The Secret Agent

Set in 1977 Recife, The Secret Agent follows Marcelo, a technology specialist fleeing a shadowy past who returns home hoping for quiet. He expects the city to offer the refuge his nerves crave, only to discover its streets thrum with old secrets and freshly drawn lines of loyalty. Reconnecting with former colleagues and neighbors, he is drawn into a maze of surveillance, rumor, and competing agendas that blur the border between ally and foe. As memories resurface, his bid for peace collides with a broader political danger that quietly shapes every choice he makes. The film moves with restrained tension, letting danger creep in rather than loud confrontations and a slow reveal. Starring Wagner Moura.

Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent arrives as a tightly crafted crime drama anchored in Recife's late 1970s atmosphere. Filho continues to fuse personal memory with political texture, crafting a feel that's both intimate and historically pointed and spare.

Box office data for The Secret Agent has not been publicly reported. The film appears to have limited exposure beyond specialist theaters and festival screens, with earnings and distribution details to be announced later.

As of now there are no major nominations publicly announced for The Secret Agent. Still, critics have praised the film for its mood, performances and the way it barrels into a political undercurrent without leaning on obvious melodrama. Industry observers note potential in directing and screenplay categories.

Reception so far points to a film that dwells in the grey areas of power and memory. The story probes how private pasts collide with public authority, how allegiance shifts when danger feels intimate, and how escape can turn into entanglement. The tone is patient and austere, with disciplined performances from a sharp ensemble that keeps the suspense in quiet conversations, sideways glances, and careful edits rather than loud confrontations.