Rio de Janeiro Sambadrome was crazy when the best international film award was announced; Part of the cast of the film was present at the parade of the samba schools carioca
The Rio de Janeiro Sambadrome exploded in a lively celebration on Sunday (2) when it was announced, amid the carnival parades, that Brazil won its history first Oscar with I am still here. “The Oscar is ours!” Exclaimed by the speakers, a news that was received with shouts and hugs for the 70,000 people who filled the mythical carioca catwalk. A canvas echoed the good news and in the stands color lights came on. The victory fed the frenzy of the favorite party of Brazilians, who gained one more reason to take the streets.
Sapucaí celebrates the Oscar conquest of “Best International Movie” for “I’m still here”.
– Samba Barracão (@barrrazacao)
“It was very crazy, that’s very crazy, this whole country thinking of a movie, a work of art. A short time ago this country was looking at artwork or artist thinking like enemies, usurper. It is very beautiful that on a party day, on a carnival day that is redemption, the victory of joy, a movie that talks about dictatorship is victorious, ”said actor Humberto Carrão (journalist Felix in the movie), after the announcement while enjoying the party in Sapucaí.
The expectation of winning the golden statuette was growing in recent weeks, and the coincidence of the Hollywood gala with the carnival festivities has doubled the enthusiasm. I am still here won the Oscar for best international film, a milestone that its director, Walter Salles, dedicated to protagonist Fernanda Torres and his mother, legendary actress Fernanda Montenegro.
The film recreates the disappearance of former deputy Rubens Paiva in 1971 and the resistance of his widow Eunice during the last Brazilian dictatorship (1964-1985). The production also competed for best film awards and best actress for Fernanda Torres, already awarded the Golden Globe for this role.
Congratulations
“Today is the day to feel even more proud to be Brazilian. Proud of our cinema, our artists and, especially, proud of our democracy, ”celebrated President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in X, after the announcement of the Los Angeles Award.
The nominations were ubiquitous in conversations and the streets, with signs and posters encouraging the actress’s fantasy towers and revelers in the blocks. In the midst of the crowds, many stirred golden plastic statuettes, one of the openings best selling by street velements, rabbit and glitter ears.
The phenomenon was repeated in cities such as Recife, Belo Horizonte and São Paulo. In the popular carnival of Olinda (Northeast), a giant doll representing towers walked the crowd raising the Golden Globe. “There was no better day than a Carnival Sunday to win the Oscar,” Rebecca Maria Darakjian Batoni, a 25 -year -old lawyer who participated in a block in Olinda, told AFP.
“Fernanda is an example, an idol for all of Brazil,” said Cristina Leite de Moraes, a 25 -year -old doctor. On social networks, videos with fun groups circulated simulating the announcement of the prize. The 59-year-old actress said she was very proud to see the streets fill with Fernandas.
Double celebration
In the sambadrome, magic emerged to the sound of drums with the presentation of the first schools, which recreated several rituals related to the African matrix religions, deeply rooted in the origin of samba. Rio’s 12 main groups compete from Sunday to Tuesday in a new three-day paradise format instead of the two traditional ones.
The change gives each parade a little more time, up to 80 minutes, so that its thousands of dancers and musicians in their colorful costumes and their imposing floats parade on the avenue against millions of viewers from around the world.
Samba schools spend all year long preparing their parades, a remarkable moment in the lives of many cariocas. The excitement around a possible Oscar, which has already been compared to that of a World Cup, amplified a celebration that should generate more than 5 billion reais for the economy of Rio de Janeiro, according to authorities.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Victor Oliveira
