BZFF25 I'm Still Here

Oscar nominee Fernanda Montenegro and her daughter Fernanda Torres deliver powerhouse performances in Walter Salles’ (The Motorcycle Diaries, Central Station) long-awaited return to narrative filmmaking with I’M STILL HERE, a gripping historical drama set against the backdrop of Brazil’s oppressive military dictatorship in the 1970s. Brazil’s official selection for Best International Film at the 2025 Academy Awards, the film is based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s acclaimed memoir, bringing to life a powerful true story of unwavering courage, profound sacrifice, and enduring resilience in the face of systemic oppression. Set in 1971, the film follows Eunice Paiva (Torres), a mother of five whose life is shattered when her husband is forcibly taken from their home by the military police, disappearing into the brutal machinery of the dictatorship. Left with no answers and mounting danger, Eunice must navigate a society fraught with fear while transforming herself into a relentless activist, challenging the regime’s violence and secrecy to fight for her husband and her family’s survival. Montenegro’s role as Eunice’s mother-in-law brings added poignancy and gravitas to the multi-generational story. Through Salles’ masterful direction and a script by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, I’M STILL HERE captures the anguish of personal loss amidst national upheaval, creating a deeply human portrait of a woman’s fight for justice in the darkest of times. With stunning cinematography and a visceral score, the film is both an unflinching historical drama and a moving tribute to the women who defy oppression to seek truth, no matter the cost.