The Business Kleber Mendonça Filho on ‘The Secret Agent’ and taking a stand
Feb 27, 2026
Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazilian writer-director and former film critic behind Aquarius and The Secret Agent. He talks about moving from criticism to filmmaking. He recounts Cannes backlash and political pushback in Brazil. He explains why Recife influences his storytelling and reflects on cinema, theatrical windows and streaming shifts.
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Criticism Trained Him To Make Better Films
- Kleber Mendonça Filho credits his 13 years as a film critic for deepening his cinematic understanding.
- He says criticism let him 'go inside cinema' and prepared him technically and artistically before making award-winning short films.
He Reads Every Review Even On Letterboxd
- Kleber admits he reads every review of his films, including on Letterboxd.
- He recounts being surprised by far-right viewers who saw The Secret Agent multiple times while publicly saying they hate it.
Polarization Guarantees Political Backlash
- Polarization drives predictable backlash: Kleber says the far right attacks films with political elements.
- He finds it ironic they still attend screenings, noting one antagonist saw the film twice while insisting he hates it.