RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The 21st edition of the Rio Festival kicked off yesterday, December 9th, featuring a program of approximately 100 movies in various theaters in the city. The inauguration was held on Monday evening at Cine Odeon – Luiz Severiano Ribeiro Cultural Center, in Cinelândia, downtown Rio. The movie selected was ‘Litte Women’, by Greta Gerwig. A strong candidate for the Oscar, the long-awaited movie portrays the transition of the March sisters to adulthood without the presence of their father, who is fighting in the American Civil War.
“Many movies running for the Oscar are screened in the festival this year, starting with the opening film. In the segment of Brazilian cinema, there are 91 movies. The Festival has its 21st edition this year and over the years it has screened over 7,000 movies, and we have taken movies to communities that have never had a chance to watch them. The festival did and does a job, which I consider extraordinary, in promoting Brazilian cinema in the world,” said Walkiria Barbosa, one of the festival’s directors.
Until December 19th, the audience will enjoy an agenda that includes foreign and Brazilian movies, award-winning works and will still be able to vote for the best of Première Brasil, which is considered one of the country’s main cinematic showcases. The audience will take part in debates with filmmakers, producers, and actors and will be able to choose the best film in the fiction, documentary and short film categories. An official jury elects the winner in the other categories.
As part of Première Brasil, the audience will also benefit from the Mostra Retratos Musicais (Musical Portraits Exhibition), which was created as a result of the growth of the documentary market focused on this topic. “Music is very important in the transformation of people, in audiovisual construction, in the narrative of the movie, so we work hard on it and there is great interest from the public, given the success of Bohemian Rapsody late last year [that tells the life story of singer Freddie Mercury], the movie about Elton John and the movie with [singer, songwriter, and actress] Lady Gaga. It shows that the public is interested in this type of work and we couldn’t help but include it”.
The competitive exhibition ‘Novos Rumos’ (‘New Directions’) is a space open to several cinematographic styles. Nine features and seven short films by newcomers and veterans will be screened. “This year there is an incredible program of movies of all genres, a democratic program and with great quality”, added the director.
Risk
In September this year, the organizers of the Rio Festival decried the risk of cancellation of the 2019 edition, due to the loss of funding. The festival, which used to take place between September and October, was a little late, but it is on its feet, partly as a result of a virtual crowdfunding. The collective financing raised R$627,000.
“We are very pleased with what we managed to do, despite the great difficulties, but fortunately society, the entrepreneurs in the sector, the media, the public helped us, fortified us and we are holding the festival,” he said.
Model
According to Walkiria, the loss of funding also shows the need to rethink the investment model for this type of cultural event. “This industry has a turnover higher than other industries that think they yield large figures, and this industry promotes the country around the world,” she said.
In the director’s opinion, today the industry has an efficient management in the National Film Agency (ANCINE). “We have to grow and we will grow. Brazil needs our event, the city of Rio de Janeiro needs our event. We are working so that private companies can join us, but looking at us as a business opportunity,” she concluded.
RioMarket
RioMarket is yet another attraction. Created to reinforce the development of the audiovisual industry, it is the Rio Festival’s business area and holds debates in several workshops for the exchange of knowledge between renowned professionals, new producers and reputable companies in the area. In addition to new business opportunities, it promotes the training of market professionals.
Until Sunday, December 15th, film professionals and anyone interested in this industry will discuss the trends in the Brazilian audiovisual industry and will be invited to take part in business rounds and specific screenings of movies and documentaries.
“When we started the festival, we had screenings of the audiovisual content in the movie theater, the open and closed television and the home video. Today we have a huge diversification of viewing opportunities and they change the business model and the way the consumer wants to watch the content. During RioMarket, we will work on this, discussing, on the one hand, how consumers want to be impacted and where they want to watch their content, and on the other hand, how the industry will reshape itself for this new world”, she said.
The public’s meeting with directors, actors and producers of Première Brasil takes place at Odeon NET Claro – Luiz Severiano Ribeiro Cultural Center, Estação NET Rio, and at the MAM Cinematheque.
Screening Rooms
Movie houses participating in the Rio Festival circuit include: Odeon NET Claro Cinemas – Luiz Severiano Ribeiro Cultural Center, NET Gávea Station, NET Ipanema Station, NET Botafogo Station, NET Rio Station, Roxy, Kinoplex São Luiz, Kinoplex Tijuca, MAM Cinemateca, IMS – Moreira Salles Institute and Cultural Reserve in Niterói, in the metropolitan area of Rio.
Source: Agência Brasil