Rio Film Festival comes to Cannes to Celebrate Brazilian Cinema

Tribute to Brazilian Cinema (May 16 - 20)
Marks 40 Years of Cinema Novo with screenings and visits by leading directors and filmmakers.


The Rio Film Festival (Festival do Rio), now firmly established as the leading film festival in Latin America which brings together local filmmakers and the international cinema community, is partnering with the Cannes Film Festival 2004 to highlight the expanding outreach of Brazilian film in a 5 day showcase, Tribute to Brazilian Cinema - 40 Years of Cinema Novo.

An initiative between the Cannes Film Festival and the Rio Festival, represented at Cannes by executive director, Ilda Santiago, Tribute To Brazilian Cinema will centre on a celebratory 40th anniversary screening of Brazilian cinema master filmmaker Glauber Rocha's Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol (Black God, White Devil), long considered one of finest examples of Latin cinema.

Further films which will have a place in the tribute programme include such classics as O Pagador de Promessas (The Given Word), Macunaima, Vidas Secas (Barren Lives), Bye Bye Brasil, and Dona Flor e seus Dios Maridos (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands), which in keeping with the flavour of the Rio Festival will have an outdoor screening on the Croisette Beach, Monday May 17 as part of the festival Cinéma à la Plage..

The Tribute schedule will also see some of the country's leading filmmakers in Cannes for official events, led by Brazil's Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, who attends the opening event Sunday (16) evening which sees a screening of Bye Bye Brasil.

Along with Gil, the opening will see the presence of director Cacá Diegues, actor José Wilker, and producers Lucy and Luiz Carlos Barreto, who among others will officially represent Brazilian film throughout the 5 day programme.

Tribute To Brazilian Cinema is also intended to act as a platform to reinforce the Latin contingent in the Producers Network, the body which is geared to bringing together Latin American producers and investors with producers from all over the world. The Network hosts a working breakfast in association with the Marché International du Film May 20th at the Plage des Palmes.

Demonstrating something of the party spirit that complements the professional heart of its Festival, the Rio Film Festival will host a Brazilian 'festa' in tandem with Riofilme, the Rio de Janeiro municipal film fund fronted by actor Jose Wilker, and Fonds Sud Cinema, celebrating it's 20 anniversary, on Monday May 17, while four 'happy hours' in the second week of the Cannes Festival will provide further opportunities to bring together international filmmakers interested in business collaborations with Latin America.

Now in its sixth year, Festival do Rio has played a major part in the renewed vigor and expanded scope and vision the Brazilian film industry has displayed in it's most recent past, putting Brazil firmly on the map both as a meeting place for leaders in the industry as well as a launchpad for new world movies and a showcase for the best new Brazilian and Latin product.

Last year's festival clocked up 210,000 admissions over 12 days, proving conclusively that the festival continues to attract ever growing numbers of cinema enthusiasts eager to embrace Festival do Rio's adventurous programming and the glamour provided by the presence of stars such as Samuel Jackson, Elia Suleiman, Roman Polanski, Costa-Gavras, Charlotte Rampling, François Ozon and Todd Solondz who are increasing in attendance.

Festival do Rio has already marked this year's calendar for 23rd September to 7th October as the dates for Festival do Rio 2004. Immediately prior, festival heads Ilda Santiago and Walkiria Barbosa will take the spirit of the festival to New York for a second year with a showcase presentation, Premiere Brazil New York. A joint venture with the Museum of Modern Art, the event this year takes place at the Film Forum, 23- 29 June.

Santiago was this year appointed the official Cannes Film Festival correspondent for Brazil, responsible for earmarking likely festival contenders from the South American Latin territories.

Tribute To Brazilian Cinema commences Sunday 16 May with an opening screening of Bye Bye Brazil in the Palais des Festival, and continues with a daily series of screenings and events through to Thursday May 20th.

Tribute to Brazilian Cinema (May 16 - 20)
Marks 40 Years of Cinema Novo with screenings and visits by leading directors and filmmakers.


The Rio Film Festival (Festival do Rio), now firmly established as the leading film festival in Latin America which brings together local filmmakers and the international cinema community, is partnering with the Cannes Film Festival 2004 to highlight the expanding outreach of Brazilian film in a 5 day showcase, Tribute to Brazilian Cinema - 40 Years of Cinema Novo.

An initiative between the Cannes Film Festival and the Rio Festival, represented at Cannes by executive director, Ilda Santiago, Tribute To Brazilian Cinema will centre on a celebratory 40th anniversary screening of Brazilian cinema master filmmaker Glauber Rocha's Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol (Black God, White Devil), long considered one of finest examples of Latin cinema.

Further films which will have a place in the tribute programme include such classics as O Pagador de Promessas (The Given Word), Macunaima, Vidas Secas (Barren Lives), Bye Bye Brasil, and Dona Flor e seus Dios Maridos (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands), which in keeping with the flavour of the Rio Festival will have an outdoor screening on the Croisette Beach, Monday May 17 as part of the festival Cinéma à la Plage..

The Tribute schedule will also see some of the country's leading filmmakers in Cannes for official events, led by Brazil's Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, who attends the opening event Sunday (16) evening which sees a screening of Bye Bye Brasil.

Along with Gil, the opening will see the presence of director Cacá Diegues, actor José Wilker, and producers Lucy and Luiz Carlos Barreto, who among others will officially represent Brazilian film throughout the 5 day programme.

Tribute To Brazilian Cinema is also intended to act as a platform to reinforce the Latin contingent in the Producers Network, the body which is geared to bringing together Latin American producers and investors with producers from all over the world. The Network hosts a working breakfast in association with the Marché International du Film May 20th at the Plage des Palmes.

Demonstrating something of the party spirit that complements the professional heart of its Festival, the Rio Film Festival will host a Brazilian 'festa' in tandem with Riofilme, the Rio de Janeiro municipal film fund fronted by actor Jose Wilker, and Fonds Sud Cinema, celebrating it's 20 anniversary, on Monday May 17, while four 'happy hours' in the second week of the Cannes Festival will provide further opportunities to bring together international filmmakers interested in business collaborations with Latin America.

Now in its sixth year, Festival do Rio has played a major part in the renewed vigor and expanded scope and vision the Brazilian film industry has displayed in it's most recent past, putting Brazil firmly on the map both as a meeting place for leaders in the industry as well as a launchpad for new world movies and a showcase for the best new Brazilian and Latin product.

Last year's festival clocked up 210,000 admissions over 12 days, proving conclusively that the festival continues to attract ever growing numbers of cinema enthusiasts eager to embrace Festival do Rio's adventurous programming and the glamour provided by the presence of stars such as Samuel Jackson, Elia Suleiman, Roman Polanski, Costa-Gavras, Charlotte Rampling, François Ozon and Todd Solondz who are increasing in attendance.

Festival do Rio has already marked this year's calendar for 23rd September to 7th October as the dates for Festival do Rio 2004. Immediately prior, festival heads Ilda Santiago and Walkiria Barbosa will take the spirit of the festival to New York for a second year with a showcase presentation, Premiere Brazil New York. A joint venture with the Museum of Modern Art, the event this year takes place at the Film Forum, 23- 29 June.

Santiago was this year appointed the official Cannes Film Festival correspondent for Brazil, responsible for earmarking likely festival contenders from the South American Latin territories.

Tribute To Brazilian Cinema commences Sunday 16 May with an opening screening of Bye Bye Brazil in the Palais des Festival, and continues with a daily series of screenings and events through to Thursday May 20th.