Leon Hirszman


Leon Hirszman was a Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter, and one of the main figures of Cinema Novo. He is best known for directing the 1981 film They Don't Wear Black Tie which won the Special Jury Prize at the 38th Venice International Film Festival. His other films include Fernanda Montenegro's 1965 film debut The Deceased, the 1972 adaptation of Graciliano Ramos's S. Bernardo and the documentary ABC da Greve. He died from complications of HIV/AIDS on 15 September 1987, aged 49.

Filmography

YearOriginal titleEnglish release titleLanguageNotes
1962Pedreira de São Diogo PortugueseSegment of Cinco Vezes Favela.
1964Maioria Absoluta PortugueseShort documentary on illiteracy and unequal land distribution in Brazil's countryside.
1965A FalecidaThe Deceased / The DeathPortuguese
1967Garota de IpanemaGirl from IpanemaPortuguese
1969Nelson Cavaquinho PortugueseShort documentary on Nelson Cavaquinho.
1969Sexta-Feira da Paixão, Sábado de Aleluia PortugueseSegment of América do Sexo .
1972S. BernardoSão Bernardo / Saint BernardPortuguese
1973Megalópolis PortugueseShort documentary on urbanization in Brazil, especially in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
1973Ecologia PortugueseShort documentary denouncing the exploitation of natural resources in Brazil.
1974Cantos de Trabalho: Mutirão PortugueseShort documentary on corn agriculture in Chã Preta, Alagoas. First of three "Cantos de Trabalho" short documentaries.
1976Cantos de Trabalho: Cana-de-Açúcar PortugueseShort documentary on sugarcane agriculture in Feira de Santana, Bahia. Second of three "Cantos de Trabalho" short documentaries.
1976Cantos de Trabalho: Cacau PortugueseShort documentary on cacao agriculture in Itabuna, Bahia. Third of three "Cantos de Trabalho" short documentaries.
1976Que País É Este? PortugueseBrazilian-Italian co-production. Documentary on the history of Brazil.
1978Rio, Carnaval da Vida PortugueseAlso known as Carnaval do Povo. Short documentary on carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
1981Eles Não Usam Black-TieThey Don't Wear Black TiePortuguese
1982Partido Alto High PartyPortugueseFilmed in 1976. Short documentary on the partido alto samba subgenre.
1988Imagens do Inconsciente PortugueseFilmed between 1983–1986. Trilogy, documentary on Nise da Silveira's cases.
1990ABC da Greve PortugueseFilmed in 1979. Documentary on the 1978-1980 workers' strike in the ABC Region.
1995Cinema Brasileiro: Mercado Ocupado PortugueseFilmed in 1975. Short documentary on the contemporary Brazilian film production conditions.
1996Bahia de Todos os Sambas PortugueseCo-directed with Paulo César Saraceni. Concert film filmed in Rome, Italy, between 23-31 August, 1983, documenting the Bahia de Todos os Sambas festival.
2014Posfácio: Imagens do Inconsciente PortugueseFilmed in 1986. Interview with Nise da Silveira.