More than an award: Brazilian students celebrate the country’s first Oscars

Brazilian crowds cheered as the film “I’m Still Here” won Best International Film at the 97th Academy Awards on March 2. Directed by Walter Salles, “I’m Still Here” made history after becoming the first Brazilian produced film to win an Academy Award. The celebration went beyond just Brazil or even South America, however. Here at Stanford, Brazilian international students and professors specializing in Latin American history commemorated the victory of the film.

“I’m Still Here” presents the true story of Eunice Paiva as she grapples with the disappearance of her husband and former congressman Rubens Paiva. Though she later learns that Rubens Paiva was held as a political prisoner and killed by the Brazilian military dictatorship, it isn’t until 1996 — 25 years after his disappearance — that she and her family receive his death certificate. The film opens a larger dialogue surrounding democracy and dictatorship, and reflects on the current social and political state of Brazil.

For many Brazillians, this film transcended barriers. Matheus Dias ’23 said the film showcases a story of resilience and bravery by demonstrating the story of Eunice Paiva. 

“Films like this one are a crucial effort to remember the past so that it doesn’t happen again,” said Jennifer Alpert, a film scholar in the Division of Literatures, Cultures and Languages (DLCL) focused on human rights and Latin American cultures.

She added that the film’s victory signified for Latin American communities “Hollywood’s recognition of the importance of preserving democracy and upholding human rights.”

The movie also resonated with students. Lara Franciulli ’25 M.S. ’25 was among many Latin American students who organized watch parties with their friends for the various award ceremonies. 

Presented in movie theaters in over 30 countries — including the Redwood City and Mountain View Cinemark theaters — “I’m Still Here” brought global attention to Brazilian cinema and history. In addition to winning Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards, the film was also nominated for Best Picture and lead actress Fernanda Torres for Best Leading Actress. For Brazilians, Torres’ nomination was an especially heartfelt full circle moment given that Fernanda Montenegro, Torres’ mother, was nominated for the same award during the 1999 Academy Awards.

Alpert said that Brazil’s win represents a shift in the film industry toward recognizing diverse films, especially those from Latin America that haven’t historically surpassed national barriers. Within Brazil, the movie also created significant changes including the discussion regarding the Amnesty Law that gave immunity to human rights violations from the military and the correction of death certificates stating the violent nature of the murder of members of the community who were against the regime — like Rubens Paiva’s.

For Franciuli, watching the movie in Portuguese while in the U.S., showcasing songs and places from her childhood, made it “even more clear the impact of being nominated for the Oscars, and what the Oscars meant.”

In the past, the only Latin American countries from which Academy Award winning movies came from included Argentina, Chile and Mexico. The Academy Award win for “I’m Still Here” is only the first step, as Brazilians remain hopeful in gaining more recognition in the global landscape, according to Dias. 

“It’s a landmark for Brazil, [but] something that took too long to happen, unfortunately,” Dias said. “Now, we should aim for a Nobel prize.”

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