The film 'O Agente Secreto' by Kleber Mendonça Filho blends Brazilian elements and American references in its 2026 Oscar campaign. Starring Wagner Moura, the movie recounts the military dictatorship with suspense and fantasy touches, drawing 2.3 million viewers in Brazil. The promotion features the actor's elegant looks at international awards.
In 'O Agente Secreto', Kleber Mendonça Filho pays homage to genres that shaped him, blending critiques of Brazilian authoritarianism with urban legends and American cinema references. Set in the 1970s, the film features scenes like Marcelo (Wagner Moura) discovering a corpse at a gas station, lasting nearly ten minutes and symbolizing the normalization of violence during the dictatorship. Tilda Swinton compared this sequence to Alfred Hitchcock's style, emphasizing tension before danger.
Elements like the 'perna cabeluda', a 1970s urban legend, dialogue with Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' and 'Anatomy of a Murder'. Marcelo's son dreams of the shark, and billboards advertise films like 'King Kong' at Cine São Luiz. Influences include low-budget American productions, 'The Omen', and the Italian 'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion'.
In the Oscar campaign, Wagner Moura won the Golden Globe for best drama actor and wore an off-white Maison Margiela suit with Tabi shoes. At the Baftas, he chose Bottega Veneta with an Anabela Chan brooch. Stylist Ilaria Urbinati reinterpreted classic tailoring with experimental touches, like monochromes and ample proportions, at events including Critics Choice and Governors Awards.
Despite 'O Agente Secreto's success with 2.3 million viewers, Brazilian cinema attendance dropped 10.6% in 2025 to 112.1 million, per Ancine. The film stands as an exception in a year of international recognition for national cinema, following the Oscar for 'Ainda Estou Aqui'. This fusion of repertoires signals a new era for the award, with greater openness to non-American narratives.
