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Recife Rides ‘The Secret Agent’ Oscar Momentum as Fans Flock to Film Sites

The Oscar-nominated drama is recentering Brazil’s cultural map on the northeast.

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Tour guide Roderick Jordao was inspired to create a tour of film locations in Recife
Northeastern pride in the film exploded during Carnival in February 2026, with giant effigies of actor Wagner Moura and director Kleber Mendonca Filho paraded in the streets of Olinde
Carnival revellers paid tribute to a giant hairy leg that features in the film -- a reference to a well-known local urban legend from Recife about a disembodied hair-covered human leg that wanders the streets at night attacking people

Overview

  • The film, set in Recife, is nominated for four Academy Awards including best picture, international feature, actor and casting.
  • Local tour operators report surging demand for location visits that spiked after the Oscar nominations were announced.
  • The production has already collected international prizes, including two Golden Globes, drawing visitors from across Brazil and abroad.
  • Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and local scholars say the movie challenges stereotypes by showcasing Recife’s cosmopolitan culture and Brutalist architecture.
  • Carnival celebrations featured giant effigies from the film and a renewed craze for a 1978 Pitombeira shirt, with roughly 30,000 sold, many to buyers in the United States and Europe.