Brazilian Film Reflects on Dictatorship Trauma Igniting National Conversation
In 2024, Brazil’s cinema struck a chord with audiences as I’m Still Here, a drama exploring the personal and political scars of the military dictatorship, became a blockbuster. As the nation confronts new threats to democracy, the film offers a timely reckoning.
A Surprising Box Office Hit
In Brazil, local dramas seldom shine in cinemas, yet I’m Still Here surprised everyone. After nearly two months in cinemas, the movie sold close to 3 million tickets, making it the fifth highest-earning film of 2024. Its success stems from its heartfelt story about a family broken by Brazil’s lengthy military rule.
Directed by Walter Salles, the movie tells the accurate tale of the Paiva family. In 1971, Rubens Paiva ‒ a past left-wing lawmaker ‒ was taken by the military and disappeared without a trace. The narrative follows his wife, Eunice Paiva, who nurtures their five children and tirelessly battles for justice.
Set in the 1970s, the film resonates with audiences grappling with contemporary political tensions, mainly as Brazil recently unearthed evidence of a 2022 coup attempt against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “Even if Walter Salles had planned this release timing, he couldn’t have nailed it better,” historian Lucas Pedretti told AP.
The film’s acclaim extends beyond Brazil. It earned a Golden Globe nomination and made the Oscars shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film, a rare feat for a Brazilian production, which, as psychoanalyst Vera Iaconelli observed, often steers away from politically charged topics. “The dictatorship is still taboo for us,” she said.
Reckoning With a Painful Past
Unlike Argentina and Chile, which pursued truth commissions and trials for human rights violations, Brazil’s transition to democracy in 1985 came with sweeping amnesty for military officials. As AP reported, this “government silence” allowed the military to bury its past abuses for decades.
In 2011, everything changed: President Dilma Rousseff, who had suffered torture during the dictatorship, set up a national truth commission. By 2014, the commission’s report showed widespread abuse ‒ yet not a single wrongdoer went to jail. Demands for justice faded: protests against corruption and the loud voices of far-right groups grew more vigorous.
During this politically turbulent period, Marcelo Rubens Paiva, Rubens’ son, published I’m Still Here, chronicling his family’s struggle for justice. The book humanized Eunice Paiva’s transformation from a grieving housewife to an unyielding advocate.
Salles’ adaptation of the book took a unique approach, framing the story as a family drama rather than a political thriller. Salles aimed for the film to touch viewers deeply ‒ showing how losing a family leader affects future generations.
A Nation Confronts Its Present
The film’s release coincided with renewed political tension. As Brazilians watched I’m Still Here, the Federal Police unsealed a report exposing a 2022 coup plot involving military officers aiming to keep far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro in power. The revelation reminded many of the dictatorship’s lingering shadow over Brazil’s institutions. “The coup is still here. It’s in people’s minds and the minds of the military,” said filmmaker Paulo Sergio Almeida to AP.
The timing of the film’s climax—a scene where Eunice finally receives Rubens’ death certificate 25 years after his disappearance—mirrored a real-life event. In December 2024, Brazil’s government allowed families of dictatorship victims to obtain reissued death certificates acknowledging state-sponsored killings.
“This is happening amid the international success of I’m Still Here, which is crucial for younger generations to understand what that period was like,” Brazil’s Human Rights Minister Macaé Evaristo told AP.
The movie ignited fresh public calls for fairness. Demonstrators shouted: “No amnesty!” ‒ a powerful slogan from Brazil’s January 2023 chaos when Bolsonaro’s followers invaded government offices.
The Future of Brazil’s Democracy
The popularity of I’m Still Here underscores the fragility of Brazil’s collective memory of its dictatorship. The film has sparked national debate, with many Brazilians demanding accountability for past and present crimes.
In December, the Supreme Court revisited the 1979 amnesty law. Justice Flávio Dino cited Rubens Paiva’s disappearance as a case study of the enduring pain caused by unresolved human rights violations.
For Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the film’s impact has been deeply personal. “The movie is sparking this debate at a critical moment when we must recognize that living under a dictatorship is unacceptable,” he told AP.
Audiences across Brazil are resonating with this message. In São Paulo, Juliana Patrícia and her teenage daughter left a screening in tears. “We saw Eunice’s suffering, and it made us even more certain that democracy must be respected,” Patrícia told AP.
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As Brazil advances, I’m Still Here shines as a cultural landmark. It honors victims of past horrors and warns against the risks of political laziness. The film’s triumph tells Brazilians ‒ and everyone ‒ that facing history is vital for protecting a democratic tomorrow.
