One afternoon in 1971, Rubens Paiva, a former congressman and outspoken critic of Brazil’s newly instituted military dictatorship, was taken from his home in Rio de Janeiro by government officials, told nothing more than that he must give a “deposition” to authorities, and disappeared.

Adapted from his son Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s memoir, this overwhelming, richly realized political drama from Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) stays tightly wedded to the perspective of Rubens’s wife, Eunice (a shattering Fernanda Torres), whose indefatigable search for the truth about her husband would stretch out for decades.

We are introduced to the Paivas: a father, Rubens, a mother, Eunice, and their five children. They live by the beach, in a rented house with doors constantly open to friends. The affection and humor they share among themselves are their own subtle forms of resistance to the oppression that hangs over the country. One day, they suffer a violent and arbitrary act that will forever change their lives. In the aftermath, Eunice is forced to reinvent herself and carve out a new future for herself and her children

Accolades
Nominee • Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best International Feature at the 97th Oscars®
Winner • Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at 2025 Golden Globes