Grande Otelo 2026 ceremony honors Brazilian films Manas, O Agente Secreto and Amarela

The 2026 edition of Brazil’s premier film awards, the Grande Otelo Awards, was held at the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. The feature‑film category saw an unprecedented tie between Marianna Brennand’s “Manas” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “O Agente Secreto,” each receiving the Best Long‑Feature Fiction prize. “Manas” emerged as the most awarded film, collecting five trophies including Best Direction and Best Original Screenplay, while the biopic “Homem com H” secured six awards overall.

In the short‑film category, André Hayato Saito’s “Amarela” won Best Short Fiction. The 14‑year‑old‑led drama, produced by MyMama Entertainment, has been screened at more than 100 festivals in 35 countries, earned multiple international prizes and was pre‑nominated for the 2026 Oscars. Saito, a Japanese‑Brazilian filmmaker, said the film reflects his personal experience of racism and identity in Brazil.

The ceremony also recognized Antonia Pellegrino, president of Empresa Brasil de Comunicação, with a screenplay award from the Academia Brasileira de Cinema, highlighting the growing prominence of women in Brazilian cinema.