On Friday, Brazil’s newest Oscar-shortlisted film, “The Secret Agent,” opened in U.S. theaters, drawing both critics and audiences into a story that blends ordinary life with the shadows of a 1970s dictatorship.
The Film’s Rise
The film follows an unassuming scientist and widowed father who becomes a target of Brazil’s military regime, not because he is a revolutionary, but simply for standing up to a business owner tied to the government. “He’s in danger simply for being who he is, for holding the values he holds,” star Wagner Moura told The Associated Press in a recent interview. The director, Kleber Mendonça Filho, has earned praise for turning a quiet narrative into one of the year’s best movies.
Story and Setting
The story is set in 1977, at the height of the dictatorship, and opens with a black-and-white montage of national symbols-from classic films to popular soap operas. Mendonça Filho anchors the tale in Carnival in Recife, his hometown in northeastern Brazil, making the city itself a backdrop for confronting a nation still grappling with its past.
Themes and Cinematic Choices
Living undercover as Marcelo, Armando spends days searching archives for clues about his mother’s past while planning to flee the country with his son. As he works, the streets erupt with Carnival revelry, and even the police chief appears rumpled, confetti still clinging to his hair. Mendonça Filho blends political suspense with urban legends, touching on corruption, state violence, and institutional complicity. A pivotal sequence takes place inside a movie theater, where audiences spill out of screenings of “Jaws” and “The Omen,” underscoring the nation’s real terror beneath the filmic façade.
Accolades and International Attention
The film earned Golden Globe nominations earlier this month for best drama, best non-English film, and best actor in a drama. It also sits on the shortlist for best international feature film at the 2026 Academy Awards. The film’s arrival comes amid a surge of international interest in Brazilian cinema, following the Oscar win for “I’m Still Here,” which also secured a Golden Globe for lead actor Fernanda Torres.
Political Context
Over the past decade, Brazilian filmmakers have revisited the military dictatorship that ruled from 1964 to 1985, with titles such as “Marighella,” directed by Moura. This renewed focus coincides with the rise of Brazil’s far right and the controversial presidency of former Army captain Jair Bolsonaro, who praised officers accused of torture. Mendonça Filho states, “The military is a trauma that was never truly examined.” He adds, “You can’t just say, ‘Move on, forget it.’ A crust forms over it. The same thing happens to an entire nation.”
Tânia Maria’s Transformation
At 78, artisan Tânia Maria plays Dona Sebastiana, a character she helped shape from the director’s script. Maria’s first acting role came in 2019’s “Bacurau,” and she has since appeared in six films yet to be released. Mendonça Filho recalls, “a birdlike bearing, a voice shaped by 60 years of cigarettes and a razor-sharp sense of humor.” The character shelters political fugitives, and when she walks toward the camera in a flowered dress, cigarette in hand, the film briefly belongs to her. “Her authenticity carries something of many women I’ve known,” he says. Moura notes, “If viewers watch closely, they will see that he is genuinely ‘like a fool orbiting around her.'” Maria, who lives in a rural village of about 22,000 people in northeastern Rio Grande do Norte, says she has only seen films she acted in. “Filming is wonderful, and Kleber Mendonça’s films feel like they’re copying our lives,” she laughs. “Dona Sebastiana’s life is my life. I’ve always liked taking people in, and I’ve always liked complaining.”
Reception and Current Events
The film premiered in Brazilian theaters on Nov. 6, a month that also saw former President Jair Bolsonaro arrested and sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn the 2022 election. For the first time, high-ranking military officers were also imprisoned for their role in the coup attempt. Mendonça Filho comments, “Today, I’m much more optimistic about Brazil as a democracy. For the first time, we’re holding military officers accountable- and sending to prison a president who did nothing but harm the country.” Since the release, Maria has become a national sensation, appearing on morning shows and gaining thousands of followers. She hopes for Oscar recognition, saying, “I want to go to the Oscars.” She adds, “And I want to make my own dress. It will be red, very sparkly.”
Key Takeaways
- “The Secret Agent” spotlights ordinary heroism under a 1970s dictatorship and has earned international accolades, including Golden Globe nominations and an Academy Award shortlist.
- The film’s narrative intertwines personal struggle with Brazil’s broader reckoning with its military past, reflecting current political shifts.
- Artisan-turned-actress Tânia Maria’s authentic performance has turned her into a cultural icon, embodying the film’s theme of ordinary people confronting history.
Closing
With its U.S. release, “The Secret Agent” invites audiences worldwide to witness how a quiet scientist’s defiance echoes through Brazil’s collective memory, while the nation itself moves toward accountability for its past.
