In a Brazilian village infested with piranhas, Nanã and Mel are growing fast into adolescence as they dream of ways of protecting themselves against a seemingly inescapable violence. When a mysterious body appears tangled in a fisherman’s net, they learn what might be their ultimate protection.

An arresting brew of myth and body horror, Brazilian filmmaker Lillah Halla’s Cannes-selected short is a startling metaphorical fable. A coming-of-age tale of female agency, empowerment, and friendship, Menarca counters the ubiquitous threat of male violence with a flight of sharp-toothed fantasy.