Helena Ignez
Biography
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).
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (49)
Eclipse
2025
Nosferatu
2025
Gravidade
2025
Message from Sergipe
2025
Trópico de Leão
as Medéia
2025
Not Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
as Dra. Marina Consiglio
2025
Deuses da Peste
2025
A Última Vanguarda
as Self
2024
If I'm Here It Is by Mystery
as Arlete
2024
Nelson Carneiro: Knight of Democracy
as Self
2023
Helena de Guaratiba
as Helena
2023
O Mel é Mais Doce Que o Sangue
2023
The Long Voyage of the Yellow Bus
2023
Joy Is the Acid Test
as Jarda Ícone
2023
The Mother
as Dulce
2022
The Welles Raft
as Herself
2022
Nova Pasta, Antigo Baú
as Voiceover
2021
Um Documentário Brasileiro
as Self
2021
The Good Cinema
2021
Subterrânea
as Senhora Ônibus
2021
Benjamim Zambraia e o Autopanóptico
as Mother
2020
Candango: Memoirs from a Festival
as Self
2020
Mulher Oceano
as Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
2020
Race Antenna
as Self
2020
The Lady Who Died in the Trailer
2020
Esse fim de semana vou me dedicar as paredes
2020
Fogo Baixo, Alto Astral
2020
Ensaio Sobre o Fracasso
2020
Natureza Morta
as Narradora 3
2020
Rio de Topless
as Self
2020
Extracts
2019
Flesh
as (voice)
2019
Fakir
as Narrator
2019
In Memoriam: O Roteiro do Gravador
2019
A Mulher da Luz Própria
as Self
2019
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
as Self (archive footage)
2019
Bring me the Head of Carmen M.
as Diretora
2019
My Calendar Girl
as Helena / Palestrante (voz)
2018
O Desmonte do Monte
2018
Antes do Fim
2018
Inaudito
as Voice
2017
All Paulos in the World - Paulo José
2017
Febre
2017
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
as Self
2017
Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy
as Narração
2017
O Cinema Foi à Feira
as Ela mesma
2016
Ralé: The Lower Depths
as Sonia Silk
2016
Love Film Festival
as Herself
2014
The End of an Age
as (voz)
2014
