Oscar Goes to Brazilian Film About Forced Disappearance
Cast of the film I’m Still Here. X/ @Palestinahoy01
March 3, 2025 Hour: 10:50 am
‘I’m Still Here’ is based on the true story of a mother who has to raise her family alone after the disappearance of her husband.
On Sunday, Brazilians won the first Oscar in their history and celebrated it as if it were the winning goal in a World Cup final.
RELATED:First Day of Carnival Highlights African Heritage in Brazil
The statuette for Best International Feature Film was awarded to I’m Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui), a stark feature film by Walter Salles, based on the true story of a mother who has to raise her family alone after the disappearance of her husband at the hands of the military dictatorship (1964-1985).
Close to midnight on Sunday, after Penelope Cruz announced the name of the winning film, a wave of jubilation swept through Sao Paulos’s Belas Artes cinema, which had dedicated two screening rooms to broadcasting the 97th Academy Awards live.
The audience jumped out of their seats, hugging, kissing, and crying while recording the historic moment with their mobile phones. Others raised replicas of the Oscar statuette, which had sold out in costume and party supply stores ahead of Carnival.
“It’s well deserved. This film portrays a very cruel period in Brazil and serves as a warning so that it does not happen again,” said Neide Trucolo, a 61-year-old retiree.
“Today is a day to feel even prouder to be Brazilian. Proud of our cinema, our artists, and, above all, our democracy,” said Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
The leader of the Workers’ Party thanked the actress who played Eunice Paiva, Fernanda Torres; her mother, Fernanda Montenegro; and Walter Salles, the film’s director, who went up to receive the award.
“And to everyone involved in this extraordinary work that showed Brazil and the world the importance of the fight against authoritarianism. Congratulations! Long live Brazilian cinema. Long live Ainda Estou Aqui,” Lula added.
Another immediate reaction came from former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, now head of the BRICS development bank, who was also a victim of torture and imprisonment during the Brazilian dictatorship.
“This is a recognition of the strength of Brazilian culture. A well-deserved tribute to our cinema. It is a historic international victory that honors those who are no longer with us and reveres those who are still here, defending democracy and fighting fascism,” she said.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE