Director: Aluizio Abranches
Country: Brazil
Year: 2002
Runtime: 90 minutes
Language: Portuguese with English subtitles
Awards: Cine Ceará National Cinema Festival - Feature Film Trophy
The tale begins under a spectacular giant rock, where a seemingly benign conversation between a man and woman precedes the sudden savage murders of three men. Filomena Capdocio wife and mother of the deceased, is now left alone with her three daughters: Maria Francisca, Maria Rosa and Maria Pia. Not a single tear is shed at the burial of the men, although they mourn terribly. Instead, Filomena sets the family out on a quest for revenge: Each daughter goes in search of a hired killer to avenge the men in her family. But destiny has another plan for the beautiful Marias, giving the saga a moral twist. Against the backdrop of the exquisite Brazilian landscape, the film presents a fresh view of Brazilian women, violence, and Latin American sensibilities. Abranches breaks away from Western stereotypes attributing strength, rationality, and cunningness to the "woman warriors" in this film. With his innovative and creative storytelling and filmmaking, along with a daringness and originality that deserve respect and appreciation, Abranches is definitely a talent to watch. (Synopsis by the Miami International Film Festival)
Principal Cast: Marieta Severo, Julia Lemmertz, Maria Mendonça, Luiza Mariani
Writers: Heitor Dalia, Wilson Freire
Producers: Aluisio Abranches, Eva Mariani, Cesare Petrillo, Vieri Razzini
Cinematographer: Marcelo Durst
Film Editors: Aluisio Abranches, Karen Harley