A gravestone in a small blue chapel at the Araçá Cemetery in São Paulo affectionately mentions her: “An example for her family and for Brazilian democracy.” Next to various chapels belonging to Italian families, the lawyer and one of the symbols of the fight against the Brazilian military dictatorship and for human rights, Maria Lucrécia Eunice Facciolla Paiva, better known as Eunice Paiva (1929–2018), is buried.
Her story became even more famous after actress Fernanda Torres portrayed her in the film ‘Ainda Estou Aqui’, directed by Walter Salles. Nominated for Best Film, Best International Film, and Best Actress at this year’s Oscars, the production is an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, Eunice’s son. In it, the author tells the true story of his family, centered on his mother’s struggle shortly after the disappearance of his father, Congressman Rubens Paiva, who was taken by police in 1971 during the period of military dictatorship in Brazil. Rubens Paiva’s body was never found.
The success of the production sparked even more curiosity about Eunice’s life and even about where she was buried, especially after actress Fernanda Torres, who won the Globo for Best Drama Actress, visited the cemetery.
“The filming of ‘Ainda Estou Aqui’ ended a year ago, and I went alone to thank this great Brazilian for the honor of portraying her in the film. Thank you, Eunice,” the actress wrote last November, posting a photo next to the gravestone on her Instagram profile.Tourist Attraction
Guided tours of the Araçá Cemetery—which now include a visit to Eunice Paiva’s grave—have attracted hundreds of visitors. The walks are part of the project ‘What Haunts You?’, which regularly promotes free visits to cemeteries and graves of historical figures throughout the state of São Paulo.
In addition to housing Eunice Paiva’s grave, the Araçá Cemetery is also the resting place of other important figures in Brazilian history—such as actress Cacilda Becker and businessman Assis Chateaubriand. It also contains the mausoleum of the Military Police and an ossuary where the remains of people murdered by the military dictatorship and buried in clandestine graves were once stored. The site is also notable for its artworks, signed by artists like Victor Brecheret.Source: Agência Brasil