Manas

Documentary director Marianna Brennand makes a stunning narrative debut with this sobering drama inspired by 10 years of research into the struggles of women living on Marajó Island in the Amazon rainforest. Thirteen-year-old Tielle’s life seems carefree, although she misses an older sister who abandoned rural life for Rio. But appearances can be deceiving, as the area’s dense vegetation hides a dark family secret. Tielle yearns for escape from her tormentor. As she grapples with how to move forward, Tielle also struggles with the question of how to protect her younger siblings. Brennand elicits extraordinary performances from her ensemble, many of them non-professional. Jamilli Correa as Tielle is astonishing in her first feature in this gripping story of the loss of innocence. —Kristal Sotomayor