THE THREE MARIAS
aka AS TRÊS MARIAS
Year: 2002
USA: Empire Pictures
UK: Gala Film Distributors
Cast: Marieta Severo, Julia Lemmertz, Maria Luisa Mendonca, Luiza Mariani, Carlos Vereza, Enrique Diaz, Tuca Andrada, Wagner Moura, Lazaro Ramos, Cassiano Carneiro, Fabio Limma, Andre Barros
Director: Aluizio Abranches
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese (English subtitles)
USA: 90 mins
UK: 88 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong bloody images and moderate violence
USA Release Date: 30 May 2003 (Limited Release - New York)
UK Release Date: 30 January 2004
Synopsis
Firmino Santos Guerra, from a traditional family, is abandoned by his fiancee, Filomena, in the early 70's. She leaves him for Borges Capadocio, Firmino's greatest enemy. From then on, Firmino starts nurturing a great hatred for the family headed by Filomena and Borges Capadocio.
In the year 2000, the husband and sons of Filomena Capadocio are brutally murdered by the sons of Firmino Santos Guerra.
Informed about what has happened, Filomena makes plans against the Santos Guerra family. She wreaks her revenge using her three daughters - Maria Francisca, Maria Rosa and Maria Pia - as instruments. They must each go off into the backlands of Brazil to find three ruthless killers and order them to kill the murderers of their father and brothers. Each of them will have a different difficulty to overcome for this task.
Maria Francisca, the eldest, has to find a gunman known as Ze das Cobras, who has not spoken to a woman since the death of his mother - and convince him to accept the task of executing Firmino Santos Guerra.
Maria Rosa looks for Chief Tenorio, an honest backwoods cop, who is also a knife specialist. Maria Rosa's mission is to convince the policeman to break the law he defends and accept an order to commit murder.
Maria Pia, the youngest daughter, goes off in search of Jesuino Cruz, the most feared killer in the region, also known as 'The Devil's Horse'. Difficulties arise in carrying out her task, when Maria Pia finds Jesuino in prison.
Destiny, however, takes them to an unexpected direction.