Good Manners

Clara, a proud and independent woman from a favela of Sao Paulo, is several months late on her rent and in desperate need of a job. She applies to a position as nanny, despite lacking both references and experience with young children. Somewhat surprisingly, she obtains a position as nurse and caretaker for Ana, an expectant young mother.

The wealthy, and slightly mysterious Ana lives alone in a luxurious apartment, after breaking all ties with her family. She requires discretion and dedication, two things Clara seems ready to provide, as she is put to work as live-in cleaning lady, cook, and help. Clara’s silent, but helpful presence also seems to have a soothing effect on Ana, whose anxiousness in the face of her own troublesome pregnancy increases every day. Ana also display a somewhat strange behaviour, especially at night: On evenings when the moon shines full, she can be seen sleepwalking, and displays strong cravings for red meat...

Both classic horror movie and magical realist tale, Good Manners is a film quite unlike any other. Its self-conscious B-movie aesthetics hark back to the golden era of Hollywood horror, with handpainted, expressionistic set designs providing a retro-futuristic, gloomy portrait of Sao Paulo. At its core is an engaging love and coming-of-age drama that touches upon complex societal issues from social injustice to unwanted pregnancies and modern family constellations. A stylish, spooky and entertaining affair. Chloé Faulkner

Marco Dutra (b. 1980) and Juliana Rojas (b. 1981) have collaborated on making films since the late 1990s, and have specialised themselves in the horror genre. Their first feature film Hard Labor screened at the Cannes film festival in 2014. They are both members of the São Paulo-based film collective Filmes do Caixote.