Fernanda Torres’ I’m Still Here was undeniably the biggest surprise of this year’s Best Picture lineup at the Academy Awards, but the film’s shocking appearance in that category could be an indicator of more surprises in its future. I’m Still Here is nominated for three Academy Awards and chronicles one single mother’s attempts to track down her missing husband after he’s taken away for questioning by the military dictatorship of 1970s Brazil. From there, Torres’ protagonist Eunice is forced to sacrifice everything she has to keep her family from falling apart.

I’m Still Here was also nominated in the Best International Feature category at the Oscars, where it will be competing against Jacques Audiard’s divisive musical Emilia Perez. The film’s third (and perhaps most important) nomination was in Best Actress, where Fernanda Torres managed to sneak into the fifth spot alongside frontrunners Mikey Madison and Demi Moore. This was a huge accomplishment for many reasons, but most notably because it will finally force voters to watch this project that’s gone criminally underseen up until now. It’s one of the finest Best Picture nominees, and Torres’ performance deserves serious recognition.

Fernanda Torres Gives The Performance Of A Lifetime In I’m Still Here

It’s The Most Emotional And Moving Performance In The Category

Torres’ performance in I’m Still Here is some of the most powerful, emotionally resonant work of the past few decades, and it’s disappointing that her Oscars nomination was even viewed as a surprise at all. Her character goes through so much suffering and trauma in this story, but Torres knows exactly how to get the audience on her side without making it feel too performative. The actress subtly wears her emotions on her face, which really allows the film’s themes of suffering and sacrifice to shine through the screen.

While Torres hasn’t been considered a “frontrunner” as such, there’s something about her performance that feels tailor-made for this award. It’s the kind of vulnerable, emotive acting that Oscars voters tend to gravitate towards, with previous winners like Jessica Chastain and Frances McDormand fitting into a similar category. Torres might not be the most likely candidate to win Best Actress, but the sheer force of her performance may be enough to bring some undecided voters onto her side.

Torres Single-Handedly Carried Her Movie To A Best Picture Nomination

The Film’s Appearance In Best Picture Was An Enormous Surprise

When it comes to the Oscars, it’s important to consider each category holistically. A nominee is much more likely to win their respective category if their film has been nominated in other important categories, such as Best Picture. Except for CODA, every single Best Picture winner from this century has also won a major acting award. Frances McDormand won for Nomadland, Michelle Yeoh won for Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Cillian Murphy won for Oppenheimer.

This is exactly why critics were initially hesitant to predict Fernanda Torres for Best Actress – because the film wasn’t expected to land in Best Picture. However, after the surprise nomination, her victory in Best Actress seems much more likely. It’s a fierce, emotional performance in a Best Picture-nominated movie that audiences across the world are just now beginning to hear about. That’s a perfect Oscar campaign, and Torres certainly has enough fans to make voters think twice about holding her back from the award.

While films like The Brutalist and Emilia Perez previously won the Golden Globes (which makes them clear frontrunners in Best Picture at the Oscars), there’s something about Torres’ ability to carry I’m Still Here to Best Picture without any other nominations that feels important. Usually, it’s the films that are nominated for Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Original/Adapted Screenplay that receive one of the ten major spots. I’m Still Here got none of this, but voters found Torres’ performance so affecting that they decided to bring the film along with her. This shouldn’t be ignored.

There’s No Clear Best Actress Frontrunner

Neither Mikey Madison Nor Demi Moore Feel Secure

Another factor that’s clearly working in Torres’ favor is the lack of a frontrunner in the Best Actress category. While it initially seemed like Mikey Madison was the clear favorite thanks to her bold, courageous performance in Sean Baker’s Anora, the race between her and Demi Moore now seems much closer. Moore defeated Madison at the Golden Globes, but Madison’s performance among critics groups remains much stronger. It’s seemingly a compeтιтion between the critics’ pick (Madison) and the industry’s favorite (Moore).

Without a clear frontrunner, Torres’ path to victory seems much more possible. It’s entirely plausible that Madison and Moore will split their votes, with the Academy unable to decide which horse to back in the race, and Torres will sneak right past them. It’s certainly not what most experts have in their 2025 Oscars predictions, but it’s much more likely than pundits are giving it credit for. There are evident reasons to doubt both frontrunners (they’re both comedy roles in genre films), whereas Torres feels like a much more traditional Best Actress winner.

Torres’ Lack Of Precursors Would Make Her Oscars Victory Historic

Torres Was Only Nominated At The Golden Globes

The only thing holding Fernanda Torres back from stepping into the role of “frontrunner” is her lack of precursors. These are crucial pieces of information for predicting who’s going to win at the Oscars, and the statistics certainly aren’t on Torres’ side this year. She was snubbed from the BAFTAs, the Critics’ Choice, and the SAG Awards – which would be lethal for most other candidates. The only precursor she has is the Golden Globe, which includes 10 nominees across both drama and comedy categories.

And yet, Torres managed to win the Golden Globe despite it being her only precursor. This already proves that voters are willing to disregard her existing snubs and carry her to victory anyway, so there’s no reason to ᴀssume the Oscars would be any different. It would be a record-breaking achievement – and for a foreign-language performance, no less – but records are made to be broken. For a film that could easily have received no Oscar nominations at all, I’m Still Here is definitely this year’s most interesting dark horse.