The Brazilian feature film “I'm Still Here”, directed by Walter Salles, continues its successful run abroad. On Saturday, February 8, it won the Goya 2025 award for Best Ibero-American Film in Spain. This marks the first time a Brazilian film has been nominated and emerged victorious in that category. Additionally, the film secured the Audience Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in the Netherlands. On Sunday (9), actress Fernanda Torres was honored with the Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in the United States.

At the 39th Goya Awards ceremony, considered the most prestigious honor in Spanish cinema, “I'm Still Here” competed against four other contenders: “El Jockey” (Argentina), “Agárrame Fuerte” (Uruguay), “No Lugar da Outra” (Chile), and “Memorias de un Cuerpo que Arde” (Costa Rica). Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler read a letter from filmmaker Walter Salles, who expressed gratitude for the award: “I'm Still Here is a film about the memory of a family during the long night of Brazil’s military dictatorship, a memory intertwined with that of my country. I would like to dedicate this award to Brazilian cinema, to Eunice Paiva and her entire family, to Fernanda Montenegro, and to Fernanda Torres.”

During the 54th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival, the film achieved the highest audience poll ratings. In California, Fernanda Torres received the Virtuoso Award from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to actors whose performances in recent films have made them stand out in the film industry. Other names, including some Oscar nominees, were also recognized.

"It is incredible because when we started, we never imagined we would be here. We are very happy, and the Paiva family truly deserves this," Torres stated on the red carpet of the awards ceremony, emphasizing that the film has become a box office phenomenon in Brazil.

TICKETS — “I'm Still Here” has attracted more than 4.1 million viewers in Brazil since its release in November 2024., recently becoming the fifth highest-grossing Brazilian film with earnings of BRL 85.41 million.

OSCAR — The film has been nominated for this year's Oscar in three categories (Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best International Film). The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on March 2, Carnival Sunday.

PRESIDENTIAL RECOGNITION— In January, when the nominations were announced, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated the recognition of the movie. "Do you remember when I used to say that the best thing about Brazilians is that they never give up? And we have just proved that, showing that it is true. Because we have just been nominated for the Oscar. I want to congratulate the entire team, Walter Salles, and Fernanda Torres. Because, honestly, you make the President of the Republic proud to say: you are Brazilians and you never give up. Congratulations!" Lula said, via social media.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS— In its journey through movie events, the production won the Best Screenplay award at the Venice Film Festival, and Fernanda Torres won the Golden Globe and Satellite Awards for Best Actress. The film also received the Audience Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, and Miami Film Festival GEMS. In France, during the Pessac Film Festival, it won the Danielle Le Roy Award and the Audience Award, confirming its strength among critics and audiences.

STORY OVERVIEW— The film narrates the story of Eunice Paiva, whose husband, former Federal Deputy Rubens Paiva, was taken from their home in 1971 and killed by the Brazilian military dictatorship. Her journey, along with that of her family, in search of information about what truly happened, became a symbol of the fight for truth and the defense of human rights.