Movies, Films & Flix

Quick Thoughts – Grade – A – Based on a true story, I’m Still Here is a deftly directed look into the political instability of Brazil in the 1970s. Anchored by a fantastic performance from Fernanda Torres (who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress) and an unhurried story adapted from Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s memoir, the Walter Salles directed film is worth a watch. 

Between Small Things Like These, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and I’m Still Here, 2024 was an excellent year for films that tackled political instability and abuse by focusing on a single family navigating the difficult times. In the case, of I’m Still Here, the central character Eunice Paiza (Torres) is forced to juggle the search for her husband Rubens (Selton Mello), who disappeared after being taken to a military prison, and raising her five children during a politically dangerous time. What’s unique about “I’m Still Here is that it doesn’t rely on big speeches or “gotcha” moments to tell the story. Instead, it relies on Adrian Teijido’s sly cinematography and small moments to build to a tear-inducing final shot that will linger in your memory. 

The first 40ish minutes of the film showcases the tranquil life for the Paiva family as they spend their time swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, adopting dogs, and hosting parties for their family and friends. They live in a gorgeous home (kudos to production designer Carlos Conti and set decorators Paloma Buquer and Tatiana Stepanenko) across the street from the famous Leblon Beach, and are able to afford super 8 cameras, decent booze and ingredients to make copious soufflés. The family lives a comfortable life as Rubens, a former congressman who went into self-exile during the 1964 Brazilian coup d’état, and returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1970, works as a civil engineer making plenty of money for the family to exist in their comfortable bubble. However, despite knowing the danger, Rubens takes mysterious calls that involve “deliveries” that put him back on the radar of the Brazilian military. The secretive deals come back to haunt him in 1971, when a group of armed men arrest Ruben and take him to an unspecified location to presumably interrogate him about his continued dealings with enemies of the Brazilian government. Eunice and her 15-year old daughter Eliana (Luiza Kosovski) are also arrested and  interrogated about Ruben’s dealings which leads to Eunice spending 12 days in a dark prison cell and interrogated each day (Eliana spent one night in custody). 

With Rubens missing (and not pronounced dead), Eunice is forced to provide for her children, pay the bills and look for answers about why her husband has disappeared. There is no easy answer for Eunice as she gets nothing from the government, and Rubens’ colleagues are afraid to speak up because they are afraid of suffering a similar fate. When Eunice talks to her children’s teacher, who was also arrested in 1971, the teacher says “We’re all in danger,” and it’s the fear of disappearing off the face of the earth that prevents Eunice from learning about her husband’s fate. For the next 25 years Eunice continues her fight to learn more about the fate of her husband and it leads to a cathartic and heartbreaking finale.

A neat fact is that in 1999, Fernanda’s mom Fernanda Montenegro (who appears at the end of the film) became the first Brazilian woman to be nominated for an Oscar for her work in the Salles’ directed Central Station. With her nomination in 2025, Fernanda Torres is now the second Brazilian woman to be nominated for an Oscar (and sixth mother/daughter combo to be nominated for acting Oscars). The nomination (and Golden Globe win) are deserved as Torres carries the film and goes through just about every emotion possible during the 138-minute running time. Final thoughts – I’m Still Here is a well-crafted and intimate film that features an expertly calibrated performance from Fernanda Torres. Watch it!