Not since the Mexican masterpiece Roma (2018) and Colombia’s El Olvido Que Seremos (Forgotten We’ll Be) (2020) have I seen a Latin American film so deeply imbued with naturalism and grace. Ainda Estou Aqui (I’m Still Here) is exquisitely photographed, instantly transporting me to its 1970s setting and immersing me fully in the family’s world. As in Roma and El Olvido Que Seremos, the children feel remarkably authentic, a testament to the filmmakers’ delicate yet skillful direction. Their natural performances add a layer of emotional depth, making their joys, fears, and everyday interactions feel profoundly real, as if we are witnessing memories rather than scripted moments. All the characters are so vividly drawn that, by the end, we are reluctant to part with them.
I’m Still Here is political biographical based drama set mostly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It stars Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro as Eunice Paiva, a mother and activist coping with the forced disappearance of her husband, the dissident politician Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), during the military dictatorship in Brazil. When the father of the family is sequestered by the military forces, I felt as a viewer fully invested in the family’s plight and despairing and sorrowful over this horrifying event. The way the police go about it is truly sinister, keeping the family jailed in its own house, not allowing the wife to see the husband, not disclosing any info relating to the abductee’s whereabouts, taking even one of the children for interrogation.
Fernanda Torres is more than deserving of her best actress nod for her performance here. She gives an unforgettable portrayal, showing Eunice’s strength and vulnerability in such a real and powerful way. She’s persuasive and moving without ever being melodramatic, in a masterful work making you feel every moment of the story. She battles not only to find and get her husband released, but is the rock that keeps the family together. I’m Still Here is a strong drama which Salles and his team make both palpable and universal beyond Brazil’s borders.
On 23 January 2025, I’m Still Here was nominated for Best International Feature Film, Best Actress (Torres), and Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. Grossing $27.3 million on a $1.5 million production budget, it became the highest-grossing Brazilian film since the COVID-19 pandemic. On the website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 166 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10 and at IMDB possesses a staggeringly high score of 8.7/10.
References:
1. I’m Still Here (2024 film) – Wikipedia
2. I’m Still Here (2024) – IMDB
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
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