Fernanda Torres didn't think she'd make it in America. 'I'm Still Here' changed that.

For Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here” is more than just a film – it’s a homecoming.

Directed by Walter Salles, the Portuguese-language drama is nominated for three Academy Awards, including best picture and best actress (Torres). She’s only the second Brazilian actor to receive an Oscar nod: The first was her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, who was nominated for Salles’ “Central Station” in 1998. Montenegro, now 95, even has a small role in “I’m Still Here,” which tells the heroic true story of Brazilian activist Eunice Paiva.

“It’s really unbelievable, it’s a very similar path with my mother,” says Torres, 59, who won a Golden Globe for best drama actress last month. “After the Golden Globes, my mother said, ‘I knew it would happen.’ And she was sure about this (nomination), too. But I never thought it would be possible – it’s a very tough year with so many great female performances.”