Carlos Diegues, the esteemed Brazilian filmmaker, passed away on Friday in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 84, as reported by the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Diegues directed over 20 films, making significant contributions to Brazilian cinema with works such as “Xica da Silva” and “Bye Bye Brazil.” He was a prominent figure in the Cinema Novo movement, which surfaced in the 1960s. This movement utilized cinema as a medium to challenge social inequality, inspired by European movements like the French New Wave and Italian neorealism.

Known affectionately as Cacá Diegues, the filmmaker experienced complications following surgery, according to a statement released by the academy.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his deep sorrow at Diegues’ passing, emphasizing how the filmmaker’s work encapsulated the history, identity, and creativity of Brazil. Lula remarked, “I received with great sorrow the news of the passing of Cacá Diegues, who throughout his life brought Brazil and Brazilian culture to the movie screens and captured the attention of the entire world.”

One of Diegues’ most acclaimed films, “Bye Bye Brazil,” which portrays a nation undergoing transformation, was a competitor for the Palme d’Or at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. In 2010, he also produced “5x Favela,” a film entirely conceived and created by emerging filmmakers from disadvantaged neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, showcasing the talents from those communities and contributing to the representation of Brazilian culture in cinema.