“The Secret Agent” gets four Oscar nominations
Brazil is making a strong showing at the 2026 Oscars. Kleber Mendonça’s film The Secret Agent was nominated for Best Picture, Best International Feature, and Best Casting – a new category – while Wagner Moura got a nod for Best Actor.
With four nominations, The Secret Agent ties the record number of nominations set by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund’s City of God in 2004.
On another front, Brazil also appears among the technical highlights – Adolpho Veloso is nominated for Best Cinematography for Train Dreams.
The list was unveiled Thursday (Jan. 22) by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, marking the start of the decisive stage of the 98th edition of the awards and confirming a historic moment for Brazilian cinema.
Voting
The first phase of voting ended on Friday (16). More than 10 thousand film industry professionals – including actors, directors, screenwriters, and technicians – participated in the process, voting mostly within their areas, with the exception of Best Picture, which brings together the votes of the entire voting body.
The 2026 Oscar ceremony will take place on March 15. Thursday’s announcement has already sparked a celebratory mood in the Brazilian audiovisual sector.
