09/07/2024 – 17:59
The film is inspired by the story of Eunice Paiva, who for decades dedicated herself to the search for the truth about her husband who disappeared during the military dictatorship. The Golden Lion goes to ‘The Room Next Door’, by Pedro Almodóvar. The Brazilian film I’m Still Here, directed by Walter Salles, won the award for best screenplay at the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival this Saturday (09/07).
The work is inspired by the story of Brazilian Eunice Paiva, mother of writer Marcelo Rubens Paiva, who spent 40 years searching for the truth about her husband who disappeared during the military dictatorship. The script was written by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega.
Actress Fernanda Torres, who plays the role of Eunice, was nominated for the best actress award, which ended up going to Nicole Kidman for her performance in the film Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn.
“I dedicate [a premiação] “To Eunice and the Paiva family for letting us enter their story,” said Hauser, upon receiving the award. Lorega, in turn, dedicated the award to Fernanda Torres. “Long live Brazilian cinema!” he celebrated.
“The award for best screenplay encompasses an entire film, because a screenplay is its foundation. In it, the festival recognizes the work of these talented screenwriters, Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, the incredible book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the story of Eunice, Rubens and their children, and our desire to tell it on film. It is, therefore, an award of great symbolic importance,” said Walter Salles, after the award ceremony.
The film received a 10-minute standing ovation from the audience after being shown at the Festival on August 1st. The film received mostly positive reviews, with Fernanda Torres’ performance standing out. She and her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, play Eunice at different ages.
The last Brazilian film to be awarded in the official selection at the Venice Film Festival was Eles não usar black-tie, by Leon Hirszman, in 1981.
Brazil-Colombia co-production wins Queer Lion
The Brazil and Colombia co-production Alma do deserto won the Queer Lion, the award that recognizes the best film with LGBTQIA+ themes at the Venice Film Festival.
The film was shown at Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days), one of the festival’s competitive sections.
This is the first Brazilian production to win this award. The film is expected to hit Brazilian cinemas in 2024.
Golden Lion for Almodóvar
Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar was awarded the Golden Lion for best film for his first English-language feature film The Room Next Door, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
The film, based on the novel What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez, tells the story of two friends, one of whom is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Almodóvar dedicated the award to Moore and Swinton, and said that this is a pro-euthanasia film. “This film is not political, it is humanist,” he said upon receiving the award.
rc (ots)
#Walter #Salles #wins #screenplay #award #Venice
