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
Copacabana Mon Amour
1970
as Sônia Silk
Embodiment of Evil
2008
as Cabíria
Hotel Atlântico
2009
as Dona da Pousada
The Priest and the Girl
1966
as Mariana
Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional
1997
as Self
Memoirs of a Strangler of Blondes
1971
as Multiple Characters (Archive Footage)
Antes do Fim
2018
Oswaldianas
1992
Memórias do Grupo Opinião
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Face to Face
1967
as Luciana
The Red Light Bandit
1968
as Janete Jane
Scent of Gardenias
1992
as Bandida
Nosferatu
2025
Candango: Memoirs from a Festival
2020
as Self
Brazilian Cinema in the 20th Century
2017
as Self
A Grande Feira
1961
as Ely
A Última Vanguarda
2024
as Self
No Way, Spider
1970
Ralé: The Lower Depths
2016
as Sonia Silk
Terno
2013
as Mãe
The Outsiders
1968
Estátua!
2014
as Mãe (voz)
Flying Geraldo
1994
The Hullabaloo Family
1970
as Prostituta
Glauber Rocha - The Movie, Brazil's Labyrinth
2003
as Self
Helena! Cinema!
2026
The Long Voyage of the Yellow Bus
2023
My Calendar Girl
2018
as Helena / Palestrante (voz)
Watch Out, Madame
1970
It's Not All True
1986
All Paulos in the World - Paulo José
2017
Bring me the Head of Carmen M.
2019
as Diretora
São Jerônimo
1999
as Marcela
Light in Darkness: The Return of Red Light Bandit
2012
A Mulher da Luz Própria
2019
as Self
A Miss e o Dinossauro
2005
as Herself (archive footage) / (Voz em Off)
Benjamim Zambraia e o Autopanóptico
2020
as Mother
The Lady Who Died in the Trailer
2020
Avacalha e se Esculhamba
2010
Baron Olavo, The Horrible
1969
as Isabel
Rio de Topless
2020
as Self
The Mother
2022
as Dulce
Helena de Guaratiba
2023
as Helena
Assault on the Pay Train
1962
as Marta
O Cinema Foi à Feira
2016
as Ela mesma
Nelson Carneiro: Knight of Democracy
2023
as Self
Mulher Oceano
2020
as Mulher Caminhando de Costas (uncredited)
The Good Cinema
2021
Meu Mundo em Perigo
2007
as Mãe de Ísis
A Vermelha Luz do Bandido
2009
Ugly, Me?
2013
as Jarda
O Pátio
1959
as The woman
Flesh
2019
as (voice)
Not Even God Is As Fair As Your Jeans
2025
as Dra. Marina Consiglio
Fakir
2019
as Narrator
Venus – Filly the Lesbian Little Fairy
2017
as Narração
Love Film Festival
2014
as Herself
The Welles Raft
2022
as Herself
B2
2001
The End of an Age
2014
as (voz)
Abry
2003
as Self
A Man and His Cage
1974
as Aeromoça
Grito da Terra
1964
as Mariá
The Monsters of Babaloo
1970
Um Documentário Brasileiro
2021
as Self
Copacabana, Mon Amour: A Restauração
2014
as Self
Cartas Para Rian
2026
as Nair de Tefé
The Sign of Chaos
2003
as Guida
Mulheres de Cinema
1978
as Self (archive footage)
Carnaval na Lama
1970
Ossos
2014
as Voz Off
The Woman of Everyone
1969
as Ângela Carne e Osso
A Bela P...
2008
Trópico de Leão
2025
as Medéia
Desculpa, Dona Madama
2013
as Patroa
Belair
2009
Extracts
2019
O Mel é Mais Doce Que o Sangue
2023
Um Intruso no Paraíso
1973
Lost Media
as A Colecionadora
O Desmonte do Monte
2018
Spray Jet
1986
as Bossy Lady
Febre
2017
O Engano
1967
as Mulher do médico
Poder dos Afetos
2013
as Ritual Xamânico
A Balada do Provisório
2012
as Provisório's Mother
Joy Is the Acid Test
2023
as Jarda Ícone
Gravidade
2025
Retrato da Terra
2004
as Ela mesma
Flesh
If I'm Here It Is by Mystery
2024
as Arlete
Subterrânea
2021
as Senhora Ônibus
Helena Zero
2006
Fogo Baixo, Alto Astral
2020
Inaudito
2017
as Voice
Natureza Morta
2020
as Narradora 3
Sinais de Cinza, A Peleja de Olney Contra o Dragão da Maldade
2013
Mr. Sganzerla: Os Signos da Luz
2012
Race Antenna
2020
as Self
Paixão e Virtude
2014
Deuses da Peste
2025
In Memoriam: O Roteiro do Gravador
2019
Perigo Negro
1992
as Tiafa
Ensaio Sobre o Fracasso
2020
Luz-Lux-Lúcia
2005
Anônimo e incomum
1990
Esse fim de semana vou me dedicar as paredes
2020
A Film to Remind Us of Utopia
as Self (archive footage)
Message from Sergipe
2025
Reinvenção da Rua
2003
as Herself
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 Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Helena Ignez Movies
- Eclipse (2026) — as Dona da Kitnet
- Copacabana Mon Amour (1970) — as Sônia Silk
- Embodiment of Evil (2008) — as Cabíria
- Hotel Atlântico (2009) — as Dona da Pousada
- The Priest and the Girl (1966) — as Mariana
Where to Watch Helena Ignez Films
Most Helena Ignez movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV 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.