To present the main category of Critics Choice Awards 2026, Wagner Moura e Kleber Mendonça Filho were invited to announce which film would be the winner of Best Film of the award. Upon taking the stage, the Brazilian actor took a dig at the organization of the event.
When the, Wagner made a joke with the category. “Or, for us in Brazil, this is the Best International Film. Here are the nominees”, said the actor, drawing some laughs from the audience.
It is worth remembering that the Brazilian’s jab happened after the way the Best International Film category was announced at the awards. This year, for the first time, the . Kleber Mendonça found out that his production was the winner while giving an interview on the red carpet, before the start of the event, leaving the filmmaker quite surprised by the event. The way it was announced had repercussions on social media,
When taking the stage to present the main prize of the night, Kleber Mendonça used his time to thank him for being awarded and to mention his competitors in the category, the feature films “Foi Só Um Acidente”, “Sirāt”, “Belén”, “A Única Saída” and “A Garota Canhota”. “I want to thank Critics Choice for the award we won today. And we also want to recognize all the films we love and respect in this category. Thank you very much”, declared the director from Pernambuco.
On his social networks, the director mentioned Wagner Moura’s joke when talking about the victory. “Or as we say in Brazil, Best Film”, he said on his profile on X.
Tonight, the series were the biggest winners of the night, with four awards each. However, it was the one who won the Best Film category — in addition to Best Direction to Paul Thomas Anderson e Adapted Script.
Kleber Mendonça Filho and Wagner Moura presenting the Best Film category at the
— Tiago Pereira (@Tiagupereira2)
Or as we say in Brazil, Best Film ♥️🍷
— Kleber Mendonça Filho (@kmendoncafilho)
