Helen
(Helen)
André Meirelles Collazzo | Drama, Fiction
2019 | 98 minutes | Brazil
The everyday life of a tenement seen through the eyes of Helen, a 9-year-old girl on a journey to save money to buy her grandmother a birthday present: a complete makeup set.
Synopsis
Helen is a 9-year-old girl living in a cortiço in Bixiga - a neighborhood in the city of São Paulo, known for having a large concentration of migrants: first Italians, then Brazilians from the northeastern of the country, and now Haitians.
Born in a poor and unstructured family, Helen lives with her grandmother, Dona Maria, who also fulfills the role of mother and father. The matriarch supports the family through informal work. Between street plays, school classes, and a little help with home duties for her grandma, Helen lives the neighborhood life intensely, walking freely around and participating in the various traditional local events.
Still very naive, she spends the days oblivious to the harshness of her reality and her main concern is to raise money to buy a gift for grandma: a complete makeup kit.
Citation
Main credits
Meirelles Collazzo, André (film director)
Meirelles Collazzo, André (screenwriter)
Cartaxo, Marcélia (actor)
Machado, Thalita (actor)
Other credits
Cinematography, Alziro Barbosa; editing, Willem Dias; music, Laurent Mis.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Cinélatino Rencontres de Toulouse
DIRECTOR: André Meirelles Collazzo
NATIONALITY: Brazil
YEAR: 2019
GENRE: Drama, Fiction
LANGUAGE: Portuguese
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
Existing customers, please log in to view this film.
New to Pragda? Register to request a quote.
Related Films
Hero Steps
Pasos de héroe
My Grandmother's House
La casa de mi abuela
In Havana
Tesoros
Killa
La Suprema
The Empty Classroom
El aula vacía
Pacarrete
Giants Don't Exist
Los gigantes no existen
Related Collections
Fiction Films
A compelling glimpse into Spain and Latin America's rich storytelling traditions, showcasing a blend of established directors and emerging voices. Each film highlights the depth and creativity of the region.
Number of titles: 266
SEE COLLECTION >Portuguese Language Films
A journey through Brazilian cinema celebrating the musicality of the Portuguese language and the country’s cultural heritage.
Number of titles: 117
SEE COLLECTION >Middle School Collection
Given varying criteria for content ratings and age restrictions in different regions, Pragda STREAM recommends faculty watch films in their entirety before assigning them to students.
Number of titles: 220
SEE COLLECTION >Women's Voices
These films challenge dominant narratives and offer compelling feminine visions of the region's past, present, and future.
Number of titles: 216
SEE COLLECTION >High School Collection
Given varying criteria for content ratings and age restrictions in different regions, Pragda STREAM recommends faculty watch films in their entirety before assigning them to students.
Number of titles: 509
SEE COLLECTION >The Pragda Complete Film Collection
The essence of Spain and Latin America captured in their original language with English captions or subtitles.
Number of titles: 637
SEE COLLECTION >