Helena Ignez
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1942-05-23 (82 years old)
Place of Birth
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Helena Ignez
Biography
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).
Known For
Acting
(2025)
Not Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
as Dra. Marina Consiglio
(2025)
Trópico de Leão
as Medéia
(2025)
(2024)
If I'm Here It Is by Mystery
as Arlete
(2024)
A Última Vanguarda
as Self
(2023)
Joy Is the Acid Test
as Jarda Ícone
(2023)
Helena de Guaratiba
as Helena
(2023)
(2023)
(2023)
(2022)
The Mother
as Dulce
(2022)
The Welles Raft
as Herself
(2021)
(2021)
Subterrânea
as Senhora Ônibus
(2021)
Um Documentário Brasileiro
as Self
(2021)
Nova Pasta, Antigo Baú
as Voiceover
(2020)
(2020)
(2020)
Race Antenna
as Self
(2020)
Rio de Topless
as Self
(2020)
Mulher Oceano
as Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
(2020)
(2020)
(2020)
Benjamim Zambraia e o Autopanóptico
as Mother
(2020)
(2020)
(2019)
(2019)
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
as Self (archive footage)
(2019)
Flesh
as (voice)
(2019)
Bring me the Head of Carmen M.
as Diretora
(2019)
(2019)
A Mulher da Luz Própria
as Self
(2018)
My Calendar Girl
as Palestrante (voz)
(2018)
(2018)
(2017)
(2017)
Inaudito
as Voice
(2017)
(2017)
(2017)
Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy
as Narração
(2016)
Ralé: The Lower Depths
as Sonia Silk
(2016)
O Cinema Foi à Feira
as Ela mesma
(2014)
Ossos
as Voz Off
(2014)
Love Film Festival
as Herself
(2014)
Estátua!
as Mãe (voz)
(2014)
The End of an Age
as (voz)
(2014)
(2014)
(2013)
Terno
as Mãe
(2013)
Poder dos Afetos
as Ritual Xamânico
(2013)
(2013)
Desculpa, Dona Madama
as Patroa
(2013)
Ugly, Me?
as Jarda
(2012)
(2012)
A Balada do Provisório
as Provisório's Mother
(2012)
(2010)
(2009)
(2009)
(2009)
Hotel Atlântico
as Dona da Pousada
(2008)
Embodiment of Evil
as Cabíria
(2008)
(2007)
Meu Mundo em Perigo
as Mãe de Ísis
(2006)
(2005)
A Miss e o Dinossauro
as Herself (archive footage) / (Voz em Off)
(2005)
(2004)
Retrato da Terra
as Ela mesma
(2003)
Abry
as Self
(2003)
(2003)
The Sign of Chaos
as Guida
(2003)
Reinvenção da Rua
as Herself
(2001)
(1999)
São Jerônimo
as Marcela
(1997)
(1994)
(1992)
Scent of Gardenias
as Bandida
(1992)
Perigo Negro
as Tiafa
(1992)
(1990)
(1986)
(1986)
Spray Jet
as Bossy Lady
(1978)
Mulheres de Cinema
as Self (archive footage)
(1974)
A Man and His Cage
as Aeromoça
(1973)
(1971)
Memoirs of a Strangler of Blondes
as Archive Footage
(1970)
(1970)
(1970)
A Familia do Barulho
as Prostituta
(1970)
Copacabana Mon Amour
as Sônia Silk
(1970)
(1970)
(1969)
Baron Olavo, The Horrible
as Isabel
(1969)
The Woman of Everyone
as Ângela Carne e Osso
(1968)
The Red Light Bandit
as Janete Jane
(1968)
(1967)
Face To Face
as Luciana
(1967)
O Engano
as Mulher do médico
(1966)
The Priest and the Girl
as Mariana
(1964)
Grito da Terra
as Mariá
(1962)
Assault on the Pay Train
as Marta
(1961)
A Grande Feira
as Ely
(1959)
O Pátio
as The woman
Crew
(2023)
Joy Is the Acid Test
Director, Executive Producer, Screenplay
(2020)
Fogo Baixo, Alto Astral
Director
(2019)
Fakir
Director, Screenplay, Art Direction, Musical Casting
(2018)
My Calendar Girl
Director, Screenplay
(2016)
Ralé: The Lower Depths
Director, Producer, Writer
(2014)
Ossos
Screenplay, Screenstory, Director, Music, Producer
(2013)
Ugly, Me?
Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Associate Producer
(2013)
Poder dos Afetos
Director, Screenplay, Executive Producer, Screenstory
(2012)
Light in Darkness: The Return of Red Light Bandit
Director, Adaptation, Writer
(2007)
Canção de Baal
Director, Screenplay
(2005)
A Miss e o Dinossauro
Director, Music Supervisor, Camera Operator, Researcher
(2003)
Reinvenção da Rua
Director
(1992)
(1959)
O Pátio
Co-Producer