Director Kleber Mendonça Filho explains five rules that shaped his new film, "The Secret Agent," Brazil's 2026 Oscar submission

Director Kleber Mendonça Filho's new film, "The Secret Agent," Brazil's 2026 Oscar submission, is shaped by five key rules. The film, set during Brazil's 1977 dictatorship and Carnival, features Wagner Moura as a researcher hiding from killers. Mendonça Filho aimed for a hero who is compelling through thought and emotion, not just action, drawing inspiration from classic cinema. The director also emphasized the importance of place, using a refugee house and a historic cinema to reflect historical and personal connections, and viewing cinema itself as a powerful tool for marking time and memory.