Stories about unjust governments are nothing new, but there’s something particularly striking about Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here.”

The film, having recently been nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards, takes place during the 1971 Brazilian dictatorship and tells the true story of Eunice and Rubens Paiva, a couple whose familial life is upended when Rubens is taken in for questioning by government officials and doesn’t return. Eunice makes every effort to track him down, all the while making sure her children get the lives they deserve.

If you go into this movie blind, you might find the first half hour deceptive. We spend a lot of time hanging out with Eunice and her family as they experience minimal drama, which makes the hardships they face sting that much more.

Even with Rubens gone, Eunice still tries to do everything she can to make her family’s life like it was before, and it becomes more heartbreaking to see the longer the film goes on.

Throughout the film, we see time and time again how Eunice tries to protect her children from the harsh realities of the real world. Every new situation she encounters actively works against this goal, and this keeps tension consistently high throughout.

Movies like this live and die on their lead performances. Fortunately, Fernanda Torres is up to the task, deftly displaying the complete range of emotions required for the role of Eunice.

I admittedly wasn’t too knowledgeable about the Brazilian dictatorship before I watched this film, but after just two hours with Eunice, I felt galvanized and enlightened. As she says late in the film, the past matters and governments need to do more to correct prior sins.

There is a recurring motif of swimming that occurred at various points throughout the narrative with the two most notable instances taking place near the start and end. It’s up for debate what this recurring image is meant to evoke, but I like to think it represents the journey of life. We’re all trying to make it to our destination, but it’s not always easy.

I found the use of film and cameras interesting as well. Early in the film, the family watches a film reel captured by a family member in London, and it’s one of the last tender moments they have before Rubens is taken from them.

Additionally, film cameras are often used to capture various scenes throughout, and whenever this happens we get to see what they’re observing through the lens. Memory and the capturing of images for the sake of preservation permeate the story of “I’m Still Here.”

I was surprised by the ending. Things concluded in a way that felt resolved, but it didn’t go in the direction I thought it would go. As the credits rolled and photos of the real-life family members appeared onscreen, I found myself reminiscing on the importance of telling stories like this through the medium of film.

Ultimately, we cannot control when tragedy takes hold of our lives. All we can do is try to move forward with what we have.