A tombstone in a little blue chapel in São Paulo’s Araçá Cemetery mentions her fondly: “A role model for her family and for Brazilian democracy.” It stands next to a number of chapels belonging to Italian families, where the lawyer and one of the symbols of the fight against the Brazilian dictatorship and for human rights, Maria Lucrécia Eunice Facciolla Paiva, better known as Eunice Paiva (1929–2018), is buried.
Her story became even more famous after actress Fernanda Torres played her in the film ‘’I’m Still Here’, directed by Walter Salles. Nominated for best film, best international film, and best actress at this year’s Academy Awards, the film is an adaptation of a book of the same name written by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, Eunice’s son. In it, the author tells the true story of his family, centered on his mother’s struggle shortly after the disappearance of his father, Congressman Rubens Paiva, who was taken away by police officers in 1971, during the period of military dictatorship in Brazil. Rubens Paiva’s body was never found.
The success of the production sparked even more curiosity about her life and where she was buried, especially after actress Fernanda Torres, who won the Golden Globe for best actress for playing Eunice Paiva in the movie, paid a visit to the graveyard.
“The filming of ‘I’m Still Here’ ended a year ago and I went alone to thank this great Brazilian for the honor of having portrayed her in the film. Thank you, Eunice,” the actress wrote in November last year, posting a photo next to the tombstone on her Instagram profile.
Tourist attraction
Guided tours of the Araçá Cemetery—which now include a visit to Eunice Paiva’s grave—have attracted hundreds of visitors. The walks are part of the project ‘O que te assombra?’ (“What Haunts You?”), which routinely promotes free visits to burial grounds and tombs of historical personalities across São Paulo state.
In addition to housing Eunice Paiva’s grave, the Araçá Cemetery is also home to the resting places of other important personalities from Brazil’s history—such as actresses Cacilda Becker and businessman Assis Chateaubriand. It also contains the mausoleum of the Military Police and an ossuary where the remains of people murdered by the military dictatorship and buried in clandestine ditch used to be stored. The site also stands out for its works of art, signed by artists such as Victor Brecheret.
Source: Agência Brasil