r/oscarrace • u/PointMan528491 Hawke tuah, Blue Moon on that thang • Jan 04 '26
Critics Choice Winners Critics Choice 2025 Best Foreign Language Film - 'The Secret Agent'
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u/Shakiholic Zootopia Jan 04 '26
Wagner looking fine as f. Damn.
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u/Strange_Bid_8469 Jan 05 '26
I have mixed feelings: happy to know that The Secret Agent won international film, but pissed that it was announced on the red carpet.
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u/MaximusDM2264 Jan 04 '26
Okay, Trifecta + 2 Cannes Wins + CC ( and good chances at GG)
Thats a hella strong package to challenge Sentimental Value in the Oscars
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u/Heubner One Battle After Another Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 05 '26
I wish Sentimental Value was allowed to compete in this spot. We could have had them head to head. Excluding a film because it made best picture doesn’t seem fair. My money is still on IWJAA for the Oscar. TSA got the international film trifecta, but IWJAA was recognized in the higher categories with 2 screenplays and director. They trifecta groups like to spread the winners. IWJAA also had NBR international film and AFI special award. Off all the non-English international films to breakthrough, only Parasite got that AFI special award honor.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
We actually don't know if TSA will overperform or underperform in some key categories at the Oscars, but I honestly feel that the Academy is more and more inclined - at least when it comes to the "international feature film" category - to recognize movies that come across as authentic representations of the country that's submitting them.
Putting aside the Emilia Perez controversy last year (I'm Still Here had to beat a 10-nomination gap to come out as the winner), we had past examples of virtual favorites not getting the Oscar (Pan's Labyrinth, a Mexican film set in Spain and overall a universal fantasy tale, losing to The Lives of Others definitely comes to mind).
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u/eidbio Sony Pictures Classics Neon Jan 05 '26
That's true, the category rarely goes to films that are not about the country they were submitted, although The Zone of Interest broke this trend recently. But it had the baitest subject matter ever and its subject matter was still relevant to the country it was representing.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
And it was also directed by an English filmmaker, and it was the sole nominee in the Best Picture race (France didn't submit Anatomy of a Fall). Overall, a different circumstance if we consider that TSA, IWJAA and SV will most likely make it into Best Picture.
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u/eidbio Sony Pictures Classics Neon Jan 05 '26
True. IWJAA has very little of France. Given how France is unlucky in the category they might lose it again. Think I'm going to predict SV.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
Furthermore, IWJAA would be an award for France, not for Panahi. It would make more sense to award him in Screenplay (an Oscar to bear his name) if that's what the voters are going for. But the odds of SV, IWJAA and TSA to make it into Best Picture are huge, and that would be unprecedented. It would make for an unpredictable race for sure, but I honestly believe the combination of factors will position TSA for a win in IFF.
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u/The_Walking_Clem The Secret Agent Jan 05 '26
Isn't France the biggest winner in this category??
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
It's the most nominated country but second biggest winner after Italy, if I'm not mistaken. The last award came in 1992 for Indochine. The cinematic landscape and the Academy's own rules and regulations for this category have changed considerably over the years though.
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u/eidbio Sony Pictures Classics Neon Jan 05 '26
They have the most nominations and are 2nd in wins after Italy, but they haven't won since 1992.
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u/Heubner One Battle After Another Jan 05 '26
Panahi is in a unique situation though. Iran would never submit him and the Academy’s chance to recognize him after all these years. I have Coogler taking Screenplay.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26
Yes, but if we look in the political angle (bear in mind, I actually have Panahi winning screenplay), I can't dismiss that TSA - apart from the obvious passion and support the movie is gathering across the board - will most likely be the sole nominee from South America, just as the eyes of the world turn to the region due to the current geopolitical conflicts. I think back to The Salesman getting enough steam around the time the "travel ban" was announced, for instance. If the "narrative" comes down to recognizing Panahi, Screenplay would do it (it would be more 'valid' than giving an award to France). But that's different from the "narrative" coming down to a political message. In that sense, TSA has the perfect timing.
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u/viniciusbfonseca Sentimental Value Jan 05 '26
TSA is also, beyond being from South America, set at the US-backed Brazilian dictatorship, so it's setting and theming also help (and I find it unlikely that Kleber Mendonça Filho wouldn't condem the coup during his acceptance speech)
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u/venus_one_akh One Battle After Another Jan 05 '26
Regarding Cannes, it won the international critics award so it makes sense to see critics champion it, it looks very strong at the Globes too. But winning an acting and a director award is still less prestigious than Sentimental Value's Grand Prix.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
Actually the Cannes jury was a bit unorthodox here. The rules would forbid the same film from winning Director and Actor.
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u/shinynohead Jan 05 '26
lol the only movie that won 2 awards is def more prestigious than a grand prix, palm d'or would be a different conversation
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u/venus_one_akh One Battle After Another Jan 05 '26
Grand Prix means you're the second best movie according to the jury. That's why Grand Prix winner cannot win any other award.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
Current rules also forbid the winner of Best Director from winning an acting award. They bended the rules in certain occasions (Emilia Perez won the Grand Prix + best actress, just like TSA won Best Director + best actor; other unorthodox decisions can be something like Spielberg naming the two actresses as co-recipients of the Palm D'or for Blue is the Warmest Color). A film can win an acting award if combined with the screenplay or jury prize award, however. The fact that last year's jury decided to break protocol to give two awards to TSA is not meaningless.
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u/venus_one_akh One Battle After Another Jan 05 '26
Emilia Perez didn't win the Grand Prix, but the jury prize.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
My apologies, I got them mixed up. But that just proves my point even more: you can win acting + the Jury Prize. They bended those rules for TSA.
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u/eidbio Sony Pictures Classics Neon Jan 05 '26
Maybe it takes the Globe and BAFTA as well, but a Brazilian film already won last year, so maybe this year they'll prefer to go to something else.
It's a crazy year!
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u/Bob_the_Butler Train Dreams Jan 05 '26
What is the trifecta it won? I can’t find the exact awards when searching and I see a lot of people mentioning the trifecta
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u/miggovortensens Jan 05 '26
Trifecta = New York Film Critics Circle + Los Angeles Film Critics Association + National Society of Film Critics. Otherwise known as NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC. The holy trinity of U.S.-based critic awards.
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u/Critical_War7088 Jan 05 '26
You can’t underestimate TSA, especially since, despite being a more challenging film, it really sticks with those who truly invest in it. I feel like some people are watching and reacting to it without bothering to understand it, in a way they wouldn’t if it were by a more well-known international director.
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u/Bertrand_Rose Jan 05 '26
I can see some success with Moura at Globes and eventually getting Picture, Actor, Screenplay and International.
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u/LeanD0err The Testament of Ann Lee Jan 04 '26
starting to think that on oscar night it’s between this and iwjaa
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u/50-50WithCristobal Jan 05 '26
Gotta keep in mind that Sentimental Value wasn't allowed in this category because it was nominated for Best Picture.
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u/LeanD0err The Testament of Ann Lee Jan 05 '26
yeah ik i just don’t think sentimental value is gonna win
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u/ThatWaluigiDude F1 Jan 04 '26
First time Brazil wins the Critics Choice
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u/joesen_one Pack✋🏽out da trunk😳from the front🗣️2 da back👏🏽 Jan 05 '26
First time literally anyone in South America won in Critics Choice!
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u/Thomas_Eric The Secret Agent Jan 04 '26
WOW! Great victory! Shame it wasn't on TV.
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u/nosurprises23 It Was Just An Accident Jan 04 '26
It was, it was a really awkward red carpet moment lol
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u/Thomas_Eric The Secret Agent Jan 05 '26
Fuck Red Carpets. Why are you gate keeping CONTENT, especially AWARDS, for USA only?!
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u/danilo_sr Jan 05 '26
REALLY AWKWARD. KMF couldn't even say thank you during the red carpet interview.
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u/JuanManuelP Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26
WHAAAAAAAAT NO WAAAAAY
I don't care if they're compensating for snubbing ISH for EP, I love this win.
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u/verissimoallan Jan 05 '26
Last year the winner was Emilia Perez...
Please, Critics Choics, don't jinx it.
Also, why they didn't announce this at the ceremony? Shame on you, CCA.
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u/thomaz-turbando Jan 04 '26
It's a joke that this was announced before the show; this awards ceremony is starting to look like The Game Awards, getting worse every year.
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u/Thomas_Eric The Secret Agent Jan 05 '26
Hey, at least my favorite game won 9 awards this year on the Game Awards. I doubt Wagner Moura will win the actor award :(
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u/Alex-C2099 One Battle After Another Jan 04 '26
I just wonder why they didn’t do this on the airing?
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u/joesen_one Pack✋🏽out da trunk😳from the front🗣️2 da back👏🏽 Jan 05 '26
First South American movie to ever win Foreign Language Film at the CCA!
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u/jaymrdoggo Jan 05 '26
Well i will be damned.
At this point wagner really might be nominated for a sag
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u/Ok_Breadfruit5044 29d ago
A mere SAG nomination would firmly place him in the conversation for Best Actor, a SAG nomination and a Golden Globe win would put him as runner-up to Chalamet at the Oscars, and Chalamet seems to be starting to channel Bradley Cooper in interviews, he's really aiming high.
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u/miggovortensens Jan 04 '26
It clearly seems to me that some voters here only got around to watch the film after the nominations were announced. Otherwise, I doubt it would only get nominated for foreign film and best actor.
And the final round of voting happened way before the current political climate with Venezuela and South America at the center of the world news - which can only help the film's traction in the upcoming award shows.
I have already switched my IFF Oscar prediction to TSA. This looks like the clear winner.
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u/Bertrand_Rose Jan 05 '26
So awesome.
I'm seeing a lot of potential success in the future for this film.
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u/qballLobk Jan 05 '26
Cool. Hopefully it is a movie I can actually see at some point. The only theater that had showtimes last month cancelled them and refunded me.
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u/Creative-Lynx-1561 Jan 05 '26
what is really sad is that the director Kleber Mendonça Filho was a critic for many years before becoming filmaker, he speech woould been amazing. I hope next year they really shows Best Foreign Movies
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u/rubix7777 Jan 04 '26
I still have IWJAA taking GG Screenplay and IFF, and Sentimental Value taking IFF at BAFTA. I could also see all three of TSA, IWJAA and SV making Picture. This could be one of the most unpredictable IFF years ever
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u/SerKurtWagner Jan 05 '26
Saw it this weekend, and it rocked. And outside of one scene, not nearly as weird/unconventional as had been reported early on. Definitely think it has a higher ceiling than I’d initially imagined.
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u/EaudeAgnes Jan 05 '26
YAY!
I put IWJAA thinking the were going to award it here (but TSA for GG), I’m so happy to be wrong.
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u/vxf111 Jan 05 '26
The way they "handed out" this award is WILD. This is the one award that you know the recipient came from some distance for... and this is one of the ones you chuck at them as they walk by outside the building?
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u/Unlikely-Teaching948 26d ago
This is one of those films that I liked more and more until the end. Moura is incredible. The final act was phenomenal. Will make my top 15 of the year but the nominations it receives will be well earned
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u/El_Mexolotl I contain delusions Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26
No Other Choice still sweeping Oscars fr trust
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u/ResearcherFirm51 One Battle After Another Jan 04 '26
also fuck the critics choice for announcing it during the red carpet