Good Manners

Clara, a quiet nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, takes a job as the nanny for an unnamed unborn child, hired by the wealthy and enigmatic Ana. As they spend nights together in Ana's elegant home, a fragile friendship grows across class and distance, offering Clara a chance at security and affection she has long been denied. Yet the arrangement begins to feel fragile, as strange sounds, shadowy figures, and clues hint that the unborn child carries a power far beyond ordinary motherhood. Without revealing the source of the danger, the film threads a sense of creeping dread while keeping the specifics ambiguous, allowing mood and character to carry the tension rather than explicit shocks.

Directed by Marco Dutra and Juliana Rojas, Good Manners, a Brazilian feature also known as As Boas Maneiras, premiered in 2017 as a fantasy horror drama. It is an original screenplay that blends social observation with supernatural elements.

Critics praised the film for its fearless mix of genres and its focus on motherhood, class and urban unease. Performances by Isabél Zuaa and Marjorie Estiano anchor the story, while a precise visual palette sustains a mood of eerie mystery throughout.

Good Manners has been noted in festival and genre circles for its bold blend of folklore and realism. The film invites viewers to think about power, desire and becoming, and it stands as a distinctive entry in Brazilian genre cinema from the 2010s.