I'm Still Here

I'm Still Here earned its place as one of the greatest Brazilian cinema phenomena of 2024 after a celebrated run at the Venice Film Festival. And it's no wonder: Walter Salles’ feature film (Central Station) embraces the story of the Paiva family, portrayed in the namesake book written by one of the sons, Marcelo Rubens, and reveals a glimpse of what Brazil's Military Dictatorship was like. Through this lens, the viewer follows the life of Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres) and her children after the disappearance of Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), who was taken by the military on a day with few explanations. Mastering the story’s atmosphere, Salles shows how this family reacted and, more importantly, how the climate changed – whether in their home, street, city, or country. With a memorable performance by Torres, the feature film captures a piece of Brazilian history, illustrating how life was bright until the 1960s and how, with a single blow, a rupture occurred that forever altered things. Not only one of the great films of 2024, but one of the greatest in the history of Brazilian cinema.