Manas

by Marianna Brennand

Island of Marajó, Amazon rainforest. Marcielle (Tielle), 13, lives by the riverbanks with her father, mother, and three siblings. Prompted by her mother's words, she idolizes her older sister who supposedly escaped her reality by "finding a good man" on the barges that ply the region. As Tielle matures, her idealized visions shatter, leaving her trapped between two abusive environments. Increasingly worried about her younger sister and the bleak future they face, she decides to confront the oppressive system that controls her family and the women in their community.

  • Marianna Brennand is a Brazilian filmmaker and director known for her focus on social issues and Brazilian culture, particularly through her acclaimed 2024 fiction feature debut Manas. Based in Brazil and a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, she founded Inquietude in 2007, creating documentaries before moving to powerful narrative cinema.

  • Year: 2024

    Country: Brazil, Portugal

    Runtime: 106 min

    Color: Color

    Language: Portuguese

    Subtitles: English

    Sound: 5.1

  • Director: Marianna Brennand

    Producers: Carolina Benevides and Marianna Brennand

    Screenplay: Felipe Sholl, Marcelo Grabowsky,

    Marianna Brennand, Antonia Pellegrino,

    Camila Agustini and Carolina Benevides

    Director of Photography: Pierre de Kerchove, ABC

    Direct sound: Valéria Ferro

    Editor: Isabela Monteiro de Castro, ABC

    Art Director: Marcos Pedroso

    Costume Design: Kika Lopes

    Makeup Design: Luiz Gaia

    Supervisor Sound Editing: Miriam Biderman, ABC

    Sound Editor: Ricardo Reis, ABC

    Mixing: Armando Torres Jr., ABC

    Casting Director: Anna Luiza Paes

    Acting Coach: René Guerra

    Executive Producers: Carolina Benevides and Marcelo Maximo

    CAST

    Jamilli Correa as Marcielle/ Tielle

    Fátima Macedo as Danielle

    Rômulo Braga as Marcílio

    Dira Paes as Aretha

  • 2024 Giornate degli Autori | Competition · GdA Director’s Award
    Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival | National Feature Film Competition · Special Jury Award (Jamili Correa)
    São Paulo International Film Festival · Critics’ Award for Best Brazilian Film
    Semana del Cine Ulima | International Showcase
    Stockholm International Film Festival | Discovery
    Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival | On The Rise · International Newcomer Award for Best Film · Student Jury Award
    Festival des 3 Continents | International Competition · Audience Award
    Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival | Official Feature Film Competition · Special Jury Award · Audience Award
    Rencontres Cinématographiques de Cannes · Best Screenplay Award


    2025
    Palm Springs International Film Festival | World Cinema Now · Ibero-American Special Ment
    International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights Geneva | International Competition
    Movies that Matter Festival | Grand Jury Fiction · Grand Jury Fiction Award
    Cinélatino Rencontres de Toulouse | Special Screening
    International Film Series – Belmont World Film
    Festival Cinéma d’Alès – Itinérances | Avant-Prèmiere
    Mostra de cinema internacional del Baix Llobregat
    Charlotte Latino Film Festival
    Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
    Chicago Latino Film Festival
    TIFF Next Wave Film Festival
    Istanbul International Film Festival | Around the World
    San Francisco International Film Festival | Global Visions
    Seattle International Film Festival
    Taipei Film Festival | Youth, Unbound
    FEST – New Directors New Films Festival | Golden Lynx Competition
    International Film Festival Tofifest | On Air Competition
    Busan International Children’s Film Festival | Beyond BIKY
    Singapore Film Society Showcase
    CineFest Miskolc IFF | Open Eye Competition
    Quebec City Film Festival | Official Competition
    New York Latino Film Festival | International Competition


  • "Manas leaves you stunned – for the story it tells, for how it tells it, and for the piercing performances of its actors."

    —Cineuropa – Vittoria Scarpa

  • “It is beautifully constructed, with the cinematography in particular being a highlight.”

    — International Cinephile Society – Matthew Joseph Jenner

  • “It’s a film that isn’t afraid to be bold and shocking, heartbreaking and infuriating in equal measure.”

    —Loud and Clear Reviews – Claire Fulton

  • “Signals the emergence of a truly remarkable filmmaker.”

    —Luc Dardenne, 2XCannes Palme d’Or winning director (Rosetta, L’Enfant)