Grace Passô’s ‘Nosso Segredo’ Nabs Film Award at Gramado Fest

GRAMADO, Brazil — “Our Secret” (“Nosso segredo”), the first feature from Grace Passô, nabbed the best feature film Kikito award at the Aug. 22 closing ceremony of the 54th Gramado Film Festival. The feature also scooped cinematography (Wilssa Esser) and art direction (Lucas Osório) plaudits.

Passô, an established playwright and also actress, directed and wrote the feature that tells the story of a Black family trying to rebuild its routine after a recent loss. As family members avoid grief, the youngest son keeps a secret that may lead them to confront the roots of their pain.

Vitrine Filmes, the distributor of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent,” will release “Our Secret” in local theaters Aug. 27.

Allan Deberton’s “Gugu’s World” (“Feito Pipa”) took home the audience award, plus director, actress (Teca Pereira) and supporting actor (Lázaro Ramos) Kikitos.

Carlos Segundo’s “Milk Powder” () walked off with the critics’ jury award for Brazilian feature film, screenplay (Segundo and Rafael Copel) and sound design (Waldir Xavier).

In the acting categories, José Loreto, for “Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem,” and Christian Malheiros, for “Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino,” shared the actor prize. Naruna Costa, for “Pele de Rinoceronte,” nabbed the supporting actress Kikito. The jury granted honorable mentions for 11-year-old Yuri Gomes (“Gugu’s World”) and Onna Silva (“Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino”).

André Finotti and José Eduardo Belmonte took the editing Kikito for “Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino” and Otávio de Moraes received the original score award for “Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem.”

Susanna Lira’s “Gonzaguinha, da Maior Liberdade” won the doc feature Kikito, while “Empeleitada”…