Betânia (2024)

[Cremildo]

TRAILER: BETÂNIA [English subtitles] - YouTube

The sprawling sand dunes of the Brazilian Lençóis Maranhenses shine on the trailer for Marcelo Botta’s feature debut “Betânia,” set to have its world premiere at the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival. Paris-based MPM Premium, known for supporting burgeoning Brazilian talent, is handling sales on the title.

Comprising a majority of first-time actors and shot amongst the scenic dunes in the northeast of Brazil, “Betânia” tells the story of its titular character, a 65-year-old staunch matriarch forced to move out of her agrarian village after the premature death of her husband. Through exploring generational conflicts within Betânia’s family and the clash between tradition and modernity, director Botta creates a nuanced drama prodding at themes of over-tourism, sustainability, queerness and identity.

“’Betânia’ is a love letter to Brazil’s ancestral music, to festive traditions, and to communities from the sandy dunes of Lençois National Park that resist the deforestation and the pollution of the Amazon river,” Quentin Worthington, head of sales and acquisitions at MPM Premium, told Variety. +