
Person
Ozualdo Ribeiro Candeias
Directing · 1918–2007 · Cajobi, São Paulo, Brazil
Biography
Ozualdo Ribeiro Candeias (1918 – 2007) was a Brazilian screenwriter, editor, photographer, director of photography, actor, producer and filmmaker. Candeias is believed to have been born in 1918, but was only registered in the town of Cajobi, in the state of São Paulo, in 1922. He worked in a number of jobs, from aeronautics sergent to truck driver. A self-taught filmmaker, he released his debut feature "A Margem" in 1967, a starting point for the Cinema Marginal movement (also dubbed Cinema de Invenção), which would forever change paradigms in the history of Brazilian cinema. Longing for distribution company for it, he turned to the Boca do Lixo, a block in downton São Paulo then known as a stronghold to independant filmmakers. A passionate advocate for the Boca, he paid homages to it in both short and feature films. His work is composed of numerous shorts and feature-length films, mostly depiciting life of communities either in urban or rural Brazil dealing with life in poverty. Among the genres Candeias has worked with are horror, western, exploitation and drama, although his films are hard to categorize due to their experimental nature. Although a few of his features met commercial success, such as 1969s "Meu Nome É Tonho", Candeias' films had a notoriously small audience during his lifetime. "Caçada Sangrenta" (1974) and "A Freira e a Tortura" (1983), two of his features aimed at a more conventional public, emerged from a deal with producer/actor David Cardoso, who had previously starred in "A Herança" (1971), Candeias' take on Hamlet reimagined as taking place in rural Brazil. Candeias' picture "Aopção ou As Rosas da Estrada" (1981) won the Bronze Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival. His last feature, "O Vigilante" (1992), won the Special Jury Award at the 25th Brasília Film Festival, but was never distributed at the theatres.
Known for

As Tranças de Maria
Supervising Technical Director

The Inheritance
Director

Sinal Vermelho - As Fêmeas
1972

The Awakening of the Beast
1970

Brás
Director of Photography

Maria... Sempre Maria
Director of Photography

The Red Light Bandit
Criminoso da Praça da República

At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul
Assistant Director

Trilogy of Terror
Director

The Beauties of Billings
1987
Filmography
- 2025TambaúDirector
- 2025Candeias: Um Ser do seu Tempo
- 2021The Good CinemaSelf
- 2020Ozu Piroclástico
- 2015Rua do Triumpho - O Filme
- 2013Ozualdo Candeias and the CinemaHimself (archive footage)
- 2005SoberanoSelf (archive footage)
- 2003Candeias: Da Boca pra Fora
- 2003As Tranças de MariaSupervising Technical Director
- 1994O olhar singular de Ozualdo Candeias
- 1993Cinemateca BrasileiraDirector
- 1992O VigilanteDirector
- 1992A América do SulSelf
- 1992Bastidores das Filmagens de um PornôDirector
- 1991Que Filme 'Tu Vai' Fazer?
- 1990Lady VaselinaDirector
- 1989Mister PowerDirector
- 1988Rastros na AreiaDirector of Photography
- 1987The Beauties of Billings
- 1985Boca MaciaCinematography
- 1985Boca Aberta
- 1984The Nun and the TortureDirector
- 1982Desejos Sexuais de ElzaDirector of Photography
- 1982Manelão, o Caçador de OrelhasDirector
- 1981The OptionDirector
- 1980O Cangaceiro do DiaboDirector of Photography
- 1978Desejo ViolentoScreenplay
- 1978Devil NymphsCinematography
- 197719 Mulheres e 1 Homem
- 1976BocadolixocinemaDirector
- 1976As Mulheres do Sexo ViolentoDirector
- 1976A Visita do Velho SenhorDirector
- 1976O CandinhoDirector
- 1974Caçada SangrentaDirector
- 1974Joe ZeroDirector
- 1973A Noite do DesejoDirector of Photography
- 1973Maria... Sempre MariaDirector of Photography
- 1973BrásDirector of Photography
- 1972Sinal Vermelho - As Fêmeas
- 1972O DesconhecidoDirector
- 1972Com a Cama na CabeçaDirector of Photography
- 1971Macabre Dr. Scivano
- 1971Uma Rua Chamada Triumpho 1970/71Director
- 1971Uma Rua Chamada Triumpho 1969/70Director
- 1970The InheritanceDirector
- 1970The Awakening of the Beast
- 1970Orgy or The Man Who Gave Birth
- 1969My Name Is TonhoDirector
- 1968The Red Light BanditCriminoso da Praça da República
- 1968Trilogy of TerrorDirector
- 1967The MarginDirector
- 1964At Midnight I'll Take Your SoulAssistant Director
- 1963My Destiny is in Your HandsWriter
- 1960Polícia FemininaDirector
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