President Lula hailed her as the “Pride of Brazil” after she made history by bringing home ‘the gold’ for her country and becoming the first Brazilian to win a Golden Globe for being the best leading actress in a drama.
Fernanda Pinheiro Monteiro Torres is a Brazilian actress who was nominated for and won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama award at the 2025 Golden Globes. She beat Angelina Jolie, Nikole Kidman, Pamela Anderson, Tilda Swinton, and Kate Winslet because of her performance in the film “I’m Still Here.”
“I’m Still Here” or “Ainda Estou Aqui” is a political, biographical drama based on the true story of Eunice Paiva as she investigates her husband, Rubens Paiva’s assassination during the military dictatorship in Brazil. Torres’ mother, Fernanda Montenegro who played the older version of her character, was nominated for the same award she received just 25 years earlier for the film “Central Station”. Unlike Torres, however, her mother had not won.
“This is proof that art can endure through life, even in difficult moments like this,” Torres said in her acceptance speech.
There hasn’t been a major Brazilian film on the global film map since 2002 with “City of God.” “City of God” had been nominated for 14 awards, including the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe, but only won three out of the fourteen, and it did not include an Academy Award or a Golden Globe.
This year marks a turning point for Brazilian cinema, which is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Fernanda Torres’s performance and win are milestones not only for her but also for putting Brazilian cinema on a global stage.
Directed by filmmaker Pedro Andrade, “I’m Still Here” is helping to tell the stories of resilience in Brazilian history.
Beyond the Golden Globes, “I’m Still Here” is generating significant buzz for the upcoming Satellite Awards on January 26, with Torres being a strong contender for Best Actress going against Angelina Jolie again, and “I’m Still Here” going for Best Motion Picture International.
As Torres returns home, she will be widely celebrated as Brazil’s new national treasure.
