Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in Non-English Language at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, becoming just the second Brazilian film to receive the honor, following Walter Salles’ Central Station, which won in 1998. The award marks a significant milestone for Brazilian cinema on the international stage and further cements Mendonça Filho’s position as one of the most vital voices in contemporary world cinema.
The Secret Agent received three Golden Globe nominations overall, including Best Motion Picture in Non-English Language and Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Wagner Moura. With his nomination, Moura made history as the first Brazilian performer ever recognized in this prestigious acting category, a landmark moment for Brazilian actors working across international productions.
Set in the late 1970s, during the final years of Brazil’s military dictatorship, The Secret Agent is a taut political thriller that follows a former intelligence operative drawn back into a tightening web of surveillance, state violence, and personal reckoning. Blending genre elements with a sharp political conscience, the film revisits a dark chapter in Brazil’s recent history while resonating powerfully with contemporary global anxieties.
The film has enjoyed an exceptional run on the international circuit. It won three awards at the Cannes Film Festival and was later named Best International Film by the New York Film Critics Circle, with Moura also taking home the Best Actor honor. Together, these accolades underscore The Secret Agent’s critical and cultural impact, positioning it as one of the most acclaimed international releases of the year.
