The Secret Agent (; ) is a 2025 Brazilian historical political thriller film written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. It stars Wagner Moura as Marcelo, a teacher caught in the political turmoil of the final years of the Brazilian military dictatorship, attempting to flee persecution.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, where it received widespread acclaim, winning the Best Actor prize for Moura, Best Director prize for Mendonça Filho, alongside the FIPRESCI prize.
Plot.
Set in 1977, Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. He arrives in Recife during carnival, hoping to reunite with his son but soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks.
Production.
Development.
The film is written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, who wrote the script over three years. The film is a co-production between Brazil, France, Germany and Netherlands.
The film marks Wagner Moura's first Portuguese language production in eight years. German actor Udo Kier also appears in the film, marking his second collaboration with Mendonça following "Bacurau" (2019).
Filming.
Principal photography took place during ten weeks in Brazil, with shooting taking place between Recife and São Paulo. Production wrapped in August 2024.
Release.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2025, where it competed for the Palme d'Or, and earned a 13-minute standing ovation at the end of its screening. A few days after its premiere, Neon acquired North American distribution rights to the film, while MUBI acquired the rights for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America excluding Brazil, and India.
Reception.
Critical response.
Steve Pond of "TheWrap" pointed out that "cohesiveness or coherence are not high on [the film's] list of attributes", "but [the film's] messiness is part of its charm". David Ehrlich of "IndieWire" gave the film a 'B+' score, concluding that "always compelling, but sometimes more sedate than its material demands — [it] is often at its most alive during its detours".