Nelson Pereira dos Santos ComRB • OMC (São Paulo, October 22, 1928 — Rio de Janeiro, April 21, 2018) was a Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter. Having been one of the founders of the Cinema Novo movement, his production spans a period of 60 years in the history of Brazil. Considered one of the most important filmmakers in the country, he was strongly influenced by the works of the 1930s generation of Brazilian literary modernism, having adapted works by Graciliano Ramos and Jorge Amado for cinema. His film Vidas Secas, based on Graciliano's novel, is one of the most awarded Brazilian films of all time, being recognized as a masterpiece. In 2006, he was elected Immortal by the Brazilian Academy of Letters, a position he held until his death in 2018.

KNOWN FOR

Jards Macalé - Um Morcego na Porta Principal
2008
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
2017
The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga
1965
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
1971
Go Ahead, Brazil!
1982
Meu Compadre, Zé Ketti
2001
Já que Ninguém me Tira Para Dançar
2021
Cordilheiras no Mar: A Fúria do Fogo Bárbaro
2015
Glauber Rocha - The Movie, Brazil's Labyrinth
2003
Claves, 1: How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
1984
Claves, 2: We will return younger
1984
Sinais de Cinza, A Peleja de Olney Contra o Dragão da Maldade
2013

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
38
Directing
35
Writing
23
Producing
12
Camera
1
Editing
6
Crew
1
2025
Amuleto
2023
Nelson Pereira dos Santos – A Life of Cinema
as Self (archive footage)
2021
The Good Cinema
as Self
2021
Já que Ninguém me Tira Para Dançar
as Self
2021
Nelson Filma o Rio
as Self (archive footage)
2020
Candango: Memoirs from a Festival
as Self (archive footage)
2019
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
as Self (archive footage)
2018
A música que meu pai gostava
2017
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
as Self
2016
Cinema Novo
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2015
Tudo Por Amor ao Cinema
as Self
2015
Cordilheiras no Mar: A Fúria do Fogo Bárbaro
as Self
2014
O Brasil de Darcy Ribeiro
2013
Sinais de Cinza, A Peleja de Olney Contra o Dragão da Maldade
2011
Glauber Rocha em Defesa do Cinema Brasileiro
as Self (archive footage)
2008
Critic
as Self
2008
A Paz é Dourada
2008
Jards Macalé - Um Morcego na Porta Principal
as Self
2007
Sambando nas Brasas, Morô?
as Self
2007
Português - A Língua do Brasil
2007
Oscar Niemeyer: Life is a Breath of Air
as Self
2006
Referências
as Self
2003
Glauber Rocha - The Movie, Brazil's Labyrinth
as Self
2002
How to Die in Cinema
as Himself
2002
At the Edge of the Earth
as Self
1999
Uma Vida Dividida
as Ele mesmo
1998
For All - O Trampolim da Vitória
1997
Dib
as Self
1991
Que Viva Glauber!
as Self
1991
Que Filme 'Tu Vai' Fazer?
1989
Alex Viany - Um Documentário em Vídeo
as Self
1984
Claves, 1: How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
as himself
1984
Claves, 2: We will return younger
as himself
1971
Brazil in Cannes
1971
Nelson Filma
1969
Garden of War
1967
Improvised and Purposeful: Cinema Novo
as Self
1961
Red Mandacaru
as Augusto