Manas: "I hope that if even one woman or girl—or boy—who is suffering sexual violence or any kind of violence, from watching Manas finds strength and courage to break the silence and ask for help"

In this vHopeful Conversation, Vanessa Hope speaks with Brazilian filmmaker Marianna Brennand about MANAS, her powerful narrative feature debut rooted in a decade of documentary research into sexual abuse and exploitation of women and girls in the Amazon rainforest. Brennand discusses why the story had to become fiction rather than documentary, how she transformed real testimonies into a protective and dignified narrative, and how she worked with first-time lead actress Jamilli Correa and an extraordinary cast to build the film’s intimate family dynamic. They also explore the film’s cinematography, its use of the river, tides, landscape, and silence, Brennand’s commitment to confronting violence without showing or aestheticizing it, and the hope that MANAS can help break taboos, shift shame away from survivors, and inspire dialogue and action around the world. Get full access to Dream of a Better World at vanessahope.substack.com/subscribe