Latest news with #OAgenteSecreto
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kleber Mendonça Filho's Brazilian Epic ‘The Secret Agent' Wins Fipresci Award at Cannes: ‘A Rich, Strange and Deeply Troubling Story'
Bearing out Brazil's place as country of honor at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Kleber Mendonça Filho's 'The Secret Agent' ('O Agente Secreto') won the Fipresci Prize in the Official Selection – Competition category, granted by the International Federation of Film Critics . Set in Brazil under military rule in 1977 and starring Wagner Moura ('Narcos,' 'Dope Thief') , the film delves into themes of political repression, morality and resistance. Known for his earlier films 'Aquarius' and 'Bacurau,' both of which played in main comoetition at Cannes, Mendonça Filho continues his exploration of Brazil's sociopolitical landscape with a narrative praised for its depth and ambition. More from Variety Cannes Film Festival Power Restored After 5-Hour Outage Across South of France With Foul Play Suspected, Closing Ceremony to 'Proceed as Planned' Josh O'Connor Says 'There's a Kindness' to Working With 'Mastermind' Director Kelly Reichardt and Responds to Paul Mescal Calling Him 'Silly': 'I Am' 'Caravan' Review: Tender Debut Feature Focuses on a Single Mom's Experience with Her Disabled Son 'The Secret Agent' was hailed by Variety's Peter Debruge as a 'terrific '70s thriller' and 'dazzling period drama.' In its assessment of the film, the Fipresci jury explained: 'We chose a film that has a novelistic, epic generosity; a film that allows for digression, diversion, humor and character to evoke a time and place and a rich, strange and deeply troubling story of corruption and oppression. A film that makes its own rules, that is personal yet universal, that takes its time and immerses you in a world – the world of military-ruled Brazil in 1977 and the world of good people in bad times.' 'The Secret Agent,' an epic tale which runs nearly three hours, is a multinational co-production involving Brazil, France, Germany and the Netherlands. MK2 Films is selling internationally, and Neon just picked up North American distribution rights. Further Fipresci recognition went to actor-turned-director Harris Dickinson's debut 'Urchin,' which screened in the Un Certain Regard section. A two-time BAFTA-nominated actor, Dickinson is known for his performances in 'Babygirl,' 'Beach Rats' and 'Triangle of Sadness.' A harrowing character study of a homeless man named Mike who struggles with addiction, 'Urchin' has drawn acclaim for its visceral realism and emotional depth. Variety's Guy Lodge praises lead actor Frank Dillane for 'imbuing Mike with both the kind of wily charisma that makes people want to rescue him and a self-destructive volatility that keeps repelling such efforts.' According to the jury, Dickinson's debut is 'a powerful first feature that works as a complex character study of a homeless man struggling with addiction. We dive deeply into a cycle of self-destruction portrayed with sincerity, authenticity and genuine empathy.' From this year's Critics' Week, Directors' Fortnight and other parallel selections, the Fipresci jury selected Momoko Seto's animated feature 'Dandelion's Odyssey' for special recognition. The French-Belgian production, distributed internationally by Indie Sales, blends experimental storytelling with animation. Seto, is known for her artistic short films including 2015 Berlin Audi Short Film Award-winner 'Planet Sigma.' Next up for 'Dandelion's Odyssey' is a competition screening at Annecy in June. 'In these strange and dangerous times, we believe the most important thing is to find meaning in our choices and to allow ourselves to feel deeply through films that restore cinema's emotional essence,' the Fipresci jury said. 'We reward this film for its unique use of animation techniques blending classical and modern styles, for the quality of its editing and for the power of its message – love, salvation and companionship in the harshest circumstances. A universal message of life's triumph over the forces of death.' This year's Fipresci jury at Cannes was chaired by Australian critic C.J. Johnson and included Mariana Hristova (Bulgaria), Laurent Delmas (France), Eva Novrup Redvall (Denmark), Michael Ghennam (France), Hosam Fahmy (Egypt), Ioannis Rouzaios (Greece), Olga Ruin (Sweden) and Freddy Wong (Hong Kong). Awards come just hours before the Cannes Film Festival's main prize ceremony where 'The Secret Agent' is in the running for Cannes' Palme d'Or. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Pink Villa
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Urvashi Rautela BREAKS SILENCE as she reveals mystery behind her torn dress at Cannes 2025
Actress Urvashi Rautela recently made headlines for walking the red carpet at Cannes with a torn dress. Yes, you heard that right! She looked quite pretty wearing a black gown at the event during the screening of the Brazilian film O Agente Secreto. However, fans noticed a small tear near her underarm, and it went viral within no time. Now, the actress opened up on the backstory behind the torn dress and admitted not being embarrassed but proud to save a life. Urvashi Rautela, in a recent interview with IANS, shared that as they were hurrying towards the event, her driver suddenly put a break to allow the 70-year-old woman to cross the path. She added, 'Our driver's swift action to protect her sent us lurching forward, and my gown, a vision of artistry, paid the price with a tear.' However, the actress confidently stated that she didn't feel any 'loss' but gratitude that the old lady is safe and she can now walk the red carpet with a story worth sharing. According to her, the perspective to look at things and shape narratives is the true strength. Urvashi mentioned that she opted not to make her Cannes appearance just for her bold style, but for the powerful story behind it. She shared that when her gown was torn yet instead of panic, she embraced the moment as one of purpose and perspective. Urvashi Rautela further admitted that rather than letting a wardrobe mishap define her, she stepped onto the red carpet with her head high, embodying grace, strength, and national pride. She concluded saying, 'To those who jest, I offer a smile and a truth: elegance is not in the fabric we wear but in the choices we make.' Meanwhile, the actress walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the second time. She opted for a stunning black silk taffeta gown from Naja Saade Couture. Urvashi also met Orry at the event. The latter took to social media and shared a video where they are seen having a blast dancing to Dabidi Dibidi, a song from her film Daaku Maharaj and Orry getting caught up in the whirlwind of Urvashi Rautela's gown.
News18
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Wondering Why Urvashi Rautela Wore A Torn Gown At Cannes? Actor FINALLY Reveals
Last Updated: Urvashi Rautela wore a black gown at Cannes, which tore due to an abrupt car stop to save a 70-year-old woman. She called it a "vision of artistry". Urvashi Rautela wore a black gown to the screening of the Brazilian film O Agente Secreto at Cannes on May 18. On the red carpet, fans noticed something unusual when she lifted her hand to wave at the cameras. Fans were quick to notice a wardrobe malfunction, where a small tear appeared in her outfit near the underarm. This went viral, with netizens calling her the 'first Indian woman to wear a torn dress at the French Riviera". Urvashi, who had been tight-lipped about the incident, finally revealed how her outfit got a tear. Urvashi Rautela told IANS that her outfit tore while her car's driver halted abruptly while trying to save a 70-year-old woman cross the road safely. She referred to her outfit tear as 'vision of artistry" for it told a story of humanity. She said, 'My dear fans, let me share a story that redefined our red-carpet journey. As we hurried toward the event, our car came to a sudden stop elderly 70-year-old woman, full of life's wisdom, crossed our path. Our driver's swift action to protect her sent us lurching forward, and my gown, a vision of artistry, paid the price with a tear. Yet, in that moment, I felt not loss but gratitude for her safety, for our survival, and for the chance to walk the red carpet with a story worth telling." The Daaku Maharaaj actor added, 'True strength lies in perspective and in shaping our narrative. I choose to weave this tale not of a torn dress but of a heart intact, a spirit unbroken, and a commitment to shine for my nation. Fortune favors the bold, and I chose to step onto that carpet, not as a victim of circumstance but as a queen of resolve. We celebrate a life spared. Let's raise a toast to priorities that outshine any spotlight." View this post on Instagram A post shared by URVASHI RAUTELA (@urvashirautela) She then mentioned, 'En route to the event, our car came to an abrupt halt to protect a 70-year-old soul crossing our path. The force of that moment, a collision of duty and destiny, left my gown a masterpiece of craftsmanship bearing the scars of a higher purpose. True leadership is not in flawless presentation but in the wisdom to prioritize humanity over vanity. I walked the red carpet not as a vision of perfection but as a testament to resilience, carrying the pride of my nation and the lessons of that fleeting moment. To those who jest, I offer a smile and a truth: elegance is not in the fabric we wear but in the choices we make." Meanwhile, another video featuring Urvashi Rautela with new BFF in town Orry from Cannes has been going viral. It showed the actor dance to the Dabidi Dabidi song with Orry, while playing around with her gown. Fans were quick to speculate whether that was the reason behind the wardrobe malfunction. However, we now know the story. First Published:
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Secret Agent' Review: Wagner Moura Makes a Stunning Return to Brazilian Cinema in Kleber Mendonça Filho's Masterful Period Political Thriller
An inspired streak of absurdism runs through The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) connected to an urban legend about a 'hairy leg' that moves autonomously, causing trouble in the northeastern Brazilian capital of Recife in 1977, when the country remained under military dictatorship. The leg turns up or is mentioned various times — being pulled from the messy guts of a large shark carcass; stolen from the morgue and disposed of by evidence-tampering police; tagged as the culprit in sensational tabloid crime stories; and literally kicking asses in a gay cruising ground, where men are getting it on under trees or on park benches. The rogue limb is a clever metaphor for the regime's persecution of the queer community, among other groups, including dope-smokers, longhairs and anyone else who might be automatically branded as a communist. The entire scene is a brilliant comic set-piece, starting with the gorgeous sight of chonky capybaras grazing in a field at night before shifting to the park, where all that al fresco friskiness is rudely interrupted when the leg strides into action. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'A Pale View of Hills' Review: An Overly Cautious Adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's Haunting Novel Sissy Spacek Shares 'Carrie' Audition Doubts at Spirited 'Awards Chatter' Podcast Taping in Cannes 'The Phoenician Scheme' Review: A Brilliant Benicio del Toro Leads Wes Anderson's Poignant Narrative Jigsaw Puzzle It's the kind of bizarro detour you don't expect to take in a period political thriller centered on a widowed father whose life is in danger. But moments of anarchic humor amid genuine suspense are exactly the kind of thing that makes Kleber Mendonça Filho's fourth narrative feature such a thrilling original. There's also a conjoined-twins cat, with two faces on one body; a woman experiencing demonic possession while being helped out of a movie theater showing The Omen; a less perturbed gentleman at the same screening getting a zesty blowjob in a back row while poor Lee Remick gets whacked by her Antichrist child; a kid so obsessed with Jaws he has nightmares but is too young to see the 14-certificate release; and a shark motif that even appears in an old black-and-white Popeye episode. Oh, did I mention it takes place during Carnival week, when revelers pack the streets by the hundreds of thousands and music saturates the air? But even that collective jubilation doesn't escape the specter of mortality. A broadsheet headline late in the film reads 'Death Toll of Carnival: 91,' as the pages are draped over the lifeless face of a contract killer in a pool of blood on a barbershop floor. The magic of the film is that all these incongruous elements fit organically into the larger picture, without ever diluting the tension or undermining the life-and-death stakes for the central character, initially known as Marcelo. He's played with soulful eyes and a cloak of melancholy and hurt by Wagner Moura, in a stellar return to Brazilian cinema after several years away. He's always been a good actor, but Mendonça Filho makes him a movie star. Despite its humorous flourishes and droll characters, The Secret Agent is a deeply serious movie about a painful time in Brazil's past, when people were disappeared in countless numbers, hired assassins haggled over rates, and even far-flung cities where the dictatorship was largely invisible felt its long reach. It's both of a piece with and completely different to Walter Salles' Oscar winner from last year, I'm Still Here, the main action of which takes place in Rio at the start of the '70s. Mendonça Filho's gift for exploring Brazil's complex sociopolitical realities in idiosyncratic ways was already apparent in Neighboring Sounds, Aquarius, and especially Bacarau, an anti-colonialist Western in which UFOs hover over a remote village mysteriously wiped from the map. But this new feature is his strongest yet and deserves to lift him into the ranks of the world's top contemporary filmmakers. The previous work that now feels almost like a companion piece to The Secret Agent is the elegiac 2023 documentary Pictures of Ghosts, about the director's childhood home in Recife and the now-vanished movie palaces where he found his calling. The seven years he spent making that film while poring over city archives is a significant part of the seed from which this new movie sprouted. It opens with Marcelo pulling in for gas in his yellow VW at a middle-of-nowhere station, where he's startled to see a dead body lying on the gravel in the blazing sun, only partly covered by a sheet of cardboard. He learns the man was shot by the night-shift attendant while attempting to rob the place, and the police are too busy with Carnival to come, though the stench attracts wild dogs. But two cops do pull in, showing no interest in the corpse. Instead, one of them does a close inspection of Marcelo's documents and car, looking for drugs, weapons or any kind of infraction. Finding nothing, the cop puts out his hand for a police fund donation. That scene clues us in that Marcelo is already on the authorities' radar. It also explains the urgency once he arrives in Recife to get things sorted and get out. The unofficial mayor of a tight-knit leftist community, 77-year-old Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, wonderful), sets him up in an apartment and provides an envelope full of cash and details for a contact who can help facilitate fake IDs for himself and his son. Marcelo's late wife's parents have been taking care of young Fernando (Enzo Nunes) while he's been away. His father-in-law Alexandre (Carlos Francisco) is one of a handful of disarming characters, along with voluble Dona Sebastiana (historically the patron saint of death), who give the movie a buoyancy that works in lovely counterpoint to the corrosive fear driving the plot. Alexandre works as a projectionist at one of the movie palaces revisited in Pictures of Ghosts; scenes in the booth as well as posters in the lobby and outside provide a fresh hit of the affection for the moviegoing experience that was so intoxicating in the doc. Only gradually does it become clear that Marcelo (whose real name is Armando) made an enemy of Ghirotti, a crooked federal official from Sao Paolo, who stripped public funding from the university research department he headed. He condescendingly tells Marcelo's team to focus on work more in line with local business concerns, like tanning cow hides, and leave the sophisticated technological developments like lithium batteries to the more advanced experts in the southern cities. Marcelo has already patented lithium batteries, which doesn't go over well. He manages to hold his tongue during an uncomfortable dinner in which Ghirotti gets drunk and dismisses the Recife research team's work. But Marcelo's wife, Fatima (Alice Carvalho), lets loose with an angry tirade that turns into a physical altercation. Marcelo has explained her death to Fernando as the result of pneumonia, though the suspicion lingers that Ghirotti might have had her iced. The part of the movie in which Mendonça Filho jacks up the tension and gets to demonstrate razor-sharp genre technique comes when Marcelo is anxiously awaiting his and Fernando's fake passports from a resistance facilitator known as Elza (Maria Fernanda Candido), while two hitmen paid by Ghirotti, Augusto (Roney Villela) and Bobby (Gabriel Leone), arrive in town to track him down. The extended sequence where the killers get closer and closer to Marcelo is almost Hitchcockian in its tightly wound dread, made more agonizing by the raucous brass and drums of Carnival music. Perhaps the most daring trick Mendonça Filho pulls off is revealing the close of Marcelo/Armando's story through a present-day Sao Paolo researcher, Flavia (Laura Lufesi), who goes through audio tapes of bugged conversations and newspapers from the time to discover what became of him. But rather than cheating us out of a satisfying conclusion, it cuts a path to a profoundly affecting one when Flavia travels to Recife to share her findings with the now adult Fernando (also played by Moura), who runs a blood bank. That medical facility occupies the spot of a phantom movie theater. Expertly chosen music gives a rhythmic pulse to much of the action in a 2-hour-40-minute film that never drags. The atmospheric score by Tomaz Alves Souza and Mateus Alves has exquisite passages steeped in mystery and sorrow, combined with an eclectic mix that ranges from the festive Carnival bands to international hits like Chicago's 'If You Leave Me Now' and Donna Summer's 'Love To Love You Baby' to Brazilian songs of the period, notably a swoony number that Marcelo plays on the stereo when he first settles into his Recife apartment, which amplifies the emotion of his hometown return. Shot with Panavision anamorphic lenses in the slightly saturated colors of film stock from the era, the movie looks ravishing, every frame packed with interesting details thanks to the expert production and costume design of Thales Junqueira and Rita Azevedo, respectively. Enlivened by a populous, almost Altman-esque gallery of characters — way too many to mention — played without a single false note, and by the strong sense of a community pulling together for safety from the oppressive forces outside, the movie luxuriates in an inebriating sense of time and place that speaks of Mendonça Filho's intense love for the setting. It's a major achievement, and for my money, sure to be one of the best films of the year. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
India.com
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Urvashi Rautela's wardrobe malfunction at Cannes 2025 takes over social media, 'oops moment' goes viral, netizens say, 'First Indian to…'; watch
Actress Urvashi Rautela, whether she is promoting her film or appearing in an event, often comes in the news for some other reason. This year, for the second time, Urvashi appeared on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival. But while last time everyone was surprised to see her parrot worth Rs. 4 lakhs, now Urvashi has come in the news due to her Oops moment on the red carpet. Urvashi suddenly became a victim of a wardrobe malfunction in front of hundreds of cameras. Now people have also started trolling the actress on this video. Videos of Urvashi walking the red carpet were posted on several social media handles. The video is from the screening of O Agente Secreto (L'Agent Secret/The Secret Agent), which was a part of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. In the video, Urvashi was seen in a black silk taffeta gown. As Urvashi waved to the cameras, the internet noticed a hole in her dress near her arm. On Instagram, fashion page 'Diet Sabya' shared Urvashi's video and posted a funny comment with it, which read, 'Look, hard work must be respected. Poor girl, I feel bad for her. Walking on the red carpet at Cannes with no paparazzi is like a dead kiss.' A user commented on her story, 'Is there a hole???' An X user wrote, 'Is she the first Indian to have a torn dress at Cannes?' Take a look at Urvashi Rautela's viral video: Urvashi Rautela :- First Indian to have a torn dress at Cannes? — raman (@Dhuandhaar) May 18, 2025 She was seen in a black ball gown. This black gown had full-length sheer sleeves, crew neckline, sweetheart neck detail, corseted body, midriff hugging fit, cinched waistline, a voluminous skirt filled with layers of silk, and a train at the back. She paired this gown with a twisted updo, an embellished pink clutch, and emerald-cut earrings. Her makeup was styled with glossy coral brown lip shade, kohl-lined eyes, winged eyeliner, mascara-adorned lashes, flushed cheeks, glowing highlighter, and darkened brows.
