Story of a popcorn maker who lived 102 years and worked for seven decades becomes a documentary: ‘Living symbol of the city’s soul’ | Itapetininga and Region

The story of Serafim Martins de Oliveira, a popcorn maker who lived for up to 102 years in Itapeva (SP), became the subject of a documentary. The passion for the job he practiced for almost seven decades was what inspired director Adriano Vaz to tell his story.

“I saw in Seraphim not just a popcorn seller, but a keeper of memories. The decision to tell the story came from a deep connection with local roots and the desire to highlight figures who often go unnoticed. Seraphim was not just a salesman of popcorn; he was a living symbol of the city’s soul, and his story deserved to be told.”

Born on August 17, 1917, in the city of Embú, in Greater São Paulo, Serafim arrived in the city of Ribeirão Branco, neighboring Itapeva, in 1942, to work in a charcoal factory, but did not remain there for long, as he suffered an accident in one of the legs.

Then, Serafim went to Itapeva to take care of his health, but ended up staying. In the city, he started working with the popcorn cart in the late 1940s.

The director talks about the research process to gather information about the life and work of the popcorn maker.

“It was like putting together the pieces of a puzzle, bringing together fragments of stories. But it wasn’t easy at all. First, we gathered the material; then, we curated what really helped to tell the story. So, we have a narrated story by testimonies and another narrated by old photos of the city.”

The biggest challenge, according to Adriano, was capturing Seraphim’s authenticity and uniqueness without romanticizing or exaggerating his story.

“The first day of recording was a disaster. After watching the filming, I took notes, reviewed the script and asked to redo everything, and this happened a few times.”

During the project, what impressed the director most were Seraphim’s resilience and kindness.

“His ability to find joy in the little things and continue to serve his community was truly inspiring. It showed all the time through the community members who gave their testimonials about him.”

Adriano was born in Capão Bonito (SP), has a degree in marketing and worked for many years in the consultancy area. He also contributed to several projects, such as the soap opera “O Sétimo Guardião”, a production by Rede Globo.

The documentary is available on YouTube. Check out: