It originated in 1964 as a planned feature film about the life and death of João Pedro Teixeira, a leader of the Peasant leagues from Paraíba who was assassinated on the order of local landowners in 1962.

But before it could be completed, production was interrupted by political developments, with some of the crew and cast arrested and their materials confiscated by the Brazilian military dictatorship.

The original script told the story of João Pedro Teixeira, a peasant leader from Sapé, Paraíba, who was assassinated in 1962 on the order of local landowners.

[2] Initially he wanted to adapt João Cabral de Melo Neto's poems "Cão sem plumas", "O rio" and "Vida e morte Severina" but the poet refused, so he decided to film the life of Texeira instead.

[4] After 35 days shooting,[4] and with about 40 percent of the film complete, the Brazilian military dictatorship arrested some members of cast and crew and confiscated the script, stills and other materials.

"[3] Johh King, in his book Magical Reels: A History of Cinema in Latin America, called it "The most important Brazilian documentary of the period.