I’m Still Here, directed by Walter Salles, features a meticulous combination of powerful performances, narrative and distinctive cinematography, elements that make this film an unforgettable experience.
Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello play a crucial role in conveying the feelings of their characters, creating a visceral connection between the audience and the Paiva Family. Through authentic and moving performances, the actors manage to evoke a range of complex emotions, from hopelessness to tireless determination. This feat, however, is not achieved solely through their performances, but by the perfect choice of actors who enrich the already robust script by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega.
Walter Salles, known for his work in “Central do Brasil” (1998), uses his skill to create an intimate and familiar tone that permeates the entire narrative. The photography and editing are high points in the film, standing out in the national scene for its originality and aesthetic depth. Each frame and each camera movement are calculated to transport the audience directly to the 1970s, a time marked by the hardening of the military dictatorship in Brazil.
Based on the book of the same name by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the script for Ainda Estou Aqui offers a dense and emotionally charged plot, which portrays the struggle of Eunice (Fernanda Torres) to discover the whereabouts of her husband, Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), an engineer and former congressman who was taken from their home and never returned. The narrative is not only a historical account, but an exploration of the emotional and psychological repercussions of the dictatorship, which continues to resonate in memories to this day.
The technical aspects of the film are impeccable, with photography that captures the essence of the time and editing that allows the film to maintain a perfect rhythm, along with the soundtrack marked by Gal, Caetano, Mutantes, among others.
The universality of the story is one of its greatest virtues. The film transcends the specificity of the Brazilian context of the military dictatorship to address themes of the search for truth, justice and resilience in the face of oppression. The co-production with France and the language in Portuguese do not prevent the plot from communicating with international audiences, making Ainda Estou Aqui a strong example of a Brazilian production that has the potential to dialogue with different cultures and contexts.
Ainda Estou Aqui is an emotional experience that invites the audience to reflect on a dark period in history, yet so close to our reality. The shock provided by real and tangible events provides a rare level of emotional engagement, leaving the audience deeply touched and contemplative.
In short, Ainda Estou Aqui stands out as a masterpiece of national cinema, offering a combination of sublime performances, sensitive direction and a historical narrative that maintains its relevance and emotional impact.
Ainda Estou Aqui can be found in the main cinemas in Brazil starting on November 7th.
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