The Secret Agent
Brazil made a strong showing on the 98th Academy Awards shortlists unveiled today by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Four Brazilian films, along with a Brazilian cinematographer, advanced to the next round, moving one step closer to the Oscars.
As largely expected, The Secret Agent / O Agente Secreto by Kleber Mendonça Filho was included among the 15 films shortlisted in the International Feature Film category and also received a nod in the newly introduced Casting category.
Nominated for three Golden Globes, the political thriller—set in 1977 and starring Wagner Moura—follows a widower who arrives in Recife, a city as vibrant as it is violent. A technology researcher, he suddenly becomes an unwitting target amid the dictatorship’s political maelstrom. On the run from mercenary killers, haunted by ghosts of the past, and confronting the ruthless, mischievously militant spirit of the city, his primary goal is to escape Brazil with his young son. With the help of a mysterious woman and her compatriots in the growing underground resistance, he navigates a tense, unpredictable world of danger and deception.
In the Documentary Feature category, Apocalypse in the Tropics / Apocalipse nos Trópicos by Petra Costa also made the shortlist, bringing the filmmaker closer to her second Oscar nomination after The Edge of Democracy in 2020. Costa’s latest documentary offers a probing exploration of the blurred line between democracy and theocratic influence in Brazil, focusing on the rising political power of evangelical leaders. With unprecedented access to key figures—including President Lula, former president Jair Bolsonaro, and the nation’s most prominent televangelist—the film follows a charismatic pastor whose ambitions extend toward shaping the country’s far-right leadership from behind the scenes.
Also shortlisted in Documentary Feature is Yanuni, a Brazilian co-production that traces the extraordinary journey of Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous leader from the Brazilian Amazon, from a remote village in Xipaya territory to the political frontlines of climate justice. Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the film is directed by Austrian filmmaker Richard Ladkani.
In the Live Action Short Film category, Amarela (Yellow) by André Hayato Saito was also shortlisted. Set in São Paulo in July 1998, on the day of the World Cup final between Brazil and France, the film follows 14-year-old Erika Oguihara, a Japanese-Brazilian teenager who rejects her family’s traditions and is eager to celebrate a world title for her country. As tension builds during the match, Erika experiences a form of violence that seems invisible, plunging her into a painful sea of emotions.
Meanwhile, cinematographer Adolpho Veloso was shortlisted for his work on Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams in the Cinematography category.
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026, with the ceremony set to take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles.
