Mario Frias ignores dictatorship and says I’m still here is communist propaganda

The federal deputy Mario Frias (PL), former secretary of culture in the Bolsonaro government, used his social networks on Saturday (25) to attack the film I’m still here. Frias, who had already criticized Fernanda Torres for the award for best drama actress at the 2025 Golden Globe, has now spoken out against the feature, calling him a “communist-advertising piece”.

The parliamentarian, who is also an ex-actor, began his criticism stating that Brazilian culture must be associated with “good and truth”, and that transforming a work as I am still here in art would be “destroy” national culture. “When you transform a piece of propaganda and communist misinformation into art, it is not enriching national culture, it is destroying it,” he said.

Frias continued, calling the film “Antithesis of Art”, claiming that he is just a technique of “psychological manipulation.” According to the deputy, separating the aesthetic principle from morality is a serious mistake, especially for those who claim to be an advocate of art.

In addition to criticism of the film, Frias also referred to the celebration surrounding the Fernanda Torres award, considering it a “self-compliance with left-wing militants”. The feature, which was nominated for three Oscar 2025 categories, including better international film and best actress, continues to generate controversy in the midst of these political divisions in the country.

Dictatorship photography

The movie “I’m Still Here”, starring Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello, is directed by filmmaker Walter Salles and filled Brazil’s movie theaters. The plot of the film is inspired by the book of the same name by journalist Marcelo Rubens Paiva, I’m still here, published in 2015.

In the autobiographical work, Paiva narrates the tragedy that her family lived during the military dictatorship. Using his own childhood memories, he reports the arrest and disappearance of his father, Rubens Paiva, in 1971. The story also focuses on the struggle of his mother, Eunice Paiva, who was arrested, tortured and had to rise to create them Five children, facing immense pain and adversities.

The Brazilian film was nominated for the main category of Oscar 2025, best film, on Thursday (23), making history by being the first national feature to play this category.

In addition, the production received two more nominations: Best International Film and Best Actress, for Fernanda Torres