Film Forum

MANAS

Marianna Brennand Executive Produced By Sean Penn, Walter Salles, Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne · 2024 · BRAZIL/PORTUGAL · 107 min

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On the Amazon rainforest island of Marajó, 13-year-old Tielle lives in an isolated riverside community with her family. She idolizes her older sister, who escaped the area with “a good man” (according to her mother) on one of the commercial barges that run through the river. But as she matures and learns the true price her sister paid to leave, she fears for the safety of her younger sister and resolves to challenge the normalized abuse of women and girls in her community. Filmmaker Brennand, who spent 10 years researching cases of sexual abuse and exploitation against women and children in the Amazon rainforest, based this feature debut on true stories to create a sensitive and stirring portrait of cycle-breaking resilience.