After an absence of 12 years, Walter Salles, renowned director, returns to his Brazilian roots with “I am still here”. This film, both intimate and political, is part of a crucial moment in Brazilian history, where the echoes of the authoritarian regime of the 1970s resonate with the recent turbulence under Bolsonaro. Far from limiting himself to a historical story, Salles transforms this personal story into a universal fresco on resilience and the quest for justice.
The film begins in an atmosphere of gentleness and carefreeness: a prosperous family, a house by the sea, and moments full of happiness. But this lightness is brutally interrupted by the arrival of the military dictatorship, which falls violently on the families of the Brazilian left. Salles’ camera captures this transition with rare subtlety, letting fear slowly infiltrate each shot, each silence, until the family cocoon bursts.
The father’s arrest, captured in a chillingly sober scene, acts as a breaking point. From then on, Eunice, played by a masterful Fernanda Torres, finds herself forced to redefine her role: from a loving wife, she becomes an intrepid fighter, ready to defy the authorities to find her husband.
An intoxicating soundtrack: Music as a narrative weapon
A key sequence, where a group of young people are arrested by the army, illustrates this musical mastery: the contrast between the brutality of the events and the melodic flight produces a heartbreaking effect. Salles does not just show the end of a generation’s innocence; he makes the viewer feel it viscerally.
The use of the Super 8 camera adds a unique dimension to the story. More than just an aesthetic artifice, this device becomes an essential communication tool between family members. The sequences filmed by the eldest daughter, Véra, during her trip to England, bring breathing space to an oppressive story. They also testify to an unwavering bond, even at a distance, and participate in the construction of a cinematic language of great modernity.
Beyond the historical aspect, Salles explores the destructuring of family space in the face of oppression. The house, symbol of unity, becomes the scene of decomposition, before being abandoned, marking a definitive rupture. This move, filmed with moving sensitivity, illustrates both the end of a world and the beginning of a fight for survival.
Fernanda Torres carries the film with impressive accuracy. His performance, combining strength and fragility, gives substance to an emblematic figure of the resistance. She embodies memory and dignity, in a Brazil still marked by the scars of its past.
