Tehran – “I’m Still Here,” a 2024 political biography drama film by Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles, was reviewed on Sunday during a session at the Iranian Artist Forum (IAF) Cinematec.
Iranian film critic Esmael Mindost attended a review session following the film’s screening.
“I’m still here,” says the story of Brazilian civil servant and political activist Rubens Paiva, who replied with a repressive junta following the 1964 coup.
Resident in a beautiful home near LeBron Beach with his wife Eunice and five children, Rubens quietly supports political asylum while trying to maintain similarities in normalcy in his family life. However, the political situation became increasingly unstable after the Swiss ambassador’s invitation, and friends Fernando and Darba urged them to flee to London, taking their eldest son Bella.
When a military raid led to Rubens’ arrest in January 1971, the family world shatters, and after that he disappears without traces. Desperate public enquiries about Eunice’s husband’s fate result in her own arrest and 12 days of torture, and her teenage daughter Eliana is temporarily jailed.
As Eunice faces merciless questions about Rubens’ political activities, she remains immovable in her denial of his involvement in the democratic movement. Despite false reports suggesting that Rubens had fled Brazil, Eunice and her allies suspect the truth is far more ominous.
With the help of his lawyer, Lino Machado, Eunice submits a habeas-protection petition and discovers that Rubens secretly supported political exiles. Martha, a former prisoner, confirms Rubens’ imprisonment, but is afraid of her safety if she speaks up.
Eventually, journalist Felix tells Eunice that Rubens has been killed, but the military refuses to officially admit this. Leaves to raise her children, Eunice sells their home and moves to Sao Paulo, seeking a new start.
Fast forward to 1996, Eunice received an official death certificate from Rubens’ current democratic state of Brazil, seeking compensation and accountability for the crimes of the dictatorship. By 2014, she was 85 years old and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, so she is surrounded by her family when news from the National Truth Committee prompted flickering memories about her past.
The film concludes with a harsh revelation about Rubens’ murder at Doy Cody headquarters, highlighting Eunice’s incredible journey as she becomes a respected expert on Indigenous rights before her death in 2018 at the age of 89.
“I’m Still Here” achieved an astonishing financial success, winning $35.7 million, making it Brazil’s highest-selling film since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The film debuted at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, where it received widespread acclaim and won the Best Screenplay Award. It was named one of the top five international films of 2024. At the Golden Globes, the star Fernanda Torres won the Best Actress Award. The film was also nominated for Best Picture at the Oscar, where it won Best International Feature Film and marked the historic victory of Brazilian films.
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