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Quatro Meninas

Four Girls
Generation 14plus 2026
© Cris Lucena
Brazil, 1884. Tita, Muanda, Lena and Francisca, handmaidens to four pupils at a countryside boarding school, dream of freedom just to make it through the day. When an ill-advised romance puts Lena’s life in danger, their dreams of escape become a matter of necessity, and the four girls decide to run away. Their mistresses discover the plan – and to their surprise, insist on coming with them. The group takes shelter in an abandoned ranch house, where they face the challenges of their uncomfortable cohabitation. Freed from the traditional power structures, the Black girls savour agency, love and the possibility of a future on their own terms. Meanwhile, the whites resist learning to do the household chores and to look after themselves, and fail to answer for their own mistakes. When danger catches up with them all, they have to stand together in order to survive.

Trailer/Film Excerpt

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by Karen Suzane (Director), Clara Ferrer (Screenplay)
with Alana Cabral, Ágatha Marinho, Dhara Lopes, Maria Ibraim, Duda Batsow, Duda Matte, Gabi Cardoso, Giovanna Rispoli, João Vitor, Dani Ornellas, Raquel Karro, Stella Rabello, Eric Max Brazil / Netherlands 2025 Portuguese 89' Colour International premiere | Debut film recommendation: 14 years and up

With

  • Alana Cabral (Muanda)
  • Ágatha Marinho (Tita)
  • Dhara Lopes (Lena)
  • Maria Ibraim (Francisca)
  • Duda Batsow (Celina)
  • Duda Matte (Guilhermina)
  • Gabi Cardoso (Joana)
  • Giovanna Rispoli (Eugenia)
  • João Vitor (Benjamin)
  • Dani Ornellas (Iaiá)
  • Raquel Karro (Dona Vivência)
  • Stella Rabello (Madame)
  • Eric Max (Vicente)

Crew

Director Karen Suzane
Screenplay Clara Ferrer
Cinematography Thais Faria
Editing Nina Galanternick
Music Fernando Aranha, Guga Bruno
Sound Design Laura Zimmerman
Production Design Ananias De Caldas
Costumes Valéria Stefani
Make-Up Tayce Vale
Casting Isabel Lobo
Animation Fernanda Kassar
Producer Marcello Ludwig Maia
Executive Producers Marcello Ludwig Maia, Silvia Sobral
Co-Producer Ellen Havenith

Produced by

República Pureza Filmes

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Photos

Karen Suzane

©Cris Lucena

The filmmaker describes her directing style as free, intuitive and spiritual – like a bird in flight. She has directed eight short films and co-directed the web series DNA Gastronômico as well as the television series Negro Muro. Her debut feature film, Quatro Meninas, won three awards at the Brasília Film Festival and was selected for the Rio Film Festival and the São Paulo International Film Festival.

Filmography

2016 A janela e o vento (The Window and the Wind); short film 2017 Tatuadoras (Tattoo Artists); short documentary 2019 A mulher que eu era (The Woman I Was); short film 2020 Refração (Refraction); short film · Celebrar: Um filme muitas histórias (Celebrate: One Film, Many Stories); short documentary 2022 Desabafo (Outburst); short film 2023 Negro muro (Black Wall); series, 5 episodes, co-directed Micael Rochermanby · O capitalismo matou meus pais (Capitalism Killed My Parents); short film, co-directed by Lucas Tunes 2025 Ciclo (Cycle); short film · Courage; short film · Barulho (Noise); short film · Quatro Meninas (Four Girls); Berlinale 2026

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026