Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and actor Wagner Moura on the set of The Secret Agent. Foto by Victor, Juca. Courtesy NEON.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced last week the nominees for its 79th annual awards, marking an unprecedented moment for Brazilian cinema. For the first time in BAFTA history, two Brazilian-led productions have been recognized simultaneously in major categories: Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Documentary.
The Oscar-nominated Brazilian film The Secret Agent / O Agente Secreto by Kleber Mendonça Filho received nominations for Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Original Screenplay, further cementing Mendonça Filho’s reputation as one of the most vital voices in contemporary Brazilian cinema. His latest film has been widely celebrated as one of the standout Latin American films of the year, following wins at the Golden Globes for Best Actor and Best Motion Picture in a Non-English Language.
Petra Costa’s Apocalypse in the Tropics / Apocalypse nos Trópicos, meanwhile, was nominated for Best Documentary, continuing her streak of internationally acclaimed work that blends political urgency with poetic storytelling. The film probes the increasingly blurred line between democracy and theocratic influence in Brazil, focusing on the rising political power of evangelical leaders.Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso also made history, earning his first BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography for the American period drama Train Dreams by Clint Bentley. Veloso is the first Brazilian cinematographer ever to be recognized in this category, highlighting the growing global visibility of Brazilian technical talent in cinema.
Mexican director Guillermo del Toro’s latest remake of Frankenstein emerged as one of the top nominees, receiving eight nods including Best Special Visual Effects and Best Cinematography. Producer Nidia Santiago, of Mexican origin, is nominated in the Animated Film category for Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, underscoring the presence of Latino voices across a wide range of cinematic disciplines.
Puerto Rican actor Benicio del Toro received a Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of Sensei Sergio St. Carlos in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Other Latino nominees include Ken Diaz for Makeup and Hairstyling for Sinners; Florencia Martin for Production Design for One Battle After Another; and Felipe Pacheco and José Antonio García, both nominated for Sound for Sinners and One Battle After Another, respectively.
This year’s nominations reflect a growing recognition of Latin American talent on the global stage, celebrating artists who are shaping the visual, narrative, and technical languages of contemporary cinema. The winners of the BAFTA Awards 2026 will be announced during a ceremony on Sunday, February 22, at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.
