Brazil's Oscar Entry 'The Secret Agent': A Political Thriller Set During Military Dictatorship
By
tambourine_man
2mo ago· 6 min readenReview
75/100
Toasty
Bagelometer↗
Crispy enough to crunch, soft enough to enjoy. A good bake.
Score75TypereviewSentimentneutral
Summary
The article discusses 'The Secret Agent,' Brazil's Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film, which is a political thriller set in 1977 during Brazil's military dictatorship. The film follows Marcelo, a former teacher and tech expert on the run during Carnival week in Recife, targeted as a political dissident. The cinematography by Evgenia Alexandrova uses bright, saturated colors as a counterpoint to the dark subject matter, creating a visually subversive experience that explores the violent political reality of 1970s Brazil.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThe Secret Agent, Brazil's Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film, is a visually subversive political thriller.
The film was shot on location in Brazil using bright, saturated colors by cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova, AFC as a counterpoint to the dark, terrifying subject matter.
Set in 1977, during the final years of Brazil's military dictatorship, The Secret Agent follows Marcelo (Wagner Moura), a former teacher and tech expert, on the run in Recife during Carnival week.
Cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova, AFC creates a warm and vivid palette for director Kleber Mendonça Filho's film, which journeys into the dark heart of 1970s Recife during the week of Carnival.
Cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova, AFC creates a warm and vivid palette for director Kleber Mendonça Filho's film, which journeys into the dark heart of 1970s Recife during the week of Carnival.
