Brazilian cinema is once again rising on the international stage, demonstrating that its strength in historical political cinema still resonates with audiences across the world.
Wagner Moura, of Narcos fame, stars in The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto), a neo-noir historical thriller by Kleber de Mendonça, which has already won several international awards and is up for four nominations at this year’s Oscars.
With the Academy Awards on the horizon, the film’s accolade trajectory has taken a similar path to its predecessor, I’m Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui) by Walter Salles, mirroring the backdrop of Brazil’s military dictatorship, which last year was nominated for three Oscars, winning Best International Feature Film.
Co-Founder and Co-Director of Cine Brazil, Annaís Berlim said: ”What I like about The Secret Agent is that it shows a dictatorship in a more subtle way.
“It shows how the dictatorship allowed businesses to also perpetuate oppression and violence and it was deeply rooted in everything, in all the systems around the country.
“It’s a different scenario from I’m Still Here, but it shows a dictatorship can take many forms.”
What began as a one-off documentary screening six years ago about cat calling on the streets of Brazil in aid of Latin American Women’s Aid, Cine Brazil soon escalated into a regular programme of films across London, as the group realised there was high demand for Brazilian cinema in the UK.
The main aim of the project is to reclaim the narrative of Brazil abroad, as the group pointed to a lack of understanding of Brazilian social and political issues and wanted to emphasise the importance of the country in the global political landscape.
Berlim said: “The films we show are always around building international solidarity and promoting political and social education about Brazil in a more grounded way.
“Brazil is not just about samba and football and there is a myth about racial democracy.
“We really wanted to shine a light on Brazil and also help denounce what is actually going on there.”
The organisation centres its programme on the Brazilian calendar, incorporating key milestones such as Indigenous Month, and Pride, but also adapts to the changing international socio-political landscape, with a big focus of this year’s programme on the upcoming presidential elections.
Cine Brazil will partner with Brazil Matters, a UK based non-profit organisation which raises awareness of Brazilian issues, to host screenings and discussions in order to facilitate conversations around important topics ahead of the October elections.
For each showing, the not-for-profit project donates to organisations in Brazil which work either with film or support marginalized community groups as a strategy for local development.
Last summer Cine Brazil partnered with The Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise to host their ‘Summer Nights’ series, a month-long programme screening Brazilian classics.
The programme features 90s road movie Central Station (Central do Brasil), also by Walter Salles, for which lead actress Fernanda Montenegro was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Fast forward 25 years and her daughter, Fernanda Torres, picked up a nomination for the same award for her role in I’m Still Here, marking a memorable mother-daughter legacy and a notable resurgence of Brazilian cinema onto the international stage.
I’m Still Here, whose budget was approximately $1.5 million to $2 million USD, ran against the likes of Hollywood musical Wicked in the Best Picture category at last year’s Oscars and whose budget came in at around $150 million.
Despite more modest production cost, the film achieved significant international success, grossing at just over $600,000 in the U.K. and Ireland during its first weekend and making it the biggest Latin American opening of all time, according to Variety Magazine.
Both I’m Still Here and The Secret Agent are films which tackle Brazil’s difficult past and offer human stories that shed light onto the dictatorship and its victims.
Cine Brazil’s Annaís Berlim believes that the resurgence of films navigating the nation’s historical legacy is due to the changing political landscape in Brazil.
She said: “During Bolsonaro’s government, it was a government calling for military dictatorship again.
“As there were attempts to erase the history of the dictatorship and its impact on Brazil, I think filmmakers understood that cinema is a tool for history and social impact.
“It is important for memory and documentation and so I think filmmakers realised that we cannot allow what happened to be forgotten.”
In January 2024, President Lula reinstated a mandatory quota which sets a requirement for a minimum number of Brazilian feature films to be shown annually in cinemas across the country to support the national film industry.
As box office figures have shown, the popularity of Brazilian cinema has travelled beyond Latin American shores, as the film’s dominant themes seem to resonate with an international audience.
Annaís said: “I think it’s directly connected to the growth of far-right ideologies globally and invasions and occupations.
“With social media we are more connected than ever and I think there is a demand for stories.
“Stories that in some way document what is happening around the world and remind people what happened in the past so we don’t forget.
“These films are a look back into the past to plan for the future and be aware.”
If The Secret Agent wins best international film at this year’s Academy Awards, it will be the first time in 40 years that a country has won back to back awards in this category.
Cinephiles could have caught The Secret Agent back in October 2025 with limited screenings as part of BFI London Film Festival.
However, for those who missed out, the film is set to be released in the UK on February 20, with various showings in Picture Houses across London.
Feature image: Kacy Bao via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Join the discussion