I’m Still Here by Walter Salles
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced last week the nominees for its 78th annual BAFTA Awards, which include some Latin American and U.S. Latinx nominees.
Brazil’s I’m Still Here / Ainda Estou Aqui, directed by Walter Salles, earned a nomination for Best Film Not In The English Language. Adapted from Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s memoir, the film recounts the true story of the Paiva family and their five children. In 1970s Rio de Janeiro, during the military dictatorship, former deputy Rubens Paiva was taken from his home by soldiers for interrogation and was never seen again. The search for answers spanned 30 years, but just as the truth began to surface, Eunice Paiva, his wife, started showing the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dominican-American actress Zoe Saldaña, who recently won her first Golden Globe, and Mexican-American actress and singer Selena Gomez scored nominations for Best Supporting Actress for their roles as Rita Mora Castro and Jessi del Monte in the French queer narco-musical Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard. The film took the lead with 11 nominations, including Best Film in both the English-speaking and International categories. Spanish trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón was nominated for Best Actress for starring in two roles, as Manitas and the film’s title character, Emilia Pérez.
Also in the performance category, Afro-Latinx actor Colman Domingo was nominated for Best Actor for his work as Divine G in Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar.
Additionally, U.S. Latinx casting directors Yesi Ramírez and Carmen Cuba earned nominations for their respective work on A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, and The Apprentice, directed by Ali Abbasi. The winners of the BAFTA Awards 2025 will be announced during a ceremony on February 16, 2025, at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in London.
