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.

‘Gugu’s World’
Courtesy of Gramado Film Festival
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” received an honorable mention in the doc category.
The jury was comprised of actress Cris Vianna, director and screenwriter Fábio Meira, actress Helena Ranaldi, researcher, film critic and curator Kênia Freitas and actor Marcelo Serrado.
The critics’ jury consisted of journalist and doc filmmaker Flavia Guerra, journalist and professor Pâmela Eurídice, doc filmmaker and critic Rafael Valles, journalist and director Simone Zuccolotto and researcher and critic Victor Souza.
During the fest, actor Marcos Caruso received the Troféu Cidade de Gramado; producer Renata Almeida Magalhães was honored with the Troféu Eduardo Abelin; Selton Mello and Maria Fernanda Cândido accepted the Troféu Kikito de Cristal; and Andrea Beltrão took the Troféu Oscarito.
Gramado Fest winners:
Best Film: “Our Secret,” by Grace Passô
Best Documentary Feature: “Gonzaguinha, da Maior Liberdade,” by Susanna Lira
Documentary Honorable Mention: “Empeleitada”
Audience Award for Best Film: “Gugu’s World,” by Allan Deberton
Critics’ Jury Award for Best Film: “Milk Powder” (“Leite em Pó”) by Carlos Segundo
Best Director: Allan Deberton for “Gugu’s World”
Best Actress: Teca Pereira for “Gugu’s World”
Best Actor: José Loreto for “Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem” and Christian Malheiros for “Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino”
Honorable Mention: Yuri Gomes for “Gugu’s World”
Honorable Mention: Onna Silva for “Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino”
Best Screenplay: Carlos Segundo and Rafael Copel for “Milk Powder”
Best Cinematography: Wilssa Esser for “Our Secret”
Best Supporting Actor: Lázaro Ramos for “Gugu’s World”
Best Supporting Actress: Naruna Costa for “Pele de Rinoceronte”
Best Sound Design: Waldir Xavier for “Milk Powder”
Best Original Score: Otávio de Moraes for “Chorão: Só os Loucos Sabem”
Best Art Direction: Lucas Osório for “Our Secret”
Best Editing: André Finotti and José Eduardo Belmonte for “Justino: Nos Bastidores do Reino”