Vittorio Di Maio (lost films from Italian director; existence unconfirmed; 1897)

Vittorio Di Maio.

Status: Existence Unconfirmed

Vittorio Di Maio was an Italian pioneer in film exhibitions in Brazil. In 1897, he supposedly recorded films that years later were considered the first films produced in Brazil.

On the 1st and 6th of May 1897, Vittorio Di Maio exhibited 21 films at the Teatro Cassino Fluminense. The exhibitions can be confirmed in advertisements in the newspaper "Gazeta de Petrópolis". These films were for a long time considered the first films produced in Brazil.

Controversies

Di Maio could not have made these shorts, as he only worked with projection devices that are still unknown today, and it would have been extremely complicated for the time, because there was no cinematographic material available.

The researchers Paulo Roberto Ferreira and Jorge J.V. Capellaro, in the book "Verdades Sobre o Início do Cinema no Brasil" argue the short films exhibited in 1897 are Brazilian. The only evidence raised by the researchers is the fact that the titles of some films refer to places in Brazil, such as "Petrópolis" and "Polytheama".

However, other researchers indicate that Di Maio changed the titles of foreign films to deceive the population of Petrópolis. Another thing that reinforces the theory is that Di Maio never mentioned or explained the screenings or the whereabouts of the films, even before he died in 1926.

List of Films

Of all the films, only 4 are defended as being Brazilian, which as:

• Uma Artista Trabalhando no Trapézio do Polytheama
• Chegada do Trem em Petrópolis
• Bailado de Crianças no Colégio, no Andaraí
• Ponto Terminal da Linha de Bondes de Botafogo, Vendo-se os Passageiros Subir e Descer

Number	Name	Literal Translation	Original Airdate
1	Uma Artista Trabalhando no Trapezio do Polytheama	An Artist Working on the Polytheama Trapeze	May 1, 1897
2	Uma Dama Preparando a Sua Toilette Para ir a Um Baile	A Lady Preparing Her Toilet To Go To A Ball	May 1, 1897
3	Uma Dança de Africanos	A Dance of Africans	May 1, 1897
4	Chegada do Trem em Petrópolis	Arrival of the Train in Petrópolis	May 1, 1897
5	Bailado de Creanças no Collegio, no Andarahy	Children's Ballet at the College, in Andarahy	May 1, 1897
6	Boulevard des Itahiens en Paris	Boulevard of the Italians in Paris	May 1, 1897
7	Escola de Patinação	Skating School	May 1, 1897
8	Saída do Pessoal de Uma Fabrica	People Leaving a Factory	May 1, 1897
9	Um Bailado, Tendo os Dançarinos na Mão um Chapéu de Sol	A Ballet, with the Dancers Holding an Umbrella	May 1, 1897
10	Um Almoço em Família	A Family Lunch	May 1, 1897
11	Um Circo de Cavalinhos	A Horse Circus	May 1, 1897
12	Desfilar das Tropas Francesas	Parade of French Troops	May 1, 1897
13	Praça da Concordia em Paris	Concorde Square in Paris	May 1, 1897
14	Um Professor de Violino, Lecionando as Suas Discipulas	A Violin Teacher, Teaching His Disciples	May 1, 1897
15	Saída de Devotos de Uma Igreja	Departure of Devotees from a Church	May 1, 1897
16	Lavadeiras (Lavando Roupa)	Laundresses (Washing Clothes)	May 1, 1897
17	Uma Serpentina (Bailarina)	A Serpentine (Ballerina)	May 1, 1897
18	Jogadores Surpreendidos pela Policia	Players Surprised by the Police	May 6, 1897
19	Ponto Terminal da Linha de Bondes de Botafogo, Vendo-se os Passageiros Subir e Descer	Terminal Point of the Botafogo Tram Line, Seeing Passengers Getting On and Off	May 6, 1897
20	Uma Decapitação Praticada pelos Inquisidores na Espanha	A Decapitation Practiced by the Inquisitors in Spain	May 6, 1897
21	Banhistas (No banho)	Bathers (In the bath)	May 6, 1897

Gallery

Images

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  Advertisement for the films 1/2.

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  Advertisement for the films 2/2.

See Also

Brazilian Films

• Acabaram-se os Otários (partially found Brazilian comedy film; 1929)
• Amazonas, o Maior Rio do Mundo (found Brazilian documentary film; 1918-1920)
• Apuros do Genésio (found Brazilian comedy short film; 1940)
• Augusto Aníbal Quer Casar (lost Brazilian comedy film; 1923)
• Barcarola (lost Brazilian film; 1908)
• Hei de Vencer (partially found Brazilian drama film; 1924)
• Luiz de Barros (partially found films from Brazilian director; 1916-1977)
• Nhô Anastácio Chegou de Viagem (lost Brazilian first comedy film; 1908)
• O Kaiser (lost Brazilian first animated film; 1917)
• Os Óculos do Vovô (partially found Brazilian film; 1913)
• Presente de Natal (partially found Brazilian animated film; 1971)
• Um Bravo do Nordeste (lost Brazilian western film; 1931)
• Um Crime Sensacional (lost Brazilian drama film; 1913)
• Uma Encrenca no Olimpo (lost unreleased Brazilian comedy film; 1929)
• Vocação Irresistível (lost Brazilian comedy short film; 1924)