Petra Costa Nominated for Best Documentary at 2026 BAFTA Awards
Petra Costa, a Brazilian documentary filmmaker, has received her first nomination for the 2026 BAFTA Awards, often referred to as the British Oscars. This recognition highlights her film, developed in collaboration with producer Alessandra Orofino, released in 2025 on Netflix.
About the Nominated Documentary
The documentary explores the rise of evangelical Christianity in Brazil and its influential leaders. Notable figures in the film include pastor Silas Malafaia and former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned. The film contains never-before-seen footage from the events of January 8, 2023, when an attempted coup took place in Brazil, aiming to seize control of the country’s three branches of government.
Petra Costa’s Previous Accolades
Petra’s previous work includes the acclaimed documentary “Democracia em Vertigem,” released in 2019, which examined the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff. Although this film received an Oscar nomination in 2020, Petra did not secure a BAFTA nomination that year.
2026 BAFTA Awards Overview
The BAFTA Awards for 2026 will occur on February 22 in London. This year also features other Brazilian nominees:
- “O Agente Secreto,” nominated for two categories: Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Original Screenplay.
- Adolpho Veloso for Best Cinematography for “Sonhos de Trem.”
As the Brazilian film community celebrates these nominations, anticipation builds for the upcoming award ceremony.
