Expat Cinema Rotterdam

The Secret Agent won Best Actor and Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival and is nominated for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film.

► ABOUT THE FILM
The story takes place during Brazil’s military dictatorship. Widower and professor Armando (Wagner Moura), seeking to escape political persecution, finds refuge in Recife alongside other exiles. Meanwhile, his son is being raised in the same city by his father-in-law. Elsa, the leader of an underground resistance movement, realizes that Armando’s situation is more precarious than he knows and offers to help him flee the country.

Filmed in Panavision, this thriller elevates the hallmarks of Mendonça Filho’s work to new heights: intergenerational family portraits, a perfect balance of humor and depth, a sharp exploration of Brazil’s past and present, his love of genre-blending, and meticulous reconstruction of specific locations and environments.

Reminder: film with a short introduction starts at 19.00 sharp!

Sirat—Arabic for “the path of life” or “the bridge stretched over hell”—won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to Sergi López (Pan’s Labyrinth, Happy as Lazzaro), Oliver Laxe largely works with an inexperienced cast. The film was co-produced by Pedro Almodóvar’s production company and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

► ABOUT THE FILM
A masterful and spectacular cinematic journey in which a missing daughter, desert sands, and the electronic beats of Kangding Ray come together to create a truly unique film experience. The Moroccan desert provides an awe-inspiring backdrop for this perilous search, filled with several memorable moments that firmly place Spanish director Oliver Laxe (Fire Will Come, Mimosas) on the map.

Luis (Sergi López) arrives at an illegal rave deep in the desert of southern Morocco with his young son Esteban (Bruno Núñez Arjona). He is searching for his daughter Mar, who disappeared months earlier during one of these boundary-pushing parties. Desperate for a final trace of her, they follow a group of ravers even deeper into the desert. What unfolds is both a physical and spiritual journey, guided by a hypnotic soundtrack.

Reminder: film with a short introduction starts at 19.00 sharp!