FROM SHOESHINER TO LEAD ACTOR IN CENTRAL STATION: The Journey of Vinícius de Oliveira and Memories of the film

A Trajetória De Vinicius de Oliveira e As Memórias Sobre o Longa

Abstract

This article explores the journey of Vinícius de Oliveira, a Brazilian actor who began his artistic career portraying the character Josué in Central Station. Its objective is to analyze the actor’s memories of the film and its impact on his life. The study pays particular attention to Vinícius de Oliveira's memory work about himself, seeking to understand how, by constructing his autobiography, the actor imbues meaning into his trajectory centered around Central Station. The text aims to argue that being one of the film's protagonists allowed Vinícius de Oliveira to redefine his life's path, as it was through this experience that the twelve-year-old boy living with his family in the Complexo da Maré in Rio de Janeiro transitioned from being a shoeshiner to becoming an actor. This work offers an approach to the memory of performing arts in Brazil.