Helena Ignez
Acting
Helena Ignez (Salvador, May 23, 1939) is a Brazilian actress and filmmaker. Helena was born in Salvador, Bahia and was attending her second year of law school when she fell in love with theater and decided to study the Dramatic Arts at the Federal University of Bahia. At the time, the Bahian theater scene was breaking with traditional Brazilian theater and experiencing strong influence from the young vanguard. She first appeared on the screen in Glauber Rocha's short film "Pátio". Helena acted in a few films associated with the Cinema Novo movement, such as "A Grande Feira" (1961), "Assalto ao Trem Pagador" (1962), and "O Padre e a Moça" (1966) before playing Janete Jane in O Bandido da Luz Vermelha by Rogério Sganzerla. After this film, she would perform in some most significant films in the Cinema Marginal movement, which directly opposed the critically acclaimed Cinema Novo -- the most remarkable being her role as Ângela Carne e "Osso in A Mulher de Todos" (1969). She also was a financial partner of Rogério Sganzerla and fellow Cinema Marginal filmmaker Júlio Bressane in the short-lived, although prolific, Belair production company. Between 1968 and 1970, Sganzerla and Ignez made almost a dozen films together and were also married and had two children -- one of which would become actress Djin Sganzerla. As a filmmaker, Ignez has directed 7 films, the most notable being "Luz das Trevas" (2010), a sequel to Sganzerla's debut feature "O Bandido da Luz Vermelha" (1968).
Known for
Acting116
movieA Film to Remind Us of Utopia
2026
Self (archive footage)
movieEclipse
2026
Dona da Kitnet
movieCartas Para Rian
2026
Nair de Tefé
movieTrópico de Leão
2025
Medéia
movieNot Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
2025
Dra. Marina Consiglio
movieJoy Is the Acid Test
2023
Jarda Ícone
movieThe Mother
2022
Dulce
movieThe Welles Raft
2022
Herself
movieNova Pasta, Antigo Baú
2021
Voiceover
movieSubterrânea
2021
Senhora Ônibus
movieMulher Oceano
2020
Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
movieNatureza Morta
2020
Narradora 3
movieFlesh
2019
(voice)
movieFakir
2019
Narrator
movieMemórias do Grupo Opinião
2019
Self (archive footage)
movieMy Calendar Girl
2018
Helena / Palestrante (voz)
movieInaudito
2017
Voice
movieRalé: The Lower Depths
2016
Sonia Silk
movieLove Film Festival
2014
Herself
movieEstátua!
2014
Mãe (voz)
movieOssos
2014
Voz Off
movieUgly, Me?
2013
Jarda
moviePoder dos Afetos
2013
Ritual Xamânico
A Balada do Provisório
2012
Provisório's Mother
movieHotel Atlântico
2009
Dona da Pousada
movieEmbodiment of Evil
2008
Cabíria
movieMeu Mundo em Perigo
2007
Mãe de Ísis
movieA Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
Herself (archive footage) / (Voz em Off)
movieRetrato da Terra
2004
Ela mesma
movieAbry
2003
Self
movieReinvenção da Rua
2003
Herself
movieSão Jerônimo
1999
Marcela
movieScent of Gardenias
1992
Bandida
tvTereza Batista
1992
Maricota
movieSpray Jet
1986
Bossy Lady
movieMulheres de Cinema
1978
Self (archive footage)
movieA Man and His Cage
1974
Aeromoça
movieMemoirs of a Strangler of Blondes
1971
Multiple Characters (Archive Footage)
movieThe Hullabaloo Family
1970
Prostituta
movieCopacabana Mon Amour
1970
Sônia Silk
movieThe Woman of Everyone
1969
Ângela Carne e Osso
tvEra Preciso Voltar
1969
Regina
movieThe Red Light Bandit
1968
Janete Jane
movieFace to Face
1967
Luciana
movieO Engano
1967
Mulher do médico
movieO Pátio
1959
The woman
movieLost Media
A Colecionadora
Directing12
movieJoy Is the Acid Test
2023
Director
movieFogo Baixo, Alto Astral
2020
Director
movieFakir
2019
Director
movieMy Calendar Girl
2018
Director
movieRalé: The Lower Depths
2016
Director
movieOssos
2014
Director
movieUgly, Me?
2013
Director
moviePoder dos Afetos
2013
Director
movieCanção de Baal
2007
Director
movieA Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
Director
movieReinvenção da Rua
2003
Director
Writing9
movieJoy Is the Acid Test
2023
Screenplay
movieFakir
2019
Screenplay
movieMy Calendar Girl
2018
Screenplay
movieOssos
2014
Screenplay, Screenstory
movieUgly, Me?
2013
Writer
moviePoder dos Afetos
2013
Screenstory, Screenplay
movieLight in Darkness: The Return of Red Light Bandit
2012
Adaptation, Writer
movieCanção de Baal
2007
Screenplay
Production8
movieJoy Is the Acid Test
2023
Executive Producer
movieFakir
2019
Musical Casting
movieRalé: The Lower Depths
2016
Producer
movieOssos
2014
Producer
movieUgly, Me?
2013
Executive Producer, Associate Producer
moviePoder dos Afetos
2013
Executive Producer
movieA Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
Researcher
movieO Pátio
1959
Co-Producer
Sound2
movieOssos
2014
Music
movieA Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
Music Supervisor
Art1
movieFakir
2019
Art Direction
Camera1
movieA Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
Camera Operator
