In a Brazilian village infested with piranhas, Nanã and Mel are fast growing into adolescence as they dream of ways of protecting themselves against a seemingly inescapable violence. When a mysterious body appears tangled in a fisherman's net, they learn what might be their ultimate protection.
Direction
Lillah Halla's debut announces a major voice in Brazilian feminist horror.
Cinematography
Murky waters and oppressive humidity you can practically taste.
Acting
Yamamoto and Fonseca channel feral determination without a single false note.
Director
Lillah Halla
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Menarche premiered at Cannes Critics' Week, part of a wave of Brazilian feminist horror addressing gender violence in a country where femicide rates are among the world's highest.
The title refers to first menstruation—Hallau reclaims this 'curse' as the girls' literal armor, turning biological vulnerability into monstrous power.
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