Overview
- The film opens in theaters on December 17 with a 2h40 runtime and stars Wagner Moura, Gabriel Leone and Maria Fernanda Cândido.
- At Cannes, the jury gave it two rare prizes: Best Actor for Moura and Best Director for Mendonça Filho.
- Critics highlight a bold blend of thriller, comedy, gore and espionage with surreal flourishes.
- Set in 1977 Recife under military rule, the story probes corruption and fear while contemporary sequences signal ongoing relevance.
- Mendonça Filho wrote much of the screenplay during a Bordeaux residency after Bolsonaro’s 2019 rise, reflecting the project’s political urgency and his commitment to creative freedom.