1 / 6
The Associated Press
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian author Marcelo Rubens Paiva happily swung his wheelchair from side to side, dancing with thousands of Carnival revelers there to celebrate him and his work. Seconds later, an unidentified man showed Paiva his middle finger, then threw a beer can and a backpack that hit him in the head.
Paiva, a popular author in Brazil for four decades, has had intense days and exchanges since the movie based on his 2015 book “I'm Still Here” became a box-office success. The film, a rare blockbuster in the South American nation, garnered three Oscar nominations ahead of the awards ceremony Sunday.