Problems with exclude files in rsync 2.6.4

[Judith Flo]

Hi,
I've been trying to rsync some folders from my debian pc to a suse 
server. I created an exclude file called exclude_files.txt where one can 
read the following:

^/proc/*
/prova1/
/var*
*.o
*.swp
^/dev*

When I execute de command:
rsync -aulHI --delete --partial --modify-window=2 --log-format=" %t %o 
%l %f " --stats \
--exclude-from=/home/USER/RSYNC/sinc/sinc_conf/exclude_files.txt \
--temp-dir=/tmp -e "ssh -o ForwardX11=no \
-i "/home/USER/RSYNC/sinc/.ssh/sinc_rsa" -l USER" "/prova1" \
"/prova1.o" "/prova2" SUSE_SERVER:"RSYNC/uacamole4"

I thought this should create a folder called "uacamole4" in my server 
that contains the directory "prova2", because of the filter rules, but
rsync creates an EMPTY folder "uacamole4".

When the folder "uacamole4" exists previously to the synchronize, rsync 
works fine, creates the folder "prova2".

When I try to rsync without the --exclude-from option it works also fine.

Do I understand something wrong, or the behavior of the command is 
incorrect?

Thanks in advance

J