Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Elize: Shadows of a Woman’ follows the story of Elize Matsunaga, who murdered her husband Marcos in 2012. Throughout the film, we get an intimate view into her mind, discovering the things that shaped her life and the things that influenced the brutal act against her own husband. Before the murder, we find Elize going through several ups and downs. Her journey from an abusive household to finding love with a man she met as an escort shows that it has been a turbulent ride for her. And the only person who remained with her through all of this is her aunt Marta. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Marta is the Fictional Version of Elize Matsunaga’s Real Aunt
In telling the story of Elize Matsunaga, the Netflix film has changed some characters’ names. This includes her aunt, who is called Marta in the movie, but her real name is Roseli De Araújo. When Elize was three, her father walked away from the family, and her mother moved away to make a living. This left the girl in the care of her aunt and grandmother. Roseli raised her niece like her own daughter, and they developed a strong bond. When Elize was ten, her mother came back, and the girl was forced to leave her aunt and move in with her mother and stepfather. The man turned out to be a sexual predator, and to escape him, Elize ran away from home. As a teenager, she had nowhere to go, and the only person she could turn to was her aunt.
It wasn’t until years later that Elize told her aunt the truth about the abuse, but being in the care of a motherly figure helped her move on and claim control of her life. When Elize moved to São Paulo to continue her studies, she needed to manage her finances. By this time, she had graduated from nursing school, but had decided to turn to law instead. To pay for law school and her other expenses, she started working as an escort on a website called MClass. However, she didn’t tell her aunt or any other family member about it. And then, she met Marcos, whom she eventually married but did not stay happily married to. Through all these ups and downs, Elize stayed in touch with Roseli, who provided her support and comfort.
Roseli Remained Elize’s Constant Support System
Roseli De Araújo most likely still lives in Parana, Brazil, and remains in touch with Elize. She has always lived a quiet, private life and prefers to keep it that way, especially as the spotlight keeps turning back to her niece again and again. Reportedly, days before Marcos’ murder, Elize flew to her aunt’s house. She had employed a private investigator to gather evidence of her husband’s infidelity in São Paulo. It seemed there was no way they could stay together, but she feared she would lose her daughter in the divorce. She shared her doubts with Roseli, who offered her unconditional support. However, even the loving aunt couldn’t have predicted that things would escalate to such a point that Elize would end up killing her husband.
As the case took the country by storm, Roseli and her mother decided not to hear what the world had to say about Elize. They would change the channel on the radio or distract themselves with something else when the news about Marcos’ murder came on. Roseli especially ensured that her mother didn’t see any photos or hear any disturbing details about the case, or about what the world had been saying about her granddaughter. Even the conviction and a prison sentence did not change Roseli’s love for her niece. Every week, she would drive a long distance to see her in prison, and she continued this until Elize was let out on parole. Over time, both of Elize’s parents passed away, leaving her aunt and grandmother as her only family.
When Elize agreed to do the Netflix documentary, ‘Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime,’ she stayed in her aunt’s apartment during the duration of its filming. In the documentary, Roseli, in her only media appearance since, opened up about her love for Elize. She revealed that when her niece was released from prison, she wanted to provide her with a safe space. Eventually, they also talked about what happened with Marcos because Roseli wanted to understand what made Elize take such a drastic step. She said that what Elize did was wrong and she has received her punishment for it. Still, she hopes her niece walks the right path now.
Read More: Where is Elize Matsunaga’s Daughter Helena Now? Did Elize and Her Daughter Reunite?
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