The Brazilian cinema made history on Sunday (March 2) at the 97th edition of the Oscars in Los Angeles. “I Am Still Here,” directed by Walter Salles, was the winner in the Best International Film category. This is an unprecedented achievement for Brazilian cinema.
The Brazilian film beat “Emilia Pérez” (France), “The Seed of the Sacred Fruit” (Germany), “The Girl with the Needle” (Denmark), and “Flow” (Latvia).
Walter Salles dedicated the win to Eunice Paiva, the wife of former congressman Rubens Paiva, who disappeared during the dictatorship. Her search for the fate of her husband guided the screenplay of the film. In his acceptance speech, the Brazilian filmmaker also highlighted the work of Fernanda Torres and her mother, Fernanda Montenegro.
Also nominated for Best Film, “I Am Still Here” lost to “Anora,” the biggest winner of the night, with five Oscars in total.
Fernanda Torres, nominated for Best Actress, did not win the statue, which went to Mikey Madison for “Anora.” Despite this, Fernanda Torres made history by repeating her mother’s feat—Fernanda Montenegro was nominated in the same category in the 1999 edition.
With its nominations, Walter Salles’ film was already a winner at the film industry’s celebration, having made history by being nominated for the Oscar in three categories—something never before achieved by a Brazilian.
The winners in the 23 categories were:
• Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, for The True Pain
• Best Animation: Flow
• est Animated Short Film: In the Shadow of Cypress
• Best Costume Design: Wicked
• Best Original Screenplay: Anora
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Substance
• Best Editing: Anora
• Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña, for Emilia Pérez
• Best Production Design: Wicked
• Best Original Song: “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez
• Best Short Documentary: The Only Woman in the Orchestra
• Best Documentary: No Other Land
• Best Sound: Dune: Part 2
• Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part 2
• Best Live-Action Short Film: I’m Not a Robot
• Best Cinematography: The Brutalist
• Best International Film: I Am Still Here
• Best Original Score: The Brutalist
• Best Actor: Adrien Brody, for The Brutalist
• Best Director: Sean Baker, for Anora
• Best Actress: Mikey Madison, for Anora
• Best Film: Anora