logo
Two Oscar-winning films shed light on the thousands of disappeared people in Latin America

Two Oscar-winning films shed light on the thousands of disappeared people in Latin America

MEXICO CITY (AP) — If there is a still open wound in Latin America, it is that of the tens of thousands of disappeared people and decades-long pain that has accumulated in parts of the region such as Mexico and Colombia.
Two visions of the trauma had a central role at the 97th Academy Awards: the Brazilian film 'Ainda Estou Aqui' ('I'm Still Here'), which tells the drama of the family of a leftist former congressman who disappeared in 1971 at the height of the military dictatorship; and the musical 'Emilia Pérez,' about a fictional Mexican drug lord who leaves a life of crime to become a transgender woman and searcher for the disappeared in Mexico.
'We hope that in this way the society will be sensitized,' said activist Indira Navarro, who directs the Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco collective in Mexico and has been searching for her brother, who disappeared in the northern state of Sonora nine years ago.
The Academy Awards' recognition of the films, both of which were nominated in multiple categories, was an unparalleled opportunity to make the problem visible, Navarro said.
'I'm Still Here,' by Brazilian Walter Salles, won the Oscar in the category of best international film. 'Emilia Pérez', by renowned French director Jacques Audiard, was this year's most-nominated film and won in the categories of best original song and best supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña.
Salles and Audiard's films also had a common denominator of disappearances in Latin America: impunity.
The story behind 'I'm Still Here'
'I'm Still Here' was inspired by the book 'Ainda Estou Aqui' by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, son of the disappeared former congressman Rubens Paiva. More than five decades after he was taken from his Rio de Janeiro home and disappeared, none of those responsible for Paiva's case have been held accountable.
His widow, Eunice, and their five children have sought justice for years. His family had to wait 40 years to receive his death certificate and even longer for the authorities to recognize that he, like others, died in the context of the violence of the military dictatorship.
Salles, accepting the award, said from the Oscars stage: 'This goes to a woman who, after a loss suffered during an authoritarian regime, decided not to bend and to resist…Her name is Eunice Paiva.'
Marcelo Rubens Paiva told The Associated Press of the impact of the Oscars recognition: 'People everywhere are afraid of watching their democracies become dictatorships… This movie glorifies democracy and the understanding that human rights, empathy are in short supply.'
The disappeared in Mexico
In the case of 'Emilia Pérez' the central character, a drug trafficker nicknamed Manitas del Monte ( Karla Sofia Gascón), tries to vindicate his years as a criminal looking for disappeared people along with lawyer Rita Castro (Saldaña). He never pays for his crimes nor are those responsible for disappearances held accountable before the Mexican justice system.
That is very similar to the reality in Mexico, where according to official figures there are currently 123,147 disappeared.
The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances acknowledged in a report it presented in April 2022, after a visit to Mexico, that only between 2% and 6% of cases of disappearances were prosecuted.
'Organized crime has become a central perpetrator of disappearances in Mexico, with varying degrees of participation, acquiescence or omission of public servants,' the committee said.
The phenomenon of disappearances in Mexico began in the 1960s, but the numbers skyrocketed from the 2000s with the increase in drug trafficking activities and the war against cartels undertaken by the government of then-President Felipe Calderón (2006-2012).
In Mexico the search for many disappeared rests on the shoulders of their relatives who, with scarce resources and without protection from the authorities, enter regions controlled by criminals to search for their loved ones.
That's true for Navarro, who spoke Monday while searching a grave in western state of Jalisco that she and other activists located. She said she hopes the Oscars will serve as 'a wake-up call for the whole world and to know what we are really experiencing here in Mexico.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Neymar drops by Brazil's pre-match, fans celebrate in style
Neymar drops by Brazil's pre-match, fans celebrate in style

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Neymar drops by Brazil's pre-match, fans celebrate in style

Neymar drops by Brazil's pre-match, fans celebrate in style – check it out Almost everything is ready for the Brazilian National Team to face Paraguay at the Neo Química Arena, at 9:45 pm (Brasília time), this Tuesday (10), the 16th and penultimate round of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has even announced the official lineup! Advertisement In addition to the starters, the 66-year-old Italian coach has left out of the game left-back Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan) and midfielder Andreas Pereira (Fulham). But, while the ball doesn't roll in Itaquera, there's a lot of movement around the stadium. The Green and Yellow Movement, which usually makes noise in the stands in support of the National Team, is present around the Neo Química Arena. The "Pistola" Canarinho is also at the Corinthians' home to welcome the five-time world champions, including the "host" Hugo Souza. And even Giannis Antelounmpo, star of the Milwaukee Bucks, from the NBA, is also present at the NQA. And Neymar, the big star of this generation of Brazilian players, but who is still out of the National Team while trying to string together a series of games to get physically fit at Santos, was present at the concentration hotel to give that final support before the match. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here. 📸 Wagner Meier - 2025 Getty Images

Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit pedestrian with truck. No charges now, but probe ongoing
Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit pedestrian with truck. No charges now, but probe ongoing

Yahoo

time28 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit pedestrian with truck. No charges now, but probe ongoing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit a pedestrian while driving his truck in Nashville over the weekend, and he currently faces no charges as an investigation continues, police said. Metro Nashville Police said Smith, 24, hit Dorothy Dobbins, 77, Sunday evening while she was crossing the road inside a marked crosswalk. Dobbins, a retired attorney, later died at a hospital. The Tennessee Bar Association posted on its website that Dobbins had been out walking her dog when she was hit. Police say Smith showed no signs of impairment. They believe the 'preliminary contributing factor' appears to be that Smith did not yield the right of way to the pedestrian. Smith's attorney, Worrick Robinson, said his client is cooperating with the investigation. 'His heart goes out to Ms. Dobbins' family during this incredibly difficult time," Robinson said in a statement. Dobbins was a leader in the city's legal aid and family law communities, where she practiced for over 40 years, according to posts by the Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She played a 'foundational role in opening Nashville's first domestic violence shelter,' according to a Facebook post from the Legal Aid Society, and she wrote the state's first order of protection legislation. Smith was a 2024 new male artist of the year nominee at the Academy of Country Music Awards. He released his first full-length album, 'Smoky Mountains,' in 2024. The Nashville native has had gold-certified hits with 'Take it Slow' and 'Creek Will Rise,' according to his label, Big Machine. Smith had performed at Nashville's CMA Fest over the weekend. ____ Associated Press writer Travis Loller contributed to this report.

K-pop stars Jimin and Jung Kook of BTS discharged from military service as band's reunion nears
K-pop stars Jimin and Jung Kook of BTS discharged from military service as band's reunion nears

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

K-pop stars Jimin and Jung Kook of BTS discharged from military service as band's reunion nears

YEONCHEON, South Korea (AP) — K-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook are the latest and final members of BTS to be discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service. The pair wore their military uniforms Wednesday, saluted and addressed fans who had assembled to see the pair after their discharge. Jung Kook thanked the journalists and fans who traveled to see him and Jimin after their discharge and acknowledged how different it was to be back in the spotlight. 'Actually, it's been so long since I've been in front of cameras, and I didn't even put on makeup, so I'm a bit embarrassed,' he said. 'I don't know what to say.' They enlisted in December 2023, one day after RM and V did the same. The latter were discharged on Tuesday. They saluted upon their release Tuesday in Chuncheon City as about 200 fans, some of whom traveled from Mexico, Turkey and Brazil, cheered. V thanked fans Tuesday for their patience in waiting for him and RM's return and teased the band's reunion. "If you can just wait a little bit longer, we will return with a really amazing performance.' The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 after they finish their service. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga is fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. He will be discharged later this month. Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties. ___ Sherman reported from New York.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store