Island of Marajó, Amazon rainforest. Marcielle lives by the riverbanks with her father, mother, and three siblings. Prompted by her mother’s words, she idolizes her older sister who supposedly escaped her reality by “finding a good man”. As she matures, her idealized visions shatter, leaving her trapped between two abusive environments. Increasingly worried about her younger sister and the bleak future they face, she decides to confront the oppressive system that controls her family and the women in their community.
"It was during a documentary research project in the remote villages of the Amazon rainforest that I met women who had endured immense trauma since a tender age, suffering sexual abuse inside their homes while also being sexually exploited at commercial barges with hardly any chance to escape. Unfortunately, most of us women have a story of abuse, be it of a sexual, moral, or psychological nature, which has left deep scars and trauma. /.../ Through Manas, I want to give a voice to these women and girls who would never be heard otherwise, honoring the stories they shared with me." (Marianna Brennand)