Hot on the heels of Neon acquiring Kleber Mendonça Filho’s acclaimed Palme d’Or potential “The Secret Agent” for North America, Mubi has now swooped in to buy the film for a number of other major territories.
The fast-rising distributor, streamer and production company picked up the film — among the most warmly received of Cannes so far — for Latin America (excluding Brazil), the U.K., Ireland and India, with release plans to be announced soon.
The deal was negotiated between Mubi and mk2, who are handling international sales.
Set in Brazil in 1977, “The Secret Agent” follows Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s who is on the run. He arrives in Recife during carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son but soon realizes that the city is far from being the non-violent refuge he seeks.
The film is led by’ Wagner Moura and also stars Maria Fernanda Cândido, Gabriel Leon, Carlos Francisco, Alice Carvalho, and Hermila Guedes. It was produced by Emilie Lesclaux. Co-producers include Nathanaël Karmitz, Elisha Karmitz, Fionnuala Jamison, Olivier Barbier, Leontine Petit, Erik Glijnis, Fred Burke and Sol Bondy. It is a Cinemasópio, MK Productions, Lemming Film and One Two Films presentation.
In its review, Variety described the film as a “terrific 70s thriller” and “dazzling period drama.”
The deal marks yet another film from Cannes 2025 official competition lineup to be added to Mubi’s slate (a theme that has continued for several years). The company produced “The Mastermind” and has retained several territories for the film and, before the festival began, bought rights for the U.K., Ireland, Latin America, Turkey and India to Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” which on Wednesday received a huge 15-minute standing ovation. During the festival, Mubi also snapped up multiple rights — including the U.S. — for Lynne Ramsey’s “Die My Love,” and later Latin American and Indian rights to Julia Ducournau’s genre-hopping drama “Alpha.”
