Helena Ignez
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).
Acted in
Trópico de Leão
2025
as Medéia
Not Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
2025
as Dra. Marina Consiglio
Deuses da Peste
2025
A Última Vanguarda
2024
as Self
If I'm Here It Is by Mystery
2024
as Arlete
Nelson Carneiro: Knight of Democracy
2023
as Self
Helena de Guaratiba
2023
as Helena
O Mel é Mais Doce Que o Sangue
2023
The Long Voyage of the Yellow Bus
2023
Joy Is the Acid Test
2023
as Jarda Ícone
The Mother
2022
as Dulce
The Welles Raft
2022
as Herself
Nova Pasta, Antigo Baú
2021
as Voiceover
Um Documentário Brasileiro
2021
as Self
The Good Cinema
2021
Subterrânea
2021
as Senhora Ônibus
Benjamim Zambraia e o Autopanóptico
2020
as Mother
Candango: Memoirs from a Festival
2020
as Self
Mulher Oceano
2020
as Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
Race Antenna
2020
as Self
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
2020
Rio de Topless
2020
as Self
Extracts
2019
Flesh
2019
as (voice)
In Memoriam: O Roteiro do Gravador
2019
A Mulher da Luz Própria
2019
as Self
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Bring me the Head of Carmen M.
2019
as Diretora
My Calendar Girl
2018
as Palestrante (voz)
O Desmonte do Monte
2018
Antes do Fim
2018
Inaudito
2017
as Voice
All Paulos in the World - Paulo José
2017
as Self
Febre
2017
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
2017
as Self
Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy
2017
as Narração
O Cinema Foi à Feira
2016
as Ela mesma
Ralé: The Lower Depths
2016
as Sonia Silk
Love Film Festival
2014
as Herself
The End of an Age
2014
as (voz)
Estátua!
2014
as Mãe (voz)
Paixão e Virtude
2014
Copacabana, Mon Amour: A Restauração
2014
as Self
Ossos
2014
as Voz Off
Desculpa, Dona Madama
2013
as Patroa
Ugly, Me?
2013
as Jarda
Poder dos Afetos
2013
as Ritual Xamânico
Terno
2013
as Mãe
Sinais de Cinza, A Peleja de Olney Contra o Dragão da Maldade
2013
A Balada do Provisório
2012
as Provisório's Mother
Mr. Sganzerla: Os Signos da Luz
2012
Light in Darkness: The Return of Red Light Bandit
2012
Avacalha e se Esculhamba
2010
Belair
2009
Hotel Atlântico
2009
as Dona da Pousada
A Vermelha Luz do Bandido
2009
Embodiment of Evil
2008
as Cabíria
A Bela P...
2008
Meu Mundo em Perigo
2007
as Mãe de Isis
Helena Zero
2006
Luz-Lux-Lúcia
2005
A Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
as Herself (archive footage) / (Voz em Off)
Retrato da Terra
2004
as Ela mesma
The Sign of Chaos
2003
as Guida
Glauber Rocha - The Movie, Brazil's Labyrinth
2003
as Self
Abry
2003
as Self
Reinvenção da Rua
2003
as Herself
B2
2001
São Jerônimo
1999
as Marcela
Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional
1997
as Self
Flying Geraldo
1994
Scent of Gardenias
1992
as Bandida
Oswaldianas
1992
Perigo Negro
1992
as Tiafa
Anônimo e incomum
1990
It's Not All True
1986
Spray Jet
1986
as Bossy Lady
Mulheres de Cinema
1978
as Self (archive footage)
A Man and His Cage
1974
as Aeromoça
Um Intruso no Paraíso
1973
Memoirs of a Strangler of Blondes
1971
as Archive Footage
A Familia do Barulho
1970
as Prostituta
No Way, Spider
1970
Carnaval na Lama
1970
Copacabana Mon Amour
1970
as Sônia Silk
Watch Out, Madame
1970
The Monsters of Babaloo
1970
The Woman of Everyone
1969
as Ângela Carne e Osso
Baron Olavo, The Horrible
1969
as Isabel
The Red Light Bandit
1968
as Janete Jane
The Outsiders
1968
Face To Face
1967
as Luciana
O Engano
1967
as Mulher do médico
The Priest and the Girl
1966
as Mariana
Grito da Terra
1964
as Mariá
Assault on the Pay Train
1962
as Marta
A Grande Feira
1961
as Ely
O Pátio
1959
as The woman
