The 2017 Brazilian film ( As Boas Maneiras ), directed by Marco Dutra and Juliana Rojas, is a genre-defying dark fable that blends social realism, lesbian romance, and werewolf horror into a singular exploration of motherhood and class [8, 13, 15]. Plot Overview and Structure
It "queers" the horror genre by replacing traditional patriarchal family structures with alternative models of care and "chosen family" [4, 10].
The unequal power dynamic between Clara (a Black woman from the periphery) and Ana (a wealthy white woman) remains a central tension, even as they fall in love [10, 24, 29]. Good Manners (2017)
The film is famously split into two distinct halves that shift significantly in tone and focus [7, 13]:
The title Good Manners refers to the strict social codes and "proper" behaviors Ana rejects from her elite upbringing, and which Clara must navigate to survive as an outsider [14]. Critical Reception and Awards The 2017 Brazilian film ( As Boas Maneiras
Critics have praised the film for its ambitious hybridity , though some found its 135-minute runtime and CGI-heavy second half slightly uneven [3, 13, 19, 33]. It remains a significant work in Latin American cinema, winning the Special Jury Prize at the 70th Locarno International Film Festival [9].
Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, is hired as a live-in nanny by Ana, a wealthy, pregnant, and estranged socialite [1, 8]. As Ana’s pregnancy advances, she exhibits bizarre behaviors during full moons, including sleepwalking and intense cravings for raw meat [3, 8, 15]. Despite their class and race differences, a romantic bond develops between the two women [2, 5]. The film is famously split into two distinct
The film uses its supernatural premise to interrogate contemporary Brazilian society [6]: