By Maíra Amorim, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – For film lovers, September is the most anticipated month of the year. The rationale is simple: it is when the star-studded Festival do Rio (Rio [Film] Festival) graces the city with lights, camera and plenty of action.
This year’s edition will take place from September 24 to October 8 and one of the Hollywood heavyweights confirmed is none other than Quentin Tarantino. The A-list director will be promoting the release of his latest film “Inglorious Bastards”, which will be shown at the festival’s closure.
Tarantino will be in town from October 6 to 8 and on the 7th he will participate in a press conference. He will also curate a special selection of films for screening.
The official calendar is yet to be announced. So far, the producers have released the names of the national feature films in the Mostra Première Brasil, one of the most efficient tools for publicizing national cinema.
The list includes twelve long-awaited and unreleased movies such as “Bellini e o Demônio” (Bellini and the Devil), which marks the return of Fabio Assunção after his drug troubles.
“Do Começo ao Fim” (From Start to Finish) by Aloísio de Abranches, tells the controversial story of gay love between two brothers, and “Os Famosos e os Duendes da Morte” (The famous and the Dead), is the first feature film by Esmir Filho, famous for his internet short “Tapa na Pantera”.
The exhibition “Brazil com Z” (Brazil with a ‘Z’) will take place for the second time showing foreign films shot in Brazil. The official selection will soon be available on the festival’s website. In last year’s edition, “Se Nada Mais Der Certo” (If Nothing Else Works) and “Apenas o Fim” (Just the End) were the winners of the Première Brasil.
“500 Days of Summer”, this year’s hit romantic comedy in the US, will also be coming to Rio Film Festival. Videoclip director Mark Webb’s debut was praised at Sundance Festival and critics around the world. It tells the story of a romantic young man (Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who falls in love with a trendy girl (Summer, Zooey Deschanel) who does not believe in love.
Last year, more than 350 films from all over the world came to the festival and this year will be no exception. The organization is yet to release the whole calendar and information about prices and venues. One thing is certain, it is better to hurry once they start selling tickets as they are usually sold out quickly, especially for big screenings and special sessions. The atmosphere that surrounds the city during the film festival creates a unique buzz, with the names of important films and famous directors and actors on everyone’s lips.
The festival is also a great opportunity for film producers and investors. The parallel event Rio Market is set up with a business focus and will host debates and lectures. The calendar is already available at the website and inscriptions can be made online.
Festival do Rio official’s website
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