I’m Still Here – Micro and Macro
Written by Dr. Zoe Crombie
In a cinematic landscape that still undeniably centres around not just the Western world but a couple of English-speaking nations, it’s an unfortunate truth that films from less represented countries are given the responsibility of educating the world on their history and culture. No one expects a Hollywood action flick or an absurd British comedy to encapsulate a nation, but American and British audiences often, somewhat unfairly, unconsciously expect this of releases from countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This is what makes the international triumph of I’m Still Here, a film that crafts a story both specific to its subject and broad in its discussion of its home nation, all the more impressive.
The first Brazilian film to ever be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, I’m Still Here tells a story of transnational importance on a small yet powerful scale. A biopic centring around the life of Eunice Paiva as she copes with the forced disappearance of her dissident husband Rubens Paiva, director Walter Salles crafts an engaging family drama amid a setting of upheaval and turmoil, demonstrating how the personal and political become inextricably linked.
An investigation into and celebration of its home country, I’m Still Here is a landmark work in Brazilian cinema and a welcome surprise in the Best Picture race, bringing national tragedies to global attention while retaining its artistic specificity.
See I'm Still Here between the 28th February - 5th March
