Festival do Rio gets off to a fast and very busy first weekend

Published in 09/22/2013

Festival do Rio promises film fans and festival guests a busy opening weekend to this year's festival following the opening screening of Amazonia on Thursday

Argentina's Oscar winning director, Juan José Campanella (The Secret in Their Eyes), will be amongst the first of the guests to arrive in Rio with a screening Friday at 19.15 in the Odeon Petrobras of Metegol (Foosball). Metegol [photo] is a 3D computer-animated football comedy adventure co-written and directed by Campanella that was inspired by the short story 'Memorias de un wing derecho' (Memoirs of a Right Wing).

The Odeon Petrobras will be the stage on Saturday at 19.15 for American actress Dakota Fanning to introduce her critically acclaimed feature Night Moves, a drama centered on three environmentalists who plot to blow up a dam.

Saturday also sees directors Antonio Piazza and Fabio Grassadonia introduce the Italian-French co-production Salvo at Estação Botafogo 1 at 19.00. Salvo won the Critic's Week Grand Prize in Cannes earlier this year.

American director Ryan White will also introduce Good Ol' Freda at Estação Rio 1 at 19.00 on Saturday. This is the true story of the Beatles' long serving and trusted secretary and friend, Freda Kelly.

Sunday will see French director Claire Denis introduce her Un Certain Regard selected Bastards (Les Salauds), at Estação Rio 1 at 19.00, while the rising Italian star, actress Jasmine Trinca, will introduce Honey (Miele) at the Estação Rio 2 at 21.00.Trinca can also be seen during the festival in There Will Come a Day (Un Giorno devi andare), which is set in the Amazon. There Will Come a Day (Un Giorno devi andare) will screen Monday at Estação Rio 2 at 14.45 and 21.30.

The weekend also sees the first films screening in competition in Première Brasil. With the documentaries Historias de Um Arcanjo (Stories of Arcanjo - a documentary about Tim Lopes) by Guilherme Azevedo, and Cativas, presas pelo coração (Captive Hearts) by Joana Nin screening at the Odeon Petrobras on Saturday and Sunday respectively. As do the features Os Amigos (Best Friends) by Lina Chamie and O Homem das Multidões (The Man of the Crowd) by Marcelo Gomes and Cao Guimarães.

The above is just a small selection of festival highlights over the first weekend. Times and locations are still subject to change.