The Secret Agent

The screening will be introduced by Tales Maniçoba and Larissa Avelar from Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge (LAG Norge).

After the screening, the evening continues with a vinyl-only DJ set by Doobie Ellington (Mats Oven), bass player and producer from Oslo. Expect a deep dive into the heart of Brazilian popular music from the 60s and 70s — warm grooves, hypnotic percussion, and the unmistakable energy of Brazil’s most beloved and rare records.

***

Tales Maniçoba is a Brazilian filmmaker and curator based in Oslo. His work engages with memory, colonialism, and legal-political structures.
Larissa Avelar is a Brazilian activist in LAG Brasil and former chair of LAG Norge, with a background in literature and editorial work on Latin-American nonfiction.

Their introduction will briefly place the film within the context of Brazil’s military dictatorship and reflect on the cultural significance of Recife and the Northeast as an alternative artistic center in contrast to the mainstream Rio–São Paulo axis, as well as how the film’s themes resonate in Brazil’s post-Bolsonaro political landscape.

About LAG Norge:
Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge (LAG) is a Norwegian solidarity organization working with social movements across Latin America on issues of democracy, social justice, and environmental rights. Through political education, activism, and cultural events, LAG aims to broaden the understanding of Latin-American realities in Norway.

About the film:

Set in 1970s Brazil, The Secret Agent follows Marcelo as he gradually becomes aware of the risks facing anyone connected to the political left under a system of repression enforced by the military dictatorship. In Recife — long a cradle of countercultural movements and intellectual resistance — the machinery of control infiltrates everyday life with a force that feels both pervasive and inescapable.

Blending elements of thriller, neo-noir and political cinema, the film stands out for its atmospheric tension, textured sense of place, and intimate view of life under surveillance. At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, The Secret Agent was awarded both Best Director (Kleber Mendonça Filho) and Best Actor (Wagner Moura)

The Secret Agent was this years closing film at Films from the South.

What is the European Cinema Night?

A key part of the Creative Europe MEDIA programme is the engagement with audiences of all ages, specially the younger generations, via different activities such as the event entitled “European Cinema Night – Sharing stories we love’.

For the eight consecutive year, MEDIA collaborates with the network of Europa Cinemas to propose free screenings of European films supported by Creative Europe MEDIA in every Member State. It connects more than 10,000 cinemagoers, brings European films closer to citizens, while celebrating the unique richness and diversity of European culture.

This initiative and, subsequently, participating cinemas, has considerably grown throughout the years. The first edition in 2018 counted 34 participating theatres; participation grew to 54 in 2019 raised to 67 in 2020 and involved no less than 71 venues in 2021. In 2022, 75 cinemas took part in the initiative and 84 in 2023. This year, European Cinema Night counts 88 participating cinemas.

In 2025, the initiative expands globally with EULAC Cinema Nights - a special edition in collaboration with cinemas across Latin America and the Caribbean. Timed alongside the EU-CELAC Summit taking place on 9 and 10 November 2025 in Santa Marta, Colombia, this bi-regional celebration will showcase the power of audiovisual cooperation between the two regions.

Throughout November, nearly 30 cinemas across 16 Latin American and the Caribbean countries will screen co-productions uniting European and Latin American voices. On the European side, from 1 to 5 December, 93 cinemas from all EU Member States will join, spotlighting films born from such international collaboration.

The initiative is jointly organised by the Creative Europe MEDIA programme, the European External Action Service, and Europa Cinemas, in cooperation with the Conference of Ibero-American Audiovisual and Cinematographic Authorities (CAACI).