Elena

Elena Costa moved to New York in 1989 with dreams of becoming a movie star. She left behind two things she loved: her home in Brazil, and her seven-year-old sister Petra. The letters and calls became less and less frequent, until one day they stopped entirely. Without explanation, Elena was never heard from again. Two decades later, Petra relocates to New York with similar dreams, but also the secret hope of finding the big sister that abandoned her.

Obliterating the line between documentary, diary, and fever dream in the spirit of Tarnation, ELENA is at once captivating and devastating. The film (and the filmmaker) cannot escape the similarities between Petra and Elena’s stories, and as they overlap, they begin to blur. One of the most successful documentaries of all time in Brazil now comes to America, and the truth about what happened to Elena will be revealed.