Browse Items (2 total)
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Pixote: A Lei Do Mais Fraco
Pixote, a child from the streets of São Paulo, is arrested by the police and sent to a juvenile detention center where he and the other adolescents endure abuse and sexual violation by police officers. When two runaways are murdered and the police frame Lilica, a transgender woman, Pixote escapes with her and their friends to begin living a life of crime. (Film synopsis by Éowyn Bailey) -
Carandiru
São Paolo, 1992. A new doctor arrives in the notorious male prison of Carandiru, aiming to promote Aids education. Gradually we become aware of individuals within the crowd of convicts, as they come to the doctor's office for treatment. In flashback we learn the crimes that brought them to the prison. Dagger has killed another prisoner's father. Highness is a good-looking thief with a white wife and a black mistress. He has taken the blame for a fire set by his jealous wife. Chico is a dignified older man, waiting in vain for a visit from his grown daughter. Zico, a drug dealer, was taken in by the family of Deusdete after being abandoned by his mother. Deusdete has killed the two men who raped his sister and now shares a cell with Zico. Antonio and Miro are armed robbers brought down by the jealousy and treachery of their wives. Lady Di is a transsexual who aims to marry fellow inmate Too Bad. On visiting day the partners and children of all these characters are allowed into the prison. Zico, now addicted to crack, goes crazy and pours boiling water over Deusdete. He is killed in turn by a number of prisoners, and Highness gets Ezequiel, another addict, to take the blame. There is a football match among the convicts. Afterwards a fight breaks out which escalates into a riot. Although the prisoners give up their arms, the riot squad enter and slaughter the inmates. The final titles tell us that 111 convicts were killed and not one policeman. Documentary footage shows how the prison was finally demolished in 2002. Source: Smith, Paul Julian. Sight and Sound, vol. 14, no. 4, 2004, p. 44-45.