo and José Mojica Marins.

Rogério Sganzerla (1989) by MIS-SPMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Movie poster "A herança" by Ozualdo Candeias (1970)Museu da Imagem e do Som

Movie poster "Cristais de sangue", Môca, 1975, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Movie poster "As três mortes de Solano", Diego Peñuela, 1976, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Movie poster "Os amantes da chuva", DPP-Embrafilme, 1979, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more

Photo from "Cordélia Cordélia" (1971) by Lúcio KodatoMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Scene from "Sargento Getulio" (1978/1983) by Marcos MacielMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Photo from "A herança", Ozualdo Candeias, 1970, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Photo from "A herança", Ozualdo Candeias, 1970, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Scenes from “Meu nome é Tonho” by Ozualdo Candeias., Peter Overbeck, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more

Photo from "Lilian M: confusões amorosas" (1975) by Belmiro Zenha FilhoMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Scene from "Jornal do Sertão" (1970) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Scene from "Pixote: a lei do mais fraco", Ayrton magalhães, 1980, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Scene from "Pixote: a lei do mais fraco", Ayrton Magalhães, 1980, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Scene from "Pixote: a lei do mais fraco", Ayrton Magalhães, 1980, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more

Scene from "Uma pistola para D'Jeca" (1970) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

With a more popular appeal and commercial tendencies, the films produced by and starring Amácio Mazzaropi grew to be successful in the 1970s following the opening of his own film studios in the city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo.

Movies scene from "Uma pistola para D'Jeca" by Ary Fernandes, produced and starred by Amácio Mazzaropi. by Rodolfo IcseyMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Movies scene from "Uma pistola para D'Jeca" by Ary Fernandes, produced and starred by Amácio Mazzaropi. by Rodolfo IcseyMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Scene from "Uma pistola para D'Jeca" (1970) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Scene from "O homem que virou suco" (1980) by João Farkas and Nellie SolitrenickMuseu da Imagem e do Som

The strength of political
cinema in the ‘70s.

Some filmmakers became involved in more politically questionable productions. Regarding these films, notable highlights include behind-the-scenes and promotional material pertaining to productions such as “Arms Crossed, Machines Stopped”, “Colonel Delmiro Gouveia” and “The Man Who Became Juice”.

Filming "O homem que virou suco" (1980) by João Farkas and Nellie SolitrenickMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Movie poster "Braços cruzados, máquinas paradas" (1979) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Photos on the cinema front doors of "Coronel Delmiro Gouveia" by Geraldo Sarno, Mello Menezes, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more
Photos on the cinema front doors of "Coronel Delmiro Gouveia" by Geraldo Sarno, Mello Menezes, From the collection of: Museu da Imagem e do Som
Show lessRead more

João Batista de Andrade (1989) by MIS-SPMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Abrão Berman (1975) by UnknownMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Super 8: just a hobby or
genuine cinema?

"At its inception, it was merely something of leisure for those who had skill, taste and some money. Weddings, parties, graduations or holidays were no longer reproduced via the antiquated frames of slides. The fever in the homes led to more common usage in the industry, such as tests for adverts, sales promotions or in the field of training. Meanwhile, the Super 8 camera was also being given a definitive significance following a strong cinematic movement of festivals in various states around Brazil." Text by Abrão Berman and published in a pamphlet for the 7th Super National Super 8 Film FestivalSão Paulo, 1979.

Publicizing the VII Super National Festival by Super 8 Movie (1979) by Antônio Carlos Espilotro and Manuel Nunes FerreiraMuseu da Imagem e do Som

The countless technical innovations that were released – some of which were very close to professional standards – were proof of the potential of Super 8 from the very beginning. It was aggressively embraced around the world and especially in Brazil. And Brazilians revealed that aside from being musicians, poets, doctors and lunatics, they were also filmmakers”.
Text by Abrão Berman and published in a pamphlet for the 7th Super National Super 8 Film FestivalSão Paulo, 1979.

Abrão Berman (1975) by Armando de SylosMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Abrão Berman was one of the most important filmmakers of the Super 8 movement, and founded the GRIFE in 1972 (the Group for Independent Filmmakers of Experimental Productions), which became responsible for the organisation of the Super National Super 8 Film Festival between 1973 and 1983. The GRIFE was also a teaching centre for Super 8 beginners.

Super 8 CameraMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Super 8 productions reached their peak during the 1970s. At the beginning of the 1980s, the format quickly became obsolete, principally due to the popularisation of video.
The MIS archive contains an important collection of Super 8 films that have been screened at various editions of the Super National Super 8 Film Festival.Aside from the films, film equipment can also be found among the archive, such as the cameras on display here.

Super 8 CameraMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Super 8 CameraMuseu da Imagem e do Som

Credits: Story

Créditos: history
Supervisão geral — André Sturm
Curadoria — Patrícia Lira e Renan Daniel
Pesquisa em vídeo — Jorge D´Ângelo, Patrícia Lira, Renan Daniel e Wilson Basso Neto
Digitalização de cartazes — Letícia Godoy
Digitalização de fotos — Gildo J. Rocha
Edição de vídeos — Gildo J. Rocha
Conselho de Administração — Cosette Alves (presidente), Antônio Hermann (vice-presidente), Cecília Ribeiro, James Sinclair, Marcello Hallake, Max Perlingeiro, Nilton Guedes, Olivio Guedes e Simone Gil Braz

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Wonders of Brazil
A showcase of Brazil's finest cultural treasures.
View theme
Google apps