Tag: Central Station

Oscar Predictions: The Secret Agent

I’m Still Here from Walter Salles became the first Brazilian production to take home Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. The previous nominee before that was back in 1998 with Central Station. The nation may not have to wait long for its next at bat courtesy of The Secret Agent. The 1970s set political thriller is directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and stars Wagner Moura Udo Kier, Gabriel Leone, and Maria Fernanda Cândido.

The Cannes premiere has garnered impressive reviews with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86 Metacritic. Assuming Brazil submits this as their contender in IFF (and why wouldn’t they?), a spot in the eventual quintet appears likely.

Agent nods could stop there. However, with the right campaign, Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay (from its filmmaker), and even Moura’s performance in lead Actor could be on the table. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: I’m Still Here

I’m Still Here, not to be confused with that 2010 mockumentary where Joaquin Phoenix become a rapper, is a Brazilian family drama from Walter Salles. It arrives more than a quarter century after Central Station, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film (now International Feature Film) and Actress (Fernanda Montenegro) and two decades behind his acclaimed The Motorcycle Diaries (which won a Best Original Song statue from the Academy).

His first Brazilian language feature in 16 years, Here has premiered at the Venice Film Festival to stellar reviews. Fernanda Torres is getting kudos in the lead role. We don’t know yet how competitive Best Actress will be and Torres could certainly get a push from distributor Sony Pictures Classics. I wouldn’t expect her to be in my projected quintet when I update my picks tomorrow, but I won’t leave her off my list of other possibilities. Torres’s mother happens to be Fernanda Montenegro (now in her 90s) and she appears in Here in what’s said to be a brief role.

Where Here has the best opportunity at Academy exposure is in International Feature Film (assuming it is Brazil’s pick). I’ve had it in my five for a few weeks and the Venice chatter solidifies the notion. I would put it behind Emilia Pérez (if France selects it) and The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany’s choice) as far as winning odds. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…