The Red Earth

Three women find themselves caught in the crossfire in this pulse-pounding saga of a Brazilian community in crisis and the environmental tragedy that threatens to engulf it.

On the lush Brazil-Argentina border, greed runs deep. A proposed hydroelectric dam spells doom for both the vibrant ecosystems of the Turvo State Park and the people who call it home. Park ranger Chaya refuses to stand by while her beloved land is razed. Her estranged cousin, Preta, a hardened leader, fights her own battle, walking a thin line between survival and poaching traditions. Then there's Olga, the prodigal journalist, burdened by guilt and the secrets she left behind. Their paths collide as the encroaching threat pulls them into a fierce battle against corrupt politicians, shadowy smugglers, and the ghosts of their shared past.

Loyalties are tested, old rivalries flare, and alliances arise in the unlikeliest places. And at the heart of it all, a family legacy, shrouded in myth and trauma, surfaces with devastating consequences. Echoing recent episodes in Brazilian history, The Red Earth is a whirling torrent of drama, sisterhood, and sacrifice, revealing the real-life stakes and cost of protecting the rainforest and its inhabitants.

Morgana Kretzmann was born in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, on the border with Argentina, and currently lives in São Paulo. She is a writer and screenwriter. In 2021, she won the São Paulo Literature Prize with her debut novel, To Dust. She is also the author of the acclaimed ecological novel The Red Earth, published by Companhia das Letras and quickly sold to Germany, France, the United States, and Latin America. Kretzmann worked as one of the screenwriters for a Disney series that deals with environmental issues. She graduated from the extension course in Cinematographic Screenwriting at PUC-RIO and also holds a degree in Environmental Management from the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina, with her final project focused on the importance of literature in addressing urgent environmental issues.