Maria Ribeiro, Actress of 'Vidas Secas,' Dies at 102

Overview

• She died on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, according to a family post later cited in press reports.
• Ribeiro was living in Geneva, Switzerland, at the time of her death.
• She entered cinema after an invitation from director Nelson Pereira dos Santos, with producer Herbert Richers intervening to secure her leave from work, according to her recollections.
• 'Vidas Secas' screened at the Cannes Film Festival, which prompted her first trip to Europe, and she later lived for a period in Italy.
• Her filmography spans decades, including A Hora e a Vez de Augusto Matraga (1965), Os Herdeiros (1970), O Amuleto de Ogum (1974), A Terceira Margem do Rio (1994), and As Tranças de Maria (2003).