Julia Roberts and Sean Penn Rally Behind Brazilian Oscar Hopeful ‘Manas’

As Emmy celebrations peppered the town on Saturday night, a starkly differently occasion left attendees shaken, tearful andreminded ofthe immersive power of cinema.

Among themwere Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, who served as hosts for a special reception and screening of director Marianna Brennand’s stirring narrativefeatureManas.

Held inside the famed Ross House in Mt. Olympus, around 80 AMPAS voters and others across a number of guildswere welcomed personally by Roberts and Penn— alsoaManasEP— with an emotional preamble to the film.

“I am so excited for what’s about to happen to everyone in this room because it happened to me: This movie will change you,” said Roberts. “It is life-affirming in such a sad, beautiful and magical way.”

Penn talked about meeting Brennand for the first time at a Cannes Kering event last spring. “She’d won an Emerging Talent Award and gave a speech. I knew nothing about the film or about her. I just knew that the eloquence and the authenticity of this person…could make a great film,” said Penn. “After I saw it, I asked,‘How can I help?’ It was just so perfect.”

Inspired by10 yearsofresearch sheconductedinremote reaches of theAmazon, Brennand’s Manas(“sisters” in Portuguese)tells the story of13-year-oldMarciellewho lives within an unimaginable cycle of sexual abusebothwithinher family andsurroundingculture, one in which womenand girls have been traditionally silencedforgenerations.

Following the screening, Brennand andthe lauded Brazilian actress Dira Paes (whose police officer character tries to saveMarciellefrom her tormenters) shared stunning stories about the making the film.

​Alongtime documentarian for whomManasmarks her narrative debut,Brennandsaid she wanted the film to feel as real and raw as possible,while also prioritizing the well-being of her young lead actress, JamilliCorrea. Thisincluded not allowingCorreatoactually readthe script.

“My main concern was this 13-year-old girl,protecting her psychological well-being and make sure that whilewewere making this film,whichis so violent, that[she]would not actuallylive through the violence,” said Brennand.

Paes spoke passionately about the urgent need for resources intheharshly remote settingsseen in the film — settingsthathelp tofoment these cycles of abuse.“We must teach children aboutprotection and privacy,” she said. “In these remote spaces, it’s very difficult to give this kind of education. But there needs to to be some sense of belonging [for these girls].”

Manashas racked up notable accolades and enviable support among industry heavyweights in the last year.

The filmwon the Best Director Award in Venice Daysin 2024 andis one ofnumerousvying torepresent Brazil at the2026 Oscars. Hopingto boost its chances in a crowded field is fellow Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles—whoseI’m Still Herewon the Best International Film Oscar last year— who’salsoserving as anEP alongsidethe Belgian directing-duoJean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne. (The latter’s 2025Cannestitle,Young Mothers,isBelgium’s2026 Academy Awards submission and thus apotential competitor toManas.)

Manaswas acquired by theBrooklyn-based distributorKimStim,which will release the film in up to 20 U.S. cities on a date yet to be announced. The feature already saw a 13-week run in Brazil earlier this year in more than 70 theaters nationwide andhas had significant impact in bringing national and international attention to the issue of systemic sexual abuse against girls in the Amazon, particularly on the remote island ofMarajó.

Brennand closedSaturday’seventwith thehearteningnews thatManasis now screening in the very communities where theabuseand violencedepictedonscreen aretakingplace.

“We are doing a circuit of exhibitions inMarajóIsland,” she said. “The community was asking for it. They are eager. We want to exhibit the film in the placesthat really, really need to see it.”