Best Picture Nominee: The Secret Agent


The Academy Awards are coming on March 15. We got the final list of nominees on January 22, and between now and the awards I'll be looking at the 10 Best Picture nominees and their chances of winning an award.

The Secret Agent
Starring: Wagner Moura and Tania Maria
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Total Nominations: 4
Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Actor (Moura), Best Casting, and Best International Feature
About: This is another strong contender that got four nominations, including one in the new category of casting. It's one of two International Features that made the Best Picture field, too. I don't see this winning Best Picture, but it should be a strong contender in at least one race. Moura gives a great performance, but he's likely in third or fourth place in a competitive category. It's hard to know how Casting plays out, as it's a new award. But with some bigger Best Picture contenders in that field, I don't think The Secret Agent wins there. So, that puts the focus on Best International Feature. That field is very strong, but with a Best Picture nomination that gives The Secret Agent a leg up. It's not my pick, and might not be the favorite, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the film win there.

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