Helena Ignez
Known for Acting · 115 credits
- Born
- 1939-05-23 (age 87)
- Place of birth
- Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Also known as
- Helena Ignês · Helena Inês · Helena Inez
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
TV Shows (3)
Movies (112)
Eclipse
2026
as Dona da Kitnet
Antes do Fim
2018
Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional
1997
as Self
Embodiment of Evil
2008
as Cabíria
Memoirs of a Strangler of Blondes
1971
as Multiple Characters (Archive Footage)
Copacabana Mon Amour
1970
as Sônia Silk
Hotel Atlântico
2009
as Dona da Pousada
São Jerônimo
1999
as Marcela
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Nosferatu
2025
Candango: Memoirs from a Festival
2020
as Self
A Última Vanguarda
2024
as Self
My Calendar Girl
2018
as Helena / Palestrante (voz)
Light in Darkness: The Return of Red Light Bandit
2012
The Priest and the Girl
1966
as Mariana
Glauber Rocha - The Movie, Brazil's Labyrinth
2003
as Self
A Grande Feira
1961
as Ely
Ralé: The Lower Depths
2016
as Sonia Silk
The Hullabaloo Family
1970
as Prostituta
Face to Face
1967
as Luciana
Baron Olavo, The Horrible
1969
as Isabel
No Way, Spider
1970
Scent of Gardenias
1992
as Bandida
Estátua!
2014
as Mãe (voz)
Oswaldianas
1992
The Red Light Bandit
1968
as Janete Jane
Helena! Cinema!
2026
Watch Out, Madame
1970
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
2017
as Self
Helena de Guaratiba
2023
as Helena
Not Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
2025
as Dra. Marina Consiglio
Bring me the Head of Carmen M.
2019
as Diretora
The Long Voyage of the Yellow Bus
2023
The Outsiders
1968
Trópico de Leão
2025
as Medéia
Nelson Carneiro: Knight of Democracy
2023
as Self
Flying Geraldo
1994
Love Film Festival
2014
as Herself
The Woman of Everyone
1969
as Ângela Carne e Osso
Flesh
2019
as (voice)
O Cinema Foi à Feira
2016
as Ela mesma
Rio de Topless
2020
as Self
The Good Cinema
2021
A Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
as Herself (archive footage) / (Voz em Off)
The Lady Who Died in the Trailer
2020
Benjamim Zambraia e o Autopanóptico
2020
as Mother
Terno
2013
as Mãe
A Mulher da Luz Própria
2019
as Self
Um Documentário Brasileiro
2021
as Self
A Man and His Cage
1974
as Aeromoça
A Vermelha Luz do Bandido
2009
Meu Mundo em Perigo
2007
as Mãe de Ísis
Fakir
2019
as Narrator
All Paulos in the World - Paulo José
2017
The Mother
2022
as Dulce
Extracts
2019
Belair
2009
Grito da Terra
1964
as Mariá
It's Not All True
1986
Assault on the Pay Train
1962
as Marta
The Welles Raft
2022
as Herself
The End of an Age
2014
as (voz)
Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy
2017
as Narração
Copacabana, Mon Amour: A Restauração
2014
as Self
A Bela P...
2008
Ugly, Me?
2013
as Jarda
O Engano
1967
as Mulher do médico
Subterrânea
2021
as Senhora Ônibus
Spray Jet
1986
as Bossy Lady
O Pátio
1959
as The woman
Carnaval na Lama
1970
The Monsters of Babaloo
1970
Mulheres de Cinema
1978
as Self (archive footage)
Abry
2003
as Self
Helena Zero
2006
Avacalha e se Esculhamba
2010
Mulher Oceano
2020
as Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
Race Antenna
2020
as Self
The Sign of Chaos
2003
as Guida
B2
2001
Febre
2017
Inaudito
2017
as Voice
A Balada do Provisório
2012
as Provisório's Mother
Cartas Para Rian
2026
as Nair de Tefé
In Memoriam: O Roteiro do Gravador
2019
Fogo Baixo, Alto Astral
2020
Deuses da Peste
2025
O Mel é Mais Doce Que o Sangue
2023
Ossos
2014
as Voz Off
Sinais de Cinza, A Peleja de Olney Contra o Dragão da Maldade
2013
Desculpa, Dona Madama
2013
as Patroa
Luz-Lux-Lúcia
2005
Lost Media
as A Colecionadora
Um Intruso no Paraíso
1973
Anônimo e incomum
1990
Poder dos Afetos
2013
as Ritual Xamânico
If I'm Here It Is by Mystery
2024
as Arlete
Ensaio Sobre o Fracasso
2020
Perigo Negro
1992
as Tiafa
Paixão e Virtude
2014
Joy Is the Acid Test
2023
as Jarda Ícone
Natureza Morta
2020
as Narradora 3
Mr. Sganzerla: Os Signos da Luz
2012
O Desmonte do Monte
2018
Retrato da Terra
2004
as Ela mesma
Gravidade
2025
Flesh
A Film to Remind Us of Utopia
as Self (archive footage)
Esse fim de semana vou me dedicar as paredes
2020
Reinvenção da Rua
2003
as Herself
Message from Sergipe
2025
Nova Pasta, Antigo Baú
2021
as Voiceover
About Helena Ignez
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 mov… With 115 credits spanning from 1959 to 2026, Helena Ignez has appeared in 112 films and 3 TV shows.
Fans searching for Helena Ignez movies, Helena Ignez filmography, or the latest projects starring Helena Ignez can stream many of these titles on HinFlix, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Helena Ignez Movies
- Eclipse (2026) — as Dona da Kitnet
- Antes do Fim (2018)
- Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional (1997) — as Self
- Embodiment of Evil (2008) — as Cabíria
- Memoirs of a Strangler of Blondes (1971) — as Multiple Characters (Archive Footage)
Where to Watch Helena Ignez Films
Most Helena Ignez movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Helena Ignez, check our movies catalogue and browse page.