Happy Birthday, Mário Peixoto! Born today in 1908 as Mário Rodrigues Breves Peixoto, this Belgian-born Brazilian novelist and film director is mainly known for his only film.
This was the 1931 Brazilian black and white silent drama/experimental film 'Limite' (Portuguese for "limit" or "border").
This was the 1931 Brazilian black and white silent drama/experimental film 'Limite' (Portuguese for "limit" or "border").
Filmed in 1930, 'Limite' premiered in Rio de Janeiro on May 17, 1931. Peixoto edited, wrote, produced, directed and took up a minor role in the film, credited as Man sitting at the cemetery. Today, 'Limite' is cited by some as the greatest of all Brazilian films.
Inspired by a haunting photograph on the cover of a French magazine by Hungarian-born photographer André Kertész, 'Limite' centers on Man #1 (Raul Schnoor), Woman #1 (Olga Breno) and Woman #2 (Tatiana Rey). All lost at sea in a rowboat, their pasts begin unfolding through flashbacks.
The film is also propelled by the music of French composer and pianist Erik Satie, French composer Claude Debussy, Russian composer, pianist and conductor Igor Stravinsky, and others.
The film is also propelled by the music of French composer and pianist Erik Satie, French composer Claude Debussy, Russian composer, pianist and conductor Igor Stravinsky, and others.
An early work of independent Latin American filmmaking, 'Limite' was famously difficult to see for most of the 20th century. Nonetheless, it is a pioneering achievement that continues to captivate with its timeless visual poetry.
Aside from this two-hour feature, Peixoto never completed another film. However, when 'Limite' was seen by Orson Welles, the film eventually won the admiration of many.
This included Soviet film director and film theorist, and a pioneer in the theory and practice of montage Sergei M. Eisenstein.
This also included French journalist and cinema writer Georges Sadoul to Brazilian filmmaker and film producer of international prominence Walter Salles.
This also included French journalist and cinema writer Georges Sadoul to Brazilian filmmaker and film producer of international prominence Walter Salles.
In 2015, 'Limite' was voted number one on the Brazilian Film Critics Association's (Abraccine) Top 100 Brazilian films list. 'Limite' is also considered to be a cult movie.
Peixoto had been active from 1931–1931.
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