Movie: I’m Still Here
Release Date: Jan. 17, 2025
Director: Walter Salles
Runtime: 2 hours, 17 minutes
Genre: Drama
Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Actress, International Feature
Rating: B+
Helicopters fly overhead as children play on the beach. Families watch as military convoys and armored cars pass by on the streets. Citizens are stopped on their way home and questioned by the police despite having done nothing wrong. These are the first images of a military dictatorship that would rip families apart in 1970s Brazil.
“I’m Still Here” follows the Paiva family as they try to navigate this new Brazil, where criticizing the government can result in never seeing family members again.
Despite these dangers, warmth and happiness radiate throughout the Paiva household as family friends and a new dog provide distractions from the outside world. Audiences can feel the love that mother Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres) and father Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello) have for each other and their five children.
However, this warmth is quickly disrupted after the military enters their home and takes Rubens away. From here, the film becomes a story of unparalleled resilience, as Eunice fights for justice while trying to shield her children from the harsh realities of what has happened to their father.
Because of her public criticisms of the government following this tragic event, Eunice is arrested and tortured at a secret government facility for 12 days. Eventually, the military allows her to go back to her children, albeit under strict surveillance, as she continues to investigate her husband’s disappearance.
Having not told her children their father will never be coming back, she has to act like everything will be okay when at home. With her children still reliant on her as a mother, Eunice has to endure her pain and suffering internally as she puts on a smile for the kids.
Torres’ ability to convey so many hidden, internalized emotions underneath her performative happiness is a significant reason why the audience is able to connect so profoundly with Eunice.
One scene in particular that will move viewers is that of Eunice and her children visiting an ice cream shop. While her kids laugh and smile, tears quietly come to Eunice’s eyes as she looks on at other families. Torres’ small changes in her facial expression as she looks around the room and back to her children convey more than words ever could.
While many scenes like this provide intense emotional experiences, the film is not without its faults. Following the arrest and release of Eunice, the film takes on a slower pace as it navigates through her trauma, which can make the second act feel drawn out at times.
The story is also presented in a straightforward, formulaic structure without many surprises. This can result in some viewers feeling like they have seen similar stories before, even if they are entirely unfamiliar with Brazil's military dictatorship.
Despite flaws in the storytelling, the human connection audiences build with the Paiva family will still resonate on a deep level. The emotions built up throughout the film come to a resounding conclusion during the epilogue, where Fernanda Montenegro, Torres's real-life mother, plays an older Eunice.
The film’s final moments provide the audience a cathartic release of emotions before seeing the joy of this family all grown up, together again, making it one of the best endings of the year.
By the time the credits roll, moviegoers will feel the story's sadness while also finding a shining light in Eunice's perseverance and struggle for what is right, despite all the dangers that come with it. Stories like this exist throughout the world, but light will always shine through so long as people like Eunice Paiva continue to reveal the cracks in the oppressive systems that try to conceal them.