And today I finally watched "I'm still here" (Ainda estou aqui)

And I must admit that I was brought to tears multiple times during the movie.

When I first heard about the movie and read its synopsis, I knew it would be a hit. There’s no way the combination of Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Walter Salles, Fernanda Montenegro, and Marcelo Rubens Paiva could go wrong. I’ve loved the last two ever since Central do Brasil—and I still can’t understand how Fernanda Montenegro lost the Oscar to Gwyneth Paltrow... Anyways!

The movie I'm Still Here throws in our faces the shocking reality of the years of dictatorship in Brazil—a regime that, under the guise of protecting the country, persecuted, arrested, tortured, killed, and hid the bodies, leaving entire families without their loved ones.

This film isn’t about a political party or even a political stance, but about the humanity and dignity that the dictatorship stripped from so many people. It’s not about party A or B, but about five children who grew up without knowing what happened to their father; about a woman who never got the chance to grow old with the man she loved; about a man who had his life cut short just for thinking differently; about a family that never had the chance to give their patriarch a proper funeral; about a soul that never got the chance to rest in peace.

Despite the heaviness of the topic, Walter Salles added a sensitive, artistic, and resilient touch, giving Fernanda Torres—whose performance was impeccable—an amazing role to shine in.

What a beautiful way to honor the memory of Rubens Paiva and all the families who lost their loved ones in the same way.

This movie touched my heart in ways I can barely explain. Worth every penny and every minute. I’m not at all surprised it was nominated for an Oscar, because I know the potential of Brazilian artists—but I am definitely very proud of my country.

Thank God I am Brazilian.

"Nós vamos sorrir. Sorriam!" 😊

Copenhagen 🇩🇰❤️

 Copenhagen entrou no meu coração e não há mais como eu tirar!

A primeira vista ao sair do aeroporto tem uma vibe de Chicago, só que na Europa. E eu não sei explicar o porquê.

O idioma é uma loucura, mas possui palavras estranhamente parecidas ao holandês, o que me chocou bastante.

Inglês é falado em todo lugar, então, quem fala inglês não passa perrengue nenhum!

Tudo muito espaçoso, limpo e organizado. A comida super saborosa - com destaque especial à carne de porco 🐷 que, até hoje, foi a melhor que eu comi na Europa!

Atendimento dos bares e restaurantes muito bom! Atendentes simpáticos e pacientes, que conhecem muito bem o menu que servem. Destaque especial para o Fabrício ❤️, que entrega um atendimento nível Rio de Janeiro! Pudera... É carioca! 

Uma cidade que mescla o moderno, os prédios lindos, carros de última geração, prédios clássicos do século XVII, e a cultura Viking sincreticamente mesclada ao catolicismo romano.

Não tive tempo de ver metade do que eu gostaria, mas o pouco que vi foi suficiente para me fazer me apaixonar pela cidade. Voltaria mais vezes, com certeza!

Who cares for the carers?

 These days I asked my students what the occupations of their parents are. As most of them come from very traditional family settings, most of them answered "my father is a..." and "my mother doesn't work".

It surprised me how many of them believed that their mothers don't work just because they don't bring money home.

After our dynamic, I took two minutes of my class to explain to them about the concept of invisible jobs. I said, "ok... Your mom doesn't work... But who cooks? Who cleans? Who irons clothes? Who washes clothes? Who loads and unloads the dishwasher? Who provides care for your father to be able to go to work peacefully and be able to grow in his career and make his money? **Silence in class**

I'm not a full time housewife myself (And I honestly don't wanna be, because depending 100% on a man is not my idea of happiness. Plus the fact that most men, even the good ones, somehow throw at our faces how much THEY paid for this or for that, and most of them still think that the housework is not something to be valued).

Bringing this context to my own life...

Well, when people see an athlete in the podium, they have some clue of what it is for them to be there... 

But people have absolutely no single idea of what it is for the ones who live with them (boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, children, parents): all the logistics, cancelled plans, frustration, lack of parking spaces (which seems to be a cancer with metastasis in Belgium), fasting, trainings, weighting, tears, supplements, clothes, etc.

For me, girlfriend of an athlete, for instance, Sunday competitions are particularly overwhelming and the reason is simple: I work full-time time from Monday to Friday. So when the competition is on Saturday, it's fine because we just follow the thread.

For a Sunday it means sacrificing the wholesome of a Saturday: we have to watch out the food, the drinks, the sleeping hours, the muscles, the weather (to avoid allergies)... And even though I'm not an athlete myself, I kind of bend over some of these rules. 

Koen is a cool guy, I can see his effort to please me but what was supposed to be a day to chill out, to go to the cinema or whatever you name it, becomes a day of full concentration of efforts for the real deal. Then I also sacrifice my Sunday service at church in the morning, which is - pretty much - my only social contact in this country (apart from the Dutch course and my in-laws) to be in my best mood to give him support, to bear his insecurities and his mood swings - which is perfectly normal given the circumstances, and the huge amount of pressure a competition brings... And most of all, the huge amount of pressure athletes put on themselves (which most of times seems to be even bigger than the external pressure).

It's been four weeks now, four consecutive Sundays he participates in competitions. Four podiums 🥂🥳 🏆👏🏻 ❤️ But also four Sundays of stress, pressure and for me, particularly, an overwhelming feeling.

Everyone takes care of the athletes, of their health, of their food, of their work, of their sleep, of their performance, of their image, of their registration, of their hydration... 

But who takes care of the givers? Who takes care of the carers? Who cares for the needs, interests and hobbies of their partners? Who hugs them and says that everything will be fine when they are stressed out and overwhelmed?

Which running race organization really concerns about the carers? In providing them the bare minimum of a comfortable chair to watch the competition or place their bags? I've been to competitions with no parking, no seats, no lockers, no decent restrooms, no showers for the runners and no prizes. What do they do with all the money? I can count on my fingers (of one hand) how many competition places care for these things and offer these facilities.

Now, I go beyond...

Who asks the carers how they are feeling and what they need? Who holds their hands when they have their own insecurities? Who gives them reassurance? Who thanks them for all their effort and dedication?

Again, I'm not here to demeanor the crazily hard work of the athletes, take off their credits on their victories and good performances. They are fully responsible for their good results and deserve all recognition for them.

This text is dedicated to all the partners, specially women, who play this invisible work with little or zero recognition from their partners, sport community, and society in general.

I.See.You.

I'm still here (Ainda estou aqui)

2025 e o Brasil conquista seu primeiro Oscar da história na categoria Melhor Filme Internacional 🎥🎞️ 🍿 

A opinião pública está dividida:

De um lado os haters, pró Bolsonaro em sua maioria, zombam do fato - e de qualquer artista que não segue a cartilha Bolsonarista. Diminuem o trabalho impecável da Fernanda Torres no cinema, simplesmente por ela ser uma atriz de esquerda, e tecem comentários maldosos contra o elenco e a proposta do filme, por trazer à tona um tema tão delicado como a ditadura, porque eles juram por Deus que a ditadura militar no Brasil só estava fazendo o trabalho dela... E eu me pergunto que tipo de "serviço militar" persegue, coage, sitia, sequestra, boicota, tortura e mata quem pensa diferente? Essas mesmas pessoas exaltam torturadores e dizem que o tempo da ditadura não foi tão ruim... Sendo que a geração que exalta os ditadores, não viveu a ditadura. 

E do outro lado (o lado em que eu estou) é o lado das pessoas que entenderam três coisas:

1. não há como defender um regime ditatorial, pois, seja de que lado for, isso significa defender tiranos que têm sede de poder e de dinheiro, e estão pouco se importando coma população do país que eles dizem representar. É como tentar defender o czarismo em detrimento da Revolução Russa e vice versa: ambos genocidas, ambos sanguinários e nefastos. Não tem lado certo!

2. a arte, embora carregada de cunho político e histórico (não existe arte isentona), transcende qualquer rótulo de esquerda ou direita, porque, mais do que política, estamos falando da vida de uma mulher que perdeu o amor de sua vida, de pessoas pobres que perderam uma pessoa que os ajudava, de filhos que ficaram sem o pai, e que não puderam sequer viver o luto e nem ter a decência de enterrá-lo dignamente. E discursar odiosamente contra isso, sem levar em consideração que, acima de política, está a vida de um homem, é, minimamente, absurdo.

Perdi meu pai, senti essa dor de perto, mas, graças a Deus, tive a oportunidade de enterrá-lo e viver meu luto, seguir com a vida, sabendo exatamente o que aconteceu com ele. Esse direito não foi tirado de mim nem dos meus irmãos. Esse direito humano, essa dignidade, foi tirada da família Paiva por um regime ditatorial.

3. Fernanda Torres sempre foi uma mulher subversiva e a frente de seu tempo, tal qual seus pais, e a gente sabe que em uma sociedade onde a misoginia está institucionalizada (vide os números da violência física ou psicológica publicadas nos órgãos oficiais) ou travestida de liberdade de opinião (vide redpills, incels e outras porcarias da mesma laia), uma MULHER fora dos padrões, indicada ao Oscar, incomoda muita gente.

Portanto,

Para os amantes da arte, dos direitos humanos, para gente que não exalta bandido político de lado nenhum, VENCEMOS! O Melhor Filme Internacional é do Brasil: protagonizado por uma mulher, o mundo todo sabe e está aplaudindo junto.

Para os que, em nome da política, desprezam seus artistas, desprezam o cinema nacional, cancelam artistas que pensam diferente dos demais , e comemoram o fato de a atriz Fernanda Torres não ter levado o Oscar de Melhor Atriz, eu tenho uma péssima notícia: Fernanda Torres vai continuar brilhando, a arte no Brasil vai continuar vencendo e transcendendo barreiras políticas, críticas e geográficas. 

O discurso de ódio de alguns jamais apagará a história, jamais apagará os feitos desses atores incríveis que deram vida aos papéis que exerceram.

Vida longa a Fernanda Torres, a Walter Salles, a Selton Mello, ao cinema nacional!

E vida longa aos haters, para que eles continuem vendo o cinema brasileiro brilhando.

Age is just a number

With utmost respect, I congratulate all the athletes from 18-35 years old, but today I want to write about the Masters (35+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+) and mention three of them:

1. Eddie - whose family name I have absolutely no idea.

2. Sabine Dejaeghere. (Did I spell it correctly? I hope so).

3. Koen Penninckx

                                                                Age is just a number

Eddie entered the café Koen and I were in: a man that anyone could think was an spectator, but no... He was a runner in his best shape: 70 years old, motivated, with a big smile on his face and a beautiful pair of blue eyes, like most Belgians.

The other great personality was Sabine (50+): as short as me (probably doesn't reach 1.60m), with a beautiful pair of blue eyes, a shy smile, curly blond hair like a doll, but an outstanding resilience, with a great shape and a family name which is self-explanatory... no introductions needed.

Last but not the least, Koen Penninckx (45): with a beautiful pair of blue eyes (Gosh, I think I'll write this about every Belgian I know?), straight blond hair, a beautiful pair of runner legs and owner of enviable bravery, discipline and a great sense of justice.

Mixing Dutch and English and engaging in fun small talks with them, I was actually impressed with their skills, mostly because of their ages... Not because I think like this, but because Belgium is, indeed, an ageist country. 

Let me elaborate: in Belgium you have to start everything at an early age (sports, studying, hobbies, etc), otherwise you're a loser. If you don't get a diploma at 22, get married at 28, have your children at 30 and a great salary at 40, you're cut out. Although common citizens don't express this prejudice themselves, the job market, the society in general, and even some sport communities work like this, operating on a certain age basis... But this not at all the case of athletics... Well, at least not at this level.

Opportunities given, results came: Eddie was the golden medal on his category at the age of 70, Sabine was also the golden medal on her category at 50-something-years old, Koen got the bronze on his category at 45, on a competition in the field: 5.6 km, lots of turnings, an energy-drainer carousel in the middle of the race, where the runners had to - literaly - run in circles... By witnessing all that, I took a deep breath and said to myself: age is just a number!

The athletics community is a community that embraces everyone. What I saw today was an example of diversity in unity, a friendly environment, and competition only in the field. Out of the fields, I saw honest hugs and back taps wishing each other all the best, genuine compliments, people smiling just for being there, doing what they actually love to. 

When not on their own race running, they were outside the track encouraging others saying motivational words... I saw the first and the last one being equally applauded, because in the end, everyone there has the same purpose: going beyond their limits.

Even though high-impact sports like soccer, volleyball, gymnastics and basketball retire their competitors at 35 mostly, runners all ages keep shining, keep occupying places in the podium, getting medals, beating records, running, sweating, and putting their best effort. 

During these three particular races, specially the one where Koen was participating, tears came to my eyes an uncountable number of times. I applauded all of them honestly. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

I saw today podiums occupied by mature people, living their best shape. I saw a part of society that values the gray hair, and the experience of their people while the companies detract them, underestimate them, reducing them to obsolete employees in nonsense jobs, feeding them with the leftovers of the job market, thinking that nursery homes are their next step in life, or the only thing which is left for them.

They are the reminiscents, a role-model of resilience and discipline in a immediatist society. They are people who understood that results are cultivated with time. These athletes are people fighting for their lives every day, refusing to end their lives on wheelchairs or being treated like babies. They are bravely resisting. They are the protagonists of their own lives and of the podiums... and maybe society could learn a lot from them. 

For the ageist people, and this ageist and hypocrite society that demeanor people or value them based on how much collagen they still have, I have really bad news: the Masters will keep winning. The Masters will keep shining... 

Because age is just a number.