Grace Passô's 'Our Secret' Takes Top Prize at Gramado; Festival Spreads Honours Across Brazilian Cinema
Grace Passô's debut feature Our Secret (Nosso segredo) won the best film Kikito at the 54th Gramado Film Festival, the jury announced at the closing ceremony on 22 August. The film, which tells the story of a Black family quietly rebuilding its routine after a recent loss, also collected Kikitos for cinematography (Wilssa Esser) and art direction (Lucas Osório). Vitrine Filmes will release Our Secret in Brazilian cinemas on 27 August, according to Variety.
Passô, an established playwright and actress, wrote and directed her first feature with a cast that includes Ju Colombo, Flip, Robert Frank and Jessica Gaspar. The festival's top honour lands the film a theatrical run only days after its premiere on the festival circuit — the kind of timing that turns an award into a marketing tailwind for a distributor's opening week.
Allan Deberton's Gugu's World (Feito Pipa) proved the festival's crowd favourite, winning the audience award. Deberton also took the best director Kikito, while Teca Pereira won best actress and Lázaro Ramos won best supporting actor for their work in the same film. The jury gave an honourable mention to 11-year-old Yuri Gomes, also from Gugu's World.
Carlos Segundo's Milk Powder (Leite em Pó) carried off the screenplay Kikito, shared with co-writer Rafael Copel, plus the sound design award for Waldir Xavier. The critics' jury — Flavia Guerra, Pâmela Eurídice, Rafael Valles, Simone Zuccolotto and Victor Souza — named Milk Powder best Brazilian feature film.
The acting categories were split between several titles. José Loreto, for Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem, and Christian Malheiros, for Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino, shared the best actor prize. Naruna Costa won best supporting actress for Pele de Rinoceronte. Onna Silva of Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino received an honourable mention alongside young Yuri Gomes.
André Finotti and José Eduardo Belmonte won the editing Kikito for Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino. Otávio de Moraes received the original score award for Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem.
In the documentary strand, Susanna Lira's Gonzaguinha, da Maior Liberdade won the feature documentary Kikito, with Empeleitada taking an honourable mention. The main competition jury comprised actress Cris Vianna, director-screenwriter Fábio Meira, actress Helena Ranaldi, researcher and critic Kênia Freitas, and actor Marcelo Serrado.
The festival also used its closing night to recognise careers rather than individual films. Actor Marcos Caruso received the Troféu Cidade de Gramado. Producer Renata Almeida Magalhães was honoured with the Troféu Eduardo Abelin. Selton Mello and Maria Fernanda Cândido accepted the Troféu Kikito de Cristal, and Andrea Beltrão took the Troféu Oscarito. The festival maintains its full list of winners on its official site.
Gramado, held annually in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul, remains one of Brazil's most prominent domestic film showcases. This year's spread of prizes across at least six competing titles means no single film dominated — a result that, for a festival designed to spotlight national production, sends several films into the market with festival laurels attached.
