While it's not unusual for foreign-language films to do well domestically, not too many Brazilian titles have managed to break into the mainstream. But thanks to its recent Oscar nods, director Walter Salles' I'm Still Here has now become only the fifth Brazilian film ever to pass the $1 million milestone at the domestic box office. This past weekend, the period drama also registered an incredible 137% increase in domestic revenue, as it expanded its theatrical footprint. With over $16 million at the global box office, I'm Still Here has already emerged as the biggest Brazilian film of the post-pandemic era, and is poised for another expansion soon.
The film went from 17 to 93 theaters this past weekend, grossing around $547,000. This took the film's running domestic total past the $1 million mark, making it only the fifth Brazilian film ever to do so. It's now the fourth-highest-grossing Brazilian film of all time domestically, ahead of Nothing to Lose. I'm Still Here trails Nothing to Lose 2, Central Station, and City of God. Incidentally, Salles gained international recognition after having directed Central Station, which received an Oscar nomination in the then Foreign Language Film category over two decades ago.
I'm Still Here, which dramatizes the forced disappearance of a political dissident, has also been nominated in the same category, which is now called Best International Feature. Somewhat surprisingly, the film also scored nods in the Best Actress and Best Picture categories. It's the first Brazilian film ever to receive a Best Picture nod; the door for foreign films was opened in this category some years ago by Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, which remains one of the highest-grossing international movies of all time at the domestic box office. More recently, Godzilla Minus One rode a wave of success to a nearly $60 million domestic haul, and ended up winning an Oscar in the Best Visual Effects category.
'I'm Still Here' Is Set for a Major Expansion
Produced on a reported budget of $1.5 million, I'm Still Here premiered at the Venice Film Festival, winning the Best Screenplay Award. Star Fernanda Torres subsequently won a Golden Globe, before earning an Oscar nomination for her acclaimed performance. The movie currently sits at a "fresh" 95% approval rating on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with an even more impressive 98% audience score. In her review, Collider's Emma Kiely described the film as "an intimate, devastating, and beautiful celebration of the human spirit." I'm Still Here will soon expand into 500 domestic theaters, a record for Brazilian films. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

I'm Still Here
- Release Date
- November 20, 2024
- Runtime
- 137 Minutes
- Director
- Walter Salles
- Writers
- Walter Salles, Marcelo Rubens Paiva, Murilo Hauser, Heitor Lorega
Cast
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Fernanda TorresEunice Paiva
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Selton MelloRubens Paiva
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