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Known For

Fernando Ramos da Silva is known for:

  • Pixote, in memorian
    A tribute documentary on Fernando Ramos da Silva, the famous child star of the acclaimed film by Hector Babenco, "Pixote, a Lei do Mais Fraco" (1981). 20 years after his assassination by the police, his co-stars and Babenco talk about Fernando's contributions to the film, his troubled life when his acting works didn't took off as expected (since he was typecast) and which made him turn back to his past life of poverty and crimes. The project also presents that film's influence to many directors and artists around the world.
  • Pixote
    Pixote, a 10-year-old runaway boy, is arrested on the streets of São Paulo during a police round-up homeless people. Pixote endures torture, degradation, and corruption at a local youth detention center where two of the runaways are murdered by policemen who frame Lilica, a 17-year-old trans hustler. Pixote helps Lilica and three other boys escape where they make their living by the life of crime which only escalates to more violence and death.
  • They Don't Wear Black Tie
    Otavio is an idealistic union leader trying to organize workers at a factory to resist the company's exploitative practices. His son, Tião, one of the employees, is more of a realist and doesn't want to risk losing his job by striking. This clash of perspectives puts the father and son at odds. Fortunately, Tião's mother, Romana, is on hand to act as a moderator between the two opinionated men.

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Biography

Fernando was the star of only one film in his short life. He played Pixote - a street child - in Pixote, a Lei do Mais Fraco (1981). During his short period of fame, Fernando was seen as a symbol of hope for the Brazilian street kids. He grew up in a poor neighborhood of Diadema - a industrial city close to São Paulo - Brazil. Illiterate and poor, Fernando played Pixote at the age of 11 years old. His only previous experience in acting was an amateur play. After the success of Pixote, Fernando moved briefly to Rio de Janeiro. There, he tried his luck as an actor in a "novela" (Brazilian soap opera). The fame was brief, without literacy, he could not memorize the scripts. He ended up returning to Diadema. There, he had the same fate as many like him. He got involved with gangs and drug dealing. At age 19, he was killed inside his house by the police. The circumstances of his death are are still a mystery. Three of Fernando's brothers were also killed in the streets of the Brazilian inner cities. Fernando is survived by a daughter. Although he never lived in the streets and always had a family, he stands as a symbol of the Brazlian street children, until this date.