I'm Still Here

"This is a must watch! Fernanda Torres deserves everything for this role. It shows everyone the reality of the military dictatorship phase in Brazil "

"This was an incredible film! Both heartbreaking and yet oddly awe-inspiring as well, this film shows the trials and tribulations of Eunice Paiva (the wife of Congressman Rubens Paiva) who is forced to single-handedly bring up her children after the forced disappearance of Rubens during the military dictatorship that occurred in Brazil in the 1970s, becoming a human rights lawyer and Indigenous activist in the process. I was especially struck by the storytelling here, putting the viewer in the shoes of the family and the emotional state in which they lived during those times. Phenomenal performances and chemistry from the cast, especially from Fernanda Torres (who really carries this movie) who really deserved her Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win for this (having now finally seen all Best Actress nominees, Torres is my personal vote for the win, and I’d be ELATED if she won). Special shout out to her lookalike mother Fernanda Montenegro who plays the older version of Eunice in the film’s final scene (what an incredibly memorable impression she leaves too). This is a film that I hope more people check out, and I’m so happy that this got a Best Picture Oscar nomination which was totally unexpected, and what a delightful surprise this was! Very highly recommended. Side note: This is the first ever Brazilian film I’ve seen, and the first Walter Salles film as well. I’m now interested in seeing his film CENTRAL STATION (which made Fernanda Montenegro (Torres’s real-life mom) the first Brazilian acting nominee (it is beautifully fitting that the daughter now becomes the 2nd Brazilian acting nominee))."