The film Pixote embodies the word exploitation on several levels. Set in 1970's/80s Brazil, the central theme is that of "throw away" marginalized children, who for various reasons find themselves at the mercy of state institutions. While there are many Latin American films of this genre going back as far as the 1950s (i.e. the Mexican classic "Los Olvidados"), the difference here is the realistic style using type-cast non-actors. The sad reality is that these same children/non-actors were in effect victimized themselves for this film; "discovered" (like the lead character) by the film crew off the streets due to their economic desperation, and thus willingness to do anything on film. There are some very blatantly homosexual/pedophile scenes with gratuitous nudity of young/adolescent children, along with other scenes where the lead is made to witness and participate in some very explicit sexual acts. While the film's message is clear, the point could have been made without sacrificing the childhood of these actors (and if anyone here knows the story of what became of those who participated in the film, they will know exactly why).
Review of Pixote
