(***) 

What’s it like when a dictator and his military regime run a country—into the ground? 

This cautionary and true tale, which is based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s memoir, chronicles the life of his family and particularly his mother. It includes the challenges they faced while Brazil was run by a military dictatorship, specifically in the early ‘70s, though military rule lasted from 1968-85. 

Brazil’s most famous director, Walter Salles (Oscar nominated Central Station, Oscar-winner Motorcycle Diaries) starts the first scenes with the Paiva family swimming and playing on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Sugar Loaf mountain in the background, sun above and an ominous military truck driving down Avenida Atlântica, the main artery. The juxtaposition of the tranquil scene and the armed forces depicts the paradoxical life Brazilians led during those times. Heavenly destination. Hellish government. 

Rubens (Selton Mello), a former congressman, lives with his wife Eunice (Fernanda Torres) and their children in a swank house. On the surface he’s a father and husband. Behind closed doors, he’s involved in a clandestine resistance movement. Life is so precarious that the couple sends their rebellious oldest daughter Vera (Valentina Herszage) off to live with family friends in London. They’re afraid she’ll get herself into trouble with the authorities. Nonetheless, trouble finds its way to their door. Military interrogators show up, arrest Rubens and stake out the house. They don’t leave. The patriarch has disappeared. Eunice screams to the kidnappers, “Where’s my husband!” Eventually, they arrest her and her daughter Eliana (Luiza Kosovski), putting hoods over their heads. They’re taken to military barracks too. Detained secretly. 

The circumstances don’t seem farfetched for Brazilians these days. They just escaped a right-wing extremist president with dictator tendencies. Nor will it seem so unlikely to American audiences, as they face threats from a U.S. presidential candidate who says he’ll be a dictator on day one and use the military to his liking. Piece by piece, screenwriters Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega create a portrait of a loving, well-to-do family whose lives become unraveled with a knock on the door. It’s easy to see their plight and experience their anguish.

Salles gets convincing performances from the entire cast. They feel like family and friends caught up in an evil regime that’s stealing people and never releasing them. One of the most touching scenes is when the Paiva’s go to an ice cream parlor and observe all the other families with their fathers. But Reubens, their dad, is gone. What’s on view would be scary in a horror or suspense/thriller movie. But this historical bio/drama reflects real life. The fear, danger and impending fight for the truth are authentic.  

At 2h 16m, it doesn’t feel like every second is accounted for (editor Alfonso Goncalves). Possibly because the beginning scenes take a long time to set up the location, era and politics of the situation. Slowly, living under a cloud of dread and looming arrests becomes a haunting feeling that resonates. Still, it’s almost 45 minutes before the first inciting incident, and that’s a long wait. The pace picks up and finds its rhythm when Eunice is imprisoned. Dressed well (costume designer Cláudia Kopke), she becomes the tony matriarch who is treated like a poor criminal in a dank jail cell (production designer, Carlos Conti). Stuck in the same clothes for 12 days. This is where viewers firmly see that no one is immune from the ills of tyrannical rule. Not even rich people.  

As Eunice pieces her life back together, nurtures her family and plans their future the plotting and pacing finds a groove. She’s on a mission to hold the government responsible for what they did to her husband. That quest becomes a compelling metamorphosis. Mom/wife turns into rights activist. This is where the film needed to spend more time. She’s clearly the protagonist. What she accomplished during and after her husband’s disappearance made her a national folk hero. But those deeds seem truncated. If her son wrote a memoir about his mom, the audience should see in real time all she accomplished in her life. Not a condensed version.

The ensemble cast makes you feel like you’ve been invited into the Paiva’s home. You witness the love, joy and ordeal. Fernanda Torres gives a standout performance as the younger Eunice. She exhibits a wide range of deep emotions from happiness to fear, grief and determination. A bravery that helps the character deal with the biggest tragedies. Eunice, “It’s odd you know. To feel relief with a death certificate.” Oscar-nominated actress Fernanda Montenegro (Central Station) is equally compelling as the elderly, war-weary crusader Eunice. All the scars and healing of the character are expressed on her face. 

This is a clear warning. Living under military dictatorships is fraught with peril—for everyone. During Brazil’s worst years, 434 people were confirmed dead or missing and 20,000 were tortured. Thank the wise filmmaker Salles for spreading the word that democracy, civil rights and protection from illegal arrests under the Fourth Amendment are gifts that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I’m Still Here says that loud and clear.  

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGBatX_3Aak
For more information about the New York Film Festival go to https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2024/guide/.
Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.