I'm Still Here - 3 nominations

 

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  • Best International Feature Film
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  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

  • Fernanda Torres
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  • Best Motion Picture of the Year

I'm Still Here marks the 5th time that Brazil has had a nominee in the International Feature film category without any wins, and this one has the best chance so far to capture the statuette. This compelling film based on a true story recounts the political disappearance of a former Brazilian congressman, Rubens Paiva. He lives with his wife Eunice and their 5 children while secretly helping families who can't find loved ones arrested by the military. When the revolutionaries come to his door, his wife is in a panic, and eventually is arrested herself with her daughter to see if they are aware of Paiva's secret activities. She is held and tortured for 12 days, and though eventually released, she never stops looking for her husband to try to get some indication of what happened to him. 25 years later, she becomes a renowned expert on Indigenous Rights, all the while petitioning for a true accounting of what happened to husband from the government.

I'm Still Here was a powerful film and reminded me just a bit of the 1982 Sissy Spacek and Jack Lemmon movie Missing. What they have in common is unbelievably powerful performances and a total sense of fear and outrage at what is happening. How easy it is to live a life ignoring a coup, a descent from democracy to authoritarianism. How awful it is to realize that "they" has now become "you" and the injustice is so entrenched that it's too late to fight against it. This is not particularly the story of the Paiva family - after all, Rubens was disappeared for trying to do SOMETHING, even something small. But the lessons from Brazilian history are far too resonant today. It makes you wonder how much eggs cost before the coup.

My only criticism of the film is that there seemed to be multiple endings, the last of which was unnecessary. I suppose the filmmakers were very committed to showing the entire story of the strong and brave Eunice's life, but the very last bit was overkill. I recommend seeing the movie, just be aware that the post-script at the is for the sake of itself.