As published in Bravo Magazine

A casting director and actor, Leonardo Lacca has built a discreet yet fundamental career in contemporary Brazilian cinema. His work is directly connected to the creation of complex characters, attentive listening to actors, and an understanding of the cast as a living part of dramaturgy—not merely a technical execution.

He attended the 29th Tiradentes Film Festival to follow the circulation of The Secret Agent, one of the most talked-about Brazilian films at the event, as well as to take part in meetings and conversations about creative processes, directing actors, and the challenges of Brazilian cinema on the international stage. The film, which has been pointed to as one of the Brazilian titles with the greatest potential for international projection, once again brought his work into the spotlight.

He spoke with Bravo! magazine about his work and Oscar expectations just weeks before heading to the capital of American cinema.

BRAVO! In the case of a period film, does this also factor into the casting process?
Leonardo Lacca: Very much so. It affects the vocabulary, the surrounding elements, the relationship with art direction, costumes, and locations. The script itself starts to guide this direction. And casting choices are deeply tied to that as well: what kinds of bodies inhabited the late 1970s? If an actor carries very contemporary markers—whether aesthetic, technological elements on the body, or a specific type of physical training—that can break the viewer’s sense of credibility.

Language is fundamental. Words, ways of observing, of positioning oneself in the world. “Pirraça,” for example, is a word that carries so much of that era, of that spirit.

BRAVO! “Pirraça” has almost become an obsession for Americans lately (Wagner Moura explained the term in an interview with The New York Times)…
Leonardo Lacca (laughs): Yes, because it’s very sonorous, very pleasurable to say. And it conveys so much. It’s a complex word. Sometimes I think it’s even more complex than “saudade.” Saudade can still be translated. Pirraça has layers—affection, provocation, playfulness. Maybe it’s the new saudade.

BRAVO!: During the process, did you already imagine the film would have this kind of international impact?
Leonardo Lacca: No. Truly, no. Especially because I’ve never heard Kleber (Mendonça Filho) verbalize any ambition like “I want to go to the Oscars.” That simply doesn’t exist. The desire was always to make the best film possible, without concessions, with freedom. To work with incredible people—actors and actresses who would contribute to a professional and humane environment. The rest is a consequence.

BRAVO!: But then the campaign, the festivals, the awards… it all started happening.
Leonardo Lacca: Exactly. It’s a very organic step-by-step process. You make the film, you show it, people respond, festivals invite it, it wins an award, then another, a distributor like Neon becomes interested, the film starts circulating in the United States, in Canada. None of this was planned. Maybe from now on, other projects will be born with this dimension more concretely in mind. But this film was made among friends, among professionals, to realize Kleber’s vision as honestly as possible.

BRAVO! Do you think there’s now a greater openness among American audiences to this kind of Brazilian story?
Leonardo Lacca: Yes. And I think it has to do with perspective. For a long time, Brazilian cinema was strongly associated with certain images, certain themes. Today, when the focus is more on characters, on human relationships, on family, that creates a different point of entry. People connect. They understand the film. There’s no sense of “I didn’t get it.” We spent years understanding American films full of cultural codes that weren’t ours. And we understood them, because cinema builds bridges.

BRAVO!: You mentioned a curious example…
Leonardo Lacca: Yes—American fraternities. We don’t have that here, but everyone understands them when they appear in a film. If you want, you can look it up later. The same applies to our cinema. I’m certain that someone like David Lynch would perfectly understand certain symbols in The Secret Agent. And would love them. It’s a shame he didn’t get to see it.

BRAVO! What was it like working with Wagner Moura, who already has such a consolidated international career?
Leonardo Lacca: He brings nothing in the sense of “industry.” On the contrary. He’s an extremely simple, horizontal person, genuinely interested in others. He breaks any hierarchy in the very first interaction. That was very important because it prevents other actors from feeling intimidated. Wagner breaks the ice. He creates a comfortable environment. Following his process was very beautiful. He dives deeply into the character, the script, and the history. His connection with Tânia, for example, happens very much through intuition and humanity. It’s very powerful.

BRAVO! Now comes Los Angeles, awards season… how are you experiencing this moment?
Leonardo Lacca: As a celebration. Of course we root for it, but what has already happened is extraordinary. Cannes, awards, recognition… I’m celebrating all the time. I’m not stuck on the expectation of winning or not winning. If it happens, it will be incredible. If it doesn’t, it’s already incredible. This film has already lived something very rare.

*The reporter attended the 2026 Tiradentes Film Festival at the invitation of the event