Hector Babenco

What are Hector Babenco's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Hector Babenco's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (3).

• The Criterion Channel3 titles, browse their movies on this service
  • Pixote (1980) · director, writer, producer
  • Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) · director
  • The Past (2007) · actor, director, writer, producer
• HBO Max1 title, browse their movies on this service
  • Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) · director
• MGM+1 title, browse their movies on this service
  • Ironweed (1987) · director

Subscription and free streaming for Hector Babenco's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

24 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

• 

  Talk to Him (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

  as Hector Babenco
• 

  My Hindu Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

  Director · Writer
• 

  Words with Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

  Director · Writer
• 

  Rita Cadillac: The Lady of the People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

  Actor
• 

  Paulista (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

  as Héctor Babenco
• 

  The Past(2007)

  Director · Producer · Writer · as Proyeccionista

  Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films37^th
• 

  Once Upon a Time There Was Iracema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

  Actor
• 

  Carandiru: The Series (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

  Show 10 episodes · Producer · Script
• 

  Carandiru(2003)

  Director · Producer · Screenplay

  Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films97^th
• 

  Before Night Falls(2000)

  as Virgilio Pinera

  Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films86^th
• 

  Amélia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

  Thanks
• 

  The Venice Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

  as Danilo Danuzzi
• 

  Foolish Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

  Director · Producer · Writer
• 

  At Play in the Fields of the Lord(1991)

  Director · Screenplay

  Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films73^rd
• 

  Ironweed(1987)

  Director

  Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films64^th
• 

  Besame Mucho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

  Producer
• 

  The Mission(1986)

  Thanks

  Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films91^st
• 

  Kiss of the Spider Woman(1985)

  Director

  Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films89^th
• The Earth is Round like An Orange (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

  Director
• 

  Pixote(1980)

  Director · Producer · Screenplay

  Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films98^th
• 

  Lucio Flavio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

  Director · Writer
• 

  King of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

  Director · Producer · Story
• 

  O Fabuloso Fittipaldi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

  Director · Executive Producer · Writer
• Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

  Director · Producer · Story

Career shape

A full career of 24 titles, 23 of them dated from 1973 to 2018.

Biggest box office

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

Pixote (1980)

Midcredits 98^th

Most popular right now

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

How do Hector Babenco's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 88^th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 83^rd percentile for acclaim.

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 8 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

341

• Universally Loved3
• Crowd Pleaser4
• Mixed1

Most divisive · actor, director, writer, producer

The Past (2007)

83^rd percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer

Pixote (1980)

Midcredits 98^th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 74/100 and the pacing 36/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Hector Babenco's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Hector Babenco work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hector Babenco's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Julian Schnabel shares the most, 3.