{"id":3477,"date":"2025-05-19T09:38:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T12:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.djamilaribeiro.com.br\/?p=3477"},"modified":"2025-05-19T16:58:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T19:58:59","slug":"a-cinema-that-breaks-silences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.djamilaribeiro.com.br\/en\/a-cinema-that-breaks-silences\/","title":{"rendered":"A cinema that breaks silences"},"content":{"rendered":"

The film “Manas” explores the complex and troubling landscape of child sexual violence in Brazil<\/em><\/p>\n

What happens when marginalized stories break the silence and take center stage? Manas<\/em>, the film by Marianna Brennand, invites us to broaden our horizons and takes us by boat across a river journey with Marcielle\u2014played by Jamilli Correa\u2014through the disturbing, multifaceted, and complex landscape of child abuse in Brazil, especially on Maraj\u00f3 Island, in the state of Par\u00e1, where the film is set.<\/p>\n

In recent years, the press and political discourse have increasingly addressed the abuses taking place on that island. Manas<\/em> restores the region\u2019s true colors\u2014the purple of a\u00e7a\u00ed, the green of its waters, the graphite of its mud\u2014and, most importantly, its voices. It sparks a necessary conversation: sexual violence is not an exception, but rather a tautology. It repeats itself in the network, in homes, in trucks on the ferry, in party bathrooms. A routine of crimes masked by taboos\u2014until cinema exposes it with the precision of those who know the weight of silence and the power of women’s solidarity.<\/p>\n

It is already a reason for celebration to see a woman bring to the screen a film with such technical quality and aesthetic strength. Yet Manas<\/em> goes further: its backbone is held up by women on multiple fronts\u2014direction, production, and cast. This invites us to reflect on the transformative effects that arise when narratives created by historically marginalized groups\u2014like us, women under a patriarchal structure\u2014are made visible.<\/p>\n

Brennand and her team masterfully construct a mosaic of eloquent silences. The camera does not need to show the violent act\u2014it teaches us to read its traces in the diverted gazes of women, in interrupted gestures, in pauses louder than screams. The violence is present, but it does not dominate the scene with brutality. It insinuates itself\u2014as it so often does in reality\u2014between silences, rawness, and absences.<\/p>\n

When violence does make itself explicit (and it does, in necessary scenes), it carries a weight that avoids sensationalism precisely because the film prepares the audience to understand it as part of a system, not as an “isolated incident.”<\/p>\n

One character who struck me was Cinthia (played by Samira Elo\u00e1), a young Black girl in a supporting role as Marcielle\u2019s friend. Notably, I struggled to find her name or even a photo during my research. There are no interviews or references to her role \u2014 and that, too, says a lot about lugar de fala<\/em>, or place of speech<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Her character left a mark on me as I recognized in her the burden of a racist patriarchy. She invites reflection on the intersectionality that Black women like Z\u00e9lia Amador de Deus\u2014a Brazilian educator, living legend, and pride of Par\u00e1\u2014have denounced for decades: she is sexualized before puberty, nurturing by nature, and strong by necessity.<\/p>\n

As Professor Z\u00e9lia Amador states in one of her works:
“Those from Maraj\u00f3 don’t escape. If you’re Black, you’ll learn early. Spaces are segregated. The big house belongs to the whites. The shack, to the Blacks. There’s no room for doubt.”<\/em><\/p>\n

A careful look at these characters reveals how much a single accusation can cost; how economic inequality endured by women sustains the logic of child abuse, unwanted pregnancy, and unsafe abortion; but also, how the steadfast solidarity of many of us can carve paths for others.<\/p>\n

These characters are joined by countless other women (and a few men) who, in \u201creal life,\u201d are doing everything they can\u2014and much more\u2014despite limited resources.<\/p>\n

At the premiere in S\u00e3o Paulo, I met some of the real-life human rights defenders from the region who inspired the film\u2014like Sister Maria Henriqueta, transformed into the character Aretha (played magnetically by Dira Paes), and police chief Rodrigo Amorim.<\/p>\n

The casting is another triumph of the film, which marks the cinematic debut of Jamilli Correa, a young girl from Par\u00e1. Casting someone so young (she was 13 at the time of filming) in such a heavy role is a bold choice\u2014and a spot-on one. Jamilli delivers a moving performance, full of contained fury and love for the women in her family.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s be honest: if this film had been directed by a man, such a casting decision would be hailed as a stroke of genius. But when the direction is female, brilliance is naturalized. Wouldn\u2019t you agree?<\/p>\n

So, congratulations are in order for Marianna Brennand and the entire Manas<\/em> team. The film, opening in theaters this week, presents cinema as a tool for repair, reflection, and social transformation.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in the Brazilian newspaper<\/em> Folha de S.Paulo<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The film “Manas” explores the complex and troubling landscape of child sexual violence in Brazil What happens when marginalized stories break the silence and take center stage? Manas, the film by Marianna Brennand, invites us to broaden our horizons and takes us by boat across a river journey with Marcielle\u2014played by Jamilli Correa\u2014through the disturbing, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[720,716,725,717,722,719,724,721,239,714,718,715,723,727,726],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA cinema that breaks silences - Djamila Ribeiro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Djamila Ribeiro writes about 'Manas', a powerful feminist film that breaks the silence on child sexual abuse in Brazil\u2019s Maraj\u00f3 Island.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.djamilaribeiro.com.br\/en\/a-cinema-that-breaks-silences\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A cinema that breaks silences - 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