Helena‘s Shadow
The past is an open wound.
Synopsis
Helena’s Shadow tells the story of two cousins, Helena (Julia Lemmertz) and Laerte (Gabriel Braga Nunes), who were born and raised practically under the same roof. Their lives are bound together by the strong ties of family and love, and are marked by feelings of jealousy and blame. Laerte is a musician who has been in love with his cousin since childhood; but he is also consumed by an obsessive sense of distrust, especially for his friend Virgílio (Humberto Martins), a modest domestic worker who has always fostered a platonic love for Helena. Helena herself has a strong personality and has never accepted the possessive side of her problematic boyfriend.
On the night before his marriage to Helena, Laerte argues with Virgílio who faints when Laerte deals him a sharp blow across the face. Taking his rival for dead, Laerte quickly buries the body to hide the evidence. But Virgílio survived the blow and Laerte is arrested at the altar. At the ceremony, Helena’s father has a heart attack and dies. As a result of their misfortune, the family-once so united-drifts apart. After he serves his one-year sentence, Laerte moves to Vienna to pursue his musical career, breaking off the relationship with the woman who was almost his wife.
Twenty years after the tragedy that tore him away from his cousin, fate causes the past to repeat itself. Laerte, now a successful musician, sees a young girl in the audience at one of his concerts who looks just like his long lost love. It is Luiza (Bruna Marquezine), Helena’s daughter, with Laerte’s rival, Virgílio, who still bears a scar on his face ̶ and on his soul ̶ from that fateful day.
Back in Brazil, Laerte sees Luiza again at another concert and falls hard for the young girl. To Helena’s deep despair, the two become romantically involved. She is now married to Virgílio, and sees history repeat itself with her daughter’s love affair. Dormant feelings resurface and affect both her marriage and her relationship with her daughter. Defying everyone, Laerte and Luiza decide to stay together—a decision that causes conflict and turmoil all around them.
Clara (Giovanna Antonelli), Helen’s sister, is also going through tough times in her marriage. Her husband Cadu’s (Reynaldo Giannecchini) job instability and dreamer attitude are a thorn in her side, provoking many fallings-out and fights between the married couple.
With scenes filmed in Austria, Helena’s Shadow is a story of an unresolved love from the past that resurfaces and repeats itself with a vengeance.
Format
Telenovela
75 x 1 Hr
Director
Jayme Monjardim
Author
Manoel Carlos
Photo Gallery - Click to enlarge
Characters
Helena
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Laerte
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Luiza
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Virgílio
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Shirley
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Clara
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Cadu
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