Brazilian cinema has once again been honored at an international awards ceremony. The Secret Agent won four Platino Awards, announced on Saturday (May 9) at a ceremony in Cancún, Mexico.

Petra Costa’s film Apocalypse in the Tropics won Best Documentary at the 13th edition of the awards, the most important in Ibero-American cinema. The event showcases series and films from Latin America, Portugal, and Spain.

Notícias relacionadas:

• “The Secret Agent” nominated for France’s César Awards.
• “The Secret Agent” makes history at Golden Globes with two awards.
• “The Secret Agent” wins Critics’ Choice Award as Best Foreign Film.

Kleber Mendonça’s The Secret Agent won Best Film, Screenplay, Director, and Actor, awarded to Wagner Moura. This is the first time a Brazilian has won the Best Actor trophy. The awards add to the four other honors the production had already received.

Upon receiving the silver statuette, Mendonça celebrated the opportunity to tell stories amid a landscape of misinformation. “This is a time when the truth is being debated and manipulated,” he stated.

“Indeed, this is a time of lies around the world, but cinema remains a powerful tool for telling stories filled with poetry, fantastic adventures, human drama, love, and affection - stories grounded in truth and honesty,” added Mendonça.

Actor Wagner Moura was filming in Spain and was unable to attend the event. In an acceptance speech read by Mendonça, the Brazilian actor stated:”

“I love the Platino Awards - seeing our cinema celebrated, meeting friends, discovering talent, films, artists, and film industry professionals working in Portuguese and Spanish (...). I love every moment when I see Brazil integrated into a broader culture.”

He dedicated the award to Mendonça, who confirmed that he had invited the actor to appear in his next film.

Other awards

The Secret Agent had already received four other Platino Awards. Just a few days ago, Moura, a Golden Globe winner, had been voted Best Actor by the Platino Awards’ popular jury.

The film also won awards for Art Direction, Music, and Editing. These awards, announced before Saturday’s ceremony, went respectively to Thales Junqueira; brothers Tomaz and Mateus Alves; and Eduardo Serrano and Matheus Farias.

Documentary

Petra Costa’s documentary Apocalypse in the Tropics beat productions from Paraguay and Spain. The feature-length film follows the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, depicts the failed coup attempt in 2023, and explores the influence of evangelical faith on Brazilian politics.

Upon receiving the award, Brunno Pacini, producer and researcher for Apocalypse in the Tropics, stated that documentaries “have the power to transform trauma into memory, and memory into action,” and thanked everyone involved in the project.

Among the series, the Brazilian production Beleza Fatal (Fatal Beauty), which resembles a telenovela, also took home the award for Best Long-Form Series. Director Maria de Médicis paid tribute to TV director Dennis Carvalho, who passed away a few months ago, and celebrated the telenovela genre, a staple of audiovisual media throughout Latin America. “Long live the telenovela, long live Brazil,” she declared.

In this edition of the Platino Awards, Brazil had seven productions nominated across 36 categories.

*The reporter traveled at the invitation of the organizers of the Platino Xcaret Awards.