The best international feature Academy Award for Walter Salles’ timely drama backdropped the annual celebrations and validated a political movement: “It’s hard to put into words just how big of a moment this is.

I’m Still Here,” a film about a family torn apart by the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for more than two decades, gave Brazil’s first Oscars win on Sunday in the best international film category.

Brazilian movie "I'm Still Here", set against the backdrop of the military dictatorship and recounting the true story of a mother of five whose husband disappears, made history on Sunday by earning Brazil its first Oscar in a major category.