At this moment, as we celebrate five Oscar nominations for Brazilian films and talents, I decided to dig through my archives and came across old news reports from 1999, when Walter Salles’s Central Station was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and our Fernanda Montenegro for Best Actress.
At the time, in addition to working as a correspondent for TV Cultura’s programs Vitrine and Metrópolis, I also wrote for the Rio de Janeiro newspaper O DIA.
On February 9, I was in New York for a press conference for an American film when I learned that Walter and Fernanda’s film had been nominated. They were staying at a hotel very close to mine, and I rushed over, hoping to speak with them.
When I arrived in the lobby, I ran into two other journalists from Brazil, whose names I unfortunately no longer remember. The hotel staff wouldn’t let us go upstairs, as the fifth floor—where the nominees were staying—was already crowded with journalists. One of the Brazilian reporters, smarter than I was, called their suite and let them know that the three of us were in the lobby trying to get upstairs.
Minutes later, Walter appeared. He walked toward me and said that he had made a point of coming down to speak with me because, years earlier, when he worked at TV Manchete, my father—one of the network’s directors—had greatly encouraged him to pursue his career as a filmmaker.
I was deeply moved by this and tried to remain as professional as possible, interviewing him in the hotel bar for the Rio de Janeiro newspaper. Here is the interview I sent to Brazil that day. In retrospect, what he says feels almost prophetic in light of this year’s nominations.
BRAZIL AT THE OSCARS
NEW YORK – At 8:38 a.m. today, New York time, the 1999 Oscar nominations were announced: Central Station, by Walter Salles, in the Best Foreign Language Film category, and Fernanda Montenegro in the Best Actress category.
According to specialists, the only obstacle standing between the Brazilian film and an Oscar—after its Golden Globe win a few weeks earlier—is its main competitor, Life Is Beautiful, by Italian actor and director Roberto Benigni, which received seven nominations. Had Benigni’s film been nominated only for Best Picture, our chances of winning would be extremely strong. But since, surprisingly, it is competing in both categories, predicting the outcome becomes much more difficult. We’ll have to suffer, cheering until the very last minute.
Fernanda, nominated alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep, Emily Watson, and Cate Blanchett (the Golden Globe winner), has slimmer odds of winning the Best Actress Oscar. Still, the nomination itself—especially in a category traditionally reserved for English-speaking actresses—is already reason enough to celebrate. It demonstrates the respect and admiration the American artistic community has for our star. Even so, you never know. There’s always a chance she could win. And she certainly deserves it.
Our reporter went to the Regency Hotel on Park Avenue in New York to speak with our nominees.
O DIA – How did you receive the news?
Walter Salles – The moment they announced Fernanda as an Oscar nominee for Best Actress was incredibly emotional. We were watching together—Fernanda, her husband Fernando Torres, and I. When we heard her name, we hugged each other, and the euphoria was so intense that we didn’t even hear the names of the other nominees. Only much later did we find out that Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, and Emily Watson had the privilege of being nominated alongside Fernanda (laughter). And when they announced the Best Foreign Language Film category, the same thing happened. Since Central Station was among the first names called, we didn’t know who the other nominees were for quite some time—the joy and excitement were overwhelming.
O DIA – And how do you see your chances, given that Life Is Beautiful is competing in two categories and, in a way, clears a path for Central Station?
Walter Salles – The Oscars are foreign territory to me—completely unknown ground. The Academy follows its own inscrutable rules. Making any kind of prediction at this point would be very risky. I don’t feel in a position to say anything. In fact, there was never any certainty that we would be nominated at all. Today is a moment of joy—joy for the recognition not only of Central Station, but of Brazilian cinema as a whole, which is once again being seen as something strong and representative of a great country that was silenced for a long time due to political and economic circumstances. We’re also happy to be bringing good news to Brazil.
O DIA – How do you feel about the warm reception your film has received from American audiences?
Walter Salles – I feel very comfortable with it. The film earned its place on its own merits, not through a marketing campaign, which is so common in a competitive economy like this. We didn’t have the publicity that other films had. The difference in advertising budgets between a film like Benigni’s and ours was about 12.6 to 1. Central Station is being promoted through word of mouth—and that’s very gratifying.
O DIA – Do you have any theory to explain this success?
Walter Salles – Reading the reviews of Central Station published here, you notice a recurring theme: critics see it as a film about the possibility of hope—about people finding a chance to redesign their lives. It also speaks to human solidarity. That resonates everywhere. The film believes in the possibility of human connection, and that has generated receptivity around the world. And it is, above all, an essentially Brazilian film. It seeks a real, profound Brazil. This integrity of purpose is on the screen, and it’s recognized.
O DIA – Has there been criticism from Brazilians who dislike seeing this side of the country portrayed?
Walter Salles – Covering up the truth doesn’t serve the country. We need to talk about who we are—and who we might become. We need to rediscover the importance of solidarity. The film reflects Brazil’s current reality, but it also advocates transformation. José’s character represents precisely that: the possibility of reconnecting with one’s roots, with family, and of reinventing ourselves—of founding a new country. Talking about this without showing our problems would make the film ineffective. If it resonated both inside and outside Brazil, it’s because it doesn’t hide what’s happening. At the same time, it calls for change.
O DIA – Brazilians have always known Fernanda’s greatness. How do you feel about introducing her talent to the rest of the world?
Walter Salles – I feel deeply honored by the opportunity the film provided. Fernanda is far greater than the film itself—she transcends it. One of the most beautiful outcomes of Central Station’s success is that this extraordinary talent will now be shared with the world. Others will have the privilege of discovering Fernanda alongside us. There’s nothing better than that.
O DIA – And what do these nominations represent for Brazilian cinema?
Walter Salles – They represent the certainty of our rebirth—the rebirth of Brazilian cinema after years of forced silence. They confirm that we have our own talent in this field, talent that deserves respect and continuity. It’s pointless to have three films nominated for an Oscar if no others follow with similar reach. The key issue now is continuity—the possibility that other films will emerge, carrying forward what the masters of Cinema Novo began. My hope is that many more Brazilian films will come and achieve an even more significant trajectory than those made during this period of resurgence.
#Oscars #CentralStation #WalterSalles #FernandaMontenegro #WladimirWeltman #WagnerMoura #KleberMendonçaFilho #OAgenteSecreto
