Now at the Movies: Transamazonia

As a child, Rebecca miraculously survives a plane crash in the Amazon – the sole survivor. Her father Lawrence, a Christian missionary, sees it as a divine sign. From that moment on, Rebecca is revered as a miracle healer throughout the region. Years later, the once-close bond between father and daughter begins to fracture when Rebecca aligns herself with the Indigenous population, who are resisting the illegal deforestation of the rainforest with increasingly radical methods. At the same time, she is plagued by recurring flashbacks of the crash – and with them, the unresolved question of her mother's fate. Rebecca begins to suspect that her father is hiding something vital. The arrival of nurse Denise (Sabine Timoteo), who claims to have known Rebecca's mother, brings long-buried tensions to the surface. Helena Zengel brings remarkable emotional depth to the role of Rebecca, capturing her inner conflict, identity struggles, and the urgent need to confront past trauma. Equally compelling is the film's rainforest setting: with mystical, majestic imagery, Pia Marais's "Transamazonia" weaves together themes of religion, politics, and environmental justice, placing them in poignant and often tense relation. In doing so, Marais creates a powerful call for a respectful coexistence between humans and nature. This spirit of mutual respect also shaped the production process: the film team worked closely with the Indigenous Assurini community, who were involved not only as cultural advisors but also appeared as actors in the film.