Humberto Mauro
Encyclopedia
Humberto Duarte Mauro was a Brazil
ian film director
. His best known work is Ganga Bruta. He is often considered the greatest director of early Brazilian cinema
.
In July 1929, Mauro's final film for Phebo Brasil Film, Sangue Mineiro (Blood of Minas Gerais), was shown in Cataguases. In 1930, the film was given a nationwide release. The film was critically and popularly acclaimed. This was the first film in which Mauro worked with Carmen Santos who would star in many of Mauro's later films.
Phebo Brasil Film did not have the resources to continue to produce films. Adhemar Gonzaga offered Mauro a directing job for Cinédia, which was centered in Rio de Janero. Gonzaga had started to shoot Lábios sem Beijos (Lips Without Kisses) which starred Carmen Santos. However, Carmen became pregnant was unable to finish production. Gonzaga handed the project over to Mauro, who both directed and photograpghed the film, in March 1930. Mauro decided to make the film silent even though sound was available. He wanted to explore the possibilities of silent film
. Upon release in 1930, the film won the Jornal do Brasil
film of the year award. Mauro acted as cinematographer for Cinédia's second film Muhler (Woman).
Mauro began shooting Ganga Bruta in September 1931. The film was not completed until 1933 due to cast replacements. The film was silent
with synchronized sound recorded on Vitaphone
discs added later. The film received little acclaim until two decades after its release.
Mauro co-directed his first talking film with Adhemar Gonzaga. A Voz do Carnaval (The Voice of Carnival) was a musical
. Afterwards, Mauro left Cinédia for Brasil Vita Filme in 1934. He directed two feature film
s and several documentaries for Brasil Vita Filme.
In 1936, Mauro joined the Instituto de Nacional do Cinema Educativo (INCE), which was then the government office for educational and propaganda films. Mauro shot hundreds of documentaries when he was working in INCE, and he also shot his last three movies: Descobrimento do Brasil (The Discovery of Brazil), Argila (Clay), and O Canto da Saudade (The Song of Yearning). His final film was Carro de Bois (Ox Cart), a documentary, in 1974.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. His best known work is Ganga Bruta. He is often considered the greatest director of early Brazilian cinema
Cinema of Brazil
Brazilian cinema was introduced early in the 20th century but took some time to consolidate itself as a popular form of entertainment. The film industry of Brazil has gone through periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on State funding and incentives.- Early days :A couple of...
.
Career
Mauro's second feature film Thesouro Perdido (Lost Treasure) won the Brazilian "Film of the Year" award in 1927. Later that year, Phebo Sul America Film was reorganized into Phebo Brasil Film. The first film released under the new Phebo was Braza Dormida (Sleeping Ember). Braza Dormida was a boxoffice success and furthered Mauro's career as one of Brazil's leading directors.In July 1929, Mauro's final film for Phebo Brasil Film, Sangue Mineiro (Blood of Minas Gerais), was shown in Cataguases. In 1930, the film was given a nationwide release. The film was critically and popularly acclaimed. This was the first film in which Mauro worked with Carmen Santos who would star in many of Mauro's later films.
Phebo Brasil Film did not have the resources to continue to produce films. Adhemar Gonzaga offered Mauro a directing job for Cinédia, which was centered in Rio de Janero. Gonzaga had started to shoot Lábios sem Beijos (Lips Without Kisses) which starred Carmen Santos. However, Carmen became pregnant was unable to finish production. Gonzaga handed the project over to Mauro, who both directed and photograpghed the film, in March 1930. Mauro decided to make the film silent even though sound was available. He wanted to explore the possibilities of silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. Upon release in 1930, the film won the Jornal do Brasil
Jornal do Brasil
Jornal do Brasil, widely known as JB, is a daily newspaper published by Editora JB in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was founded in 1891 and is the third oldest existent Brazilian paper, after the Diário de Pernambuco and O Estado de São Paulo....
film of the year award. Mauro acted as cinematographer for Cinédia's second film Muhler (Woman).
Mauro began shooting Ganga Bruta in September 1931. The film was not completed until 1933 due to cast replacements. The film was silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
with synchronized sound recorded on Vitaphone
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film process used on feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects produced by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1930. Vitaphone was the last, but most successful, of the sound-on-disc processes...
discs added later. The film received little acclaim until two decades after its release.
Mauro co-directed his first talking film with Adhemar Gonzaga. A Voz do Carnaval (The Voice of Carnival) was a musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
. Afterwards, Mauro left Cinédia for Brasil Vita Filme in 1934. He directed two feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s and several documentaries for Brasil Vita Filme.
In 1936, Mauro joined the Instituto de Nacional do Cinema Educativo (INCE), which was then the government office for educational and propaganda films. Mauro shot hundreds of documentaries when he was working in INCE, and he also shot his last three movies: Descobrimento do Brasil (The Discovery of Brazil), Argila (Clay), and O Canto da Saudade (The Song of Yearning). His final film was Carro de Bois (Ox Cart), a documentary, in 1974.
Personal life
Mauro married Maria Vilela de Almeida in 1920. They were married until Mauro's death. They had three children. He is the granduncle of actress Cláudia Mauro.As director
- Valadião, o Cratera (1925)
- Na Primavera da Vida (1926)
- Thesouro Perdido (1927)
- Braza Dormida (1929)
- Symphonia de Cataguases (1929)
- Sangue Mineiro (1929)
- Lábios sem Beijos (1930)
- Ganga Bruta (1933)
- A Voz do Carnaval (1933)
- Favela dos Meus Amores (1935)
- Cidade Mulher (1936)
- Descobrimento do Brasil (1937)
- Argila (1940)
- O Canto da Saudade (1952)
- Carro de Bois (1974)
As screenwriter
- Como Era Gostoso o Meu Francês (for the native Tupi language dialogs) (1971)
- Anchieto, José do Brasil (1978)
- A Noiva da Cidade (1979)