Walter Salles’ powerful drama I’m Still Here has made history at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Brazilian film to win Best International Feature.
The film tells the true story of Eunice Paiva’s relentless pursuit of justice following the disappearance of her husband during Brazil’s military dictatorship. In recent weeks, it gained significant momentum, particularly after earning a surprise Best Picture nomination—alongside its expected nods for International Feature and Best Actress for Fernanda Torres.
Competing against Emilia Perez from France, The Seed of the Sacred Fig from Germany, The Girl With the Needle from Denmark, and Flow from Latvia, I’m Still Here ultimately took home the prestigious award.
“I’m incredibly honoured to accept this award among such an extraordinary group of filmmakers,” Salles said in his acceptance speech. “This is dedicated to a woman who, after experiencing an unimaginable loss under an authoritarian regime, chose not to surrender but to fight. This award belongs to her and to the two phenomenal actresses who brought her story to life—Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro.”
For Salles, this achievement carries particular significance. He previously directed Central Station, the last Brazilian film to be nominated in this category. That movie’s lead actress, Fernanda Montenegro, became the first Brazilian performer to earn an Oscar nomination. Now, history repeats itself as her daughter, Fernanda Torres, follows in her footsteps, becoming only the second Brazilian actor to receive an Academy Award nomination.
With their nominations, Montenegro and Torres join an exclusive list of mother-daughter pairs who have both been nominated for Oscars. This prestigious group includes Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, Diane Ladd and Laura Dern, Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson, and Ingrid Bergman and Isabella Rossellini—the latter of whom is also a nominee this year for Conclave.
Brazil has consistently submitted films for consideration in the International Feature category since 1960, yet before this win, the country had only received five nominations: Keeper of Promises (1962), O Quatrilho (1995), Four Days in September (1997), Central Station (1998), and now I’m Still Here. Despite these past recognitions, the nation had never before claimed victory in the category.