Brazil has officially chosen Kleber Mendonça Filho’s 1970s-set thriller “The Secret Agent” as its contender for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The Brazilian Film Academy announced the submission today, following a vote by a 15-member committee that weighed the country’s most prominent releases before settling on Mendonça Filho’s politically charged drama.
‘The Secret Agent’ Brings 1970s Brazil to the Big Screen
Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” is a sweeping historical thriller that folds personal tragedy into the political unrest of 1970s Brazil. Set against the waning years of the military dictatorship, the film follows Armando, a former teacher turned fugitive, as he tries to escape government persecution. Wagner Moura delivers a gripping performance as a man haunted by the past while navigating Recife’s carnival chaos and a network of allies and enemies.
Premiering in the main competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, “The Secret Agent” earned rapturous reviews and a 13-minute standing ovation. Moura won Best Actor and Mendonça Filho took home Best Director, while the film also collected the Art House Cinema Award and the FIPRESCI Prize. Critics praised its daring blend of political commentary and grindhouse flair, calling it visually arresting and thematically rich. Distribution deals quickly followed, with Neon securing North American rights and MUBI picking up key international territories.
The road to Brazil’s official Oscar submission, however, was anything but smooth. Mendonça Filho had twice been passed over for the country’s Academy Awards entry despite international acclaim, and rumors swirled that “The Secret Agent” might suffer a similar fate. In August, whispers of a rival campaign for another film ignited a national debate over merit in the selection process. Public figures and film lovers rallied behind Mendonça Filho, culminating in a wave of support that pressured the Brazilian Film Academy to choose the Cannes favorite. Now slated for a November 6 theatrical release in Brazil, “The Secret Agent” enters the awards season with formidable momentum.