The Secret Agent

Brazil, 1977. It is a “time of spite” for the country as the harsh military dictatorship imposes increasingly draconian measures on the population. Marcelo (Moura), a university professor, is on the run from the regime and takes refuge in Recife, where he hopes to reunite with his son. There, during the week of the Carnaval, he finds a safe haven with a group of outsiders, and takes on an assumed identity. But Marcelo can’t forget that he’s a wanted man – and soon enough he feels the tentacles of the state closing in on him. With all the tension of the best political thrillers, Mendonça Filho brings his trademark melange of styles (and his deep cinephilia) to the picture. The Secret Agent involves body horror, wicked humour, and eroticism, all playing out to a typically tremendous soundtrack. In this detailed, vibrant and expansive portrait of tumultuous time in Brazil’s history – filled with unforgettable, brave characters - Mendonça Filho has made an intoxicating film that is powerfully resonant with our times.

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