"In reality, the political thriller follows a man desperately plotting his own escape from the threats of Brazil's two-decades-long military dictatorship, the tentacles of which have wrapped themselves around every element of daily life. Here, the joyous and the boisterous contrast the dark and insidious, allowing viewers to both be delighted by colorful street scenes and celebrations while the rot of fear creeps in, as the details surrounding our main character (Wagner Moura) and his predicament are revealed."
"For Mendonça, the film was a chance to return to his hometown of Recife, and paint a portrait of a city full of contrasts, using everything from historic movie theaters to popular waterfront parks in the sultry hours after sunset to tell a story that has already garnered four Oscar nods. To get a sense of how Mendonça time-traveled through Brazil past and present, while drawing on references very close to home, we hopped on the phone with the director himself."
Secret Agent is set in Recife during Carnival week in 1977 and functions as a political thriller about a man plotting escape from Brazil’s two-decades-long military dictatorship. The film juxtaposes sun-drenched, confetti-filled street celebrations with an atmosphere of pervasive fear and surveillance. Kleber Mendonça Filho returned to his hometown to frame Recife as a character, using historic movie theaters, waterfront parks and other real locations to craft the visual identity. Ninety percent of the production was shot on location in Recife, with scenes written for specific sites, producing a portrait of a city full of contrasts and earned four Oscar nominations.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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