Firmo Neto

Firmo Neto was born at the Brazilian state of Amazonas. He was a director, photographer, editor, and an important figure of the Ciclo do Recife: In the mid-1920's, a group of young filmmakers began filming Pernambuco's first silent movies, later known as the Ciclo do Recife (Recife Cycle). Supported by courage and irreverence, they gradually gained space in society and were successful in their productions. Neighborhood theaters held parties for the premiere of local films. Bands, posters, and cinnamon leaves gave a characteristic peculiar to the environment and provided the joy of suburban society. The filme were a mix of local western films, romanticism and contemporary social reality. Firmo Neto was a figure of utmost importance during this time. In 1939 he was hired as a cinematographer by Meridional Filmes, the studio, and shot many local short documentaries that were presented at the movies before the movies. In 1942 he co-directed the feature film "Coelho Sai", with Newton Paiva, the first sound film made in Pernambuco. The film was a musical with several performances, whose history was the longing of a young girl for Recife, its culture and carnival . Produced by Newton Paiva, owner of Meridional Filmes, screenplay by Ernani Seve and Berguedof Elliot, with the participation of actors Elpídio Câmara, Carlos Brasil, Edgar Cardoso and Geninha da Rosa Borges , the musical numbers included singer Dirce Gonçalves, duo Alvarenga and Bentinho , Dona Santa's maracatu and Tabajaras caboclinhos. "O Coelho Sai" was a music by conductor Nelson Ferreira; it appears on the movie and ended giving it its title. Apart from directing, Firmo also made the sound, set design , photography, editing and even the makeup of the actors. During the 1950's, he dedicated himself to the making of social documentaries. During 1970's began using Super 8 film and was director of photography of six Pernambuco films in Super 8 format, for the II Northeast Short Film Day in Salvador (Bahia), in 1973. He died in 1998, by heart and respiratory infection and hypertension.