RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The fascination with horror movies and their link to rock music set the tone for the “Rock Horror in Rio Film Festival”, which is being screened at three locations. The main one is the Laura Alvim Cultural House, in Ipanema. The other points are the MAM’s Cinematheque (Museum of Modern Art) and the Cultural Reserve, in Niterói.
In special and competitive shows, the festival features 53 horror movies, from 12 different countries, divided into five categories, most of them concerning duration. They are Dark Feature Films, Bizarre Average Films, Macabre Short Films and Fear Pills – these, the shortest of all – very short films, virtually music videos, but that promise to focus terror in a very short time, as in the surreal “Kokosmos”.
“Kiss The Devil in the Dark” and “Jimmy” are among the productions featured in the shows in the mid and short-length competitive shows, respectively.
Another spotlight is “Rocambola”, by Juanja Fernández, one of the 14 Spanish films at the festival, as a result of the Spanish Embassy’s support for the event.
The only category that does not depend on size is that of domestic productions, ‘Brasil Assombrado’ (“Haunted Brazil”), featuring “A Caixa” (“The Box”) and the animation “11010” among the films highlighted by the production.
From Brazil, film professionals – not necessarily terror professionals – are also an important aspect of the festival, with lectures and masterclasses. There are lighting tips with Flávio Ferreira; special effects with Eduardo Halfen; costumes with Babita Mendonça; and the art of telling stories, with Leandro Corinto.
In discussions, André Moraes speaks about the music of Bernard Nerrmann and its relevance in Alfred Hitchcock’s soundtracks, while Ricardo Schott, journalist editor of the ‘Pop Fantasma’ website, talked on the first Sunday, December 1st, with Chris Fuscaldo, about the friendship between Zé do Caixão and Zé Ramalho and next Sunday, December 8th, about bizarre cases of pop music, with Luciano Cirne.
The relationship with music, rock’n’roll in particular, is not confined to the name of the festival, in fact. The genre that has most used horror as a topic, and particularly in its heavier strands, features several concerts and parties in programs intertwined with film sessions.
Rock Horror in Rio Film Festival
The festival offers free tickets. Advance ticket sales and details of the schedule are available on the festival’s website www.rockhorrorinriofilmfestival.com.
Venue: Laura Alvim Cultural House
Address: Vieira Souto, 176, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
Tel.: +55 (21) 2332-2016
Venue: MAM Cinematheque
Address: Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, 85, Aterro do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro
Tel.: +55 (21) 3883-5600
Venue: Reserva Cultural (“Cultural Reserve”)
Address: Visconde do Rio Branco, 880, São Domingos, Niterói
Tel.: +55 (21) 3604-1545