Madalena

In the endless soybean fields of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the body of Madalena, a transgender woman, is discovered. This event is the starting point for a triptych that illuminates the lives of three people who are connected to Madalena in different ways. Luziane, a young barmaid, sees Madalena's death as an opportunity to collect outstanding debts. Cristiano, the son of a powerful soy entrepreneur, finds the body and is faced with the decision of whether to report the discovery or cover it up in order not to jeopardize his mother's political career. Bianca, a trans woman and close friend of Madalena, visits her apartment to collect personal items as mementos. The film MADALENA (2021) is Madiano Marcheti's feature film debut and premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. It has received several awards, including the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Miami Brazilian Film Festival. Marcheti co-wrote the screenplay with Thiago Gallego, Thiago Coelho, and Thiago Ortman. With a running time of 85 minutes, MADALENA paints a haunting portrait of a society where violence against trans people is omnipresent. The film deliberately eschews a classic crime plot, focusing instead on the impact of Madalena's death on the community. Through its quiet narrative style and impressive cinematography by Guilherme Tostes and Tiago Rios, the film creates an atmosphere that captures both the beauty of the landscape and the brutality of social reality.

Keywords

  • #AccelerateAction | Internationaler Frauentag 2025
  • Creatives: Debut Films
  • Forests/Deserts
  • Gender
  • Screen: Latin America
  • Sooner Exclusives
  • Sooner Exclusives: Stories that Matter
  • Agriculture
  • ecology
  • latin america

Actors

  • Natália Mazarim
  • Rafael de Bona
  • Pâmella Yulle
  • Chloe Milan
  • Joana Castro

Director

  • Madiano Marcheti

Crime, Drama


1h 25min


16

PT


DE

IT

PT

PL

SV

ES

FR

EN

Brazil
2021
The body of a trans woman discovered in a soybean field is the start of a storytelling triptych that explores the darker side of Brazilian society.

The body of a trans woman discovered in a soybean field is the start of a storytelling triptych that explores the darker side of Brazilian society.


In the endless soybean fields of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the body of Madalena, a transgender woman, is discovered. This event is the starting point for a triptych that illuminates the lives of three people who are connected to Madalena in different ways.


Luziane, a young barmaid, sees Madalena's death as an opportunity to collect outstanding debts. Cristiano, the son of a powerful soy entrepreneur, finds the body and is faced with the decision of whether to report the discovery or cover it up in order not to jeopardize his mother's political career. Bianca, a trans woman and close friend of Madalena, visits her apartment to collect personal items as mementos.


The film MADALENA (2021) is Madiano Marcheti's feature film debut and premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. It has received several awards, including the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Miami Brazilian Film Festival. Marcheti co-wrote the screenplay with Thiago Gallego, Thiago Coelho, and Thiago Ortman.


With a running time of 85 minutes, MADALENA paints a haunting portrait of a society where violence against trans people is omnipresent. The film deliberately eschews a classic crime plot, focusing instead on the impact of Madalena's death on the community. Through its quiet narrative style and impressive cinematography by Guilherme Tostes and Tiago Rios, the film creates an atmosphere that captures both the beauty of the landscape and the brutality of social reality.

Festivals

Cast & Crew