Brazil is one of the world's largest film markets. Most European and American films are quickly released in Brazil and play to large audiences on big screens with their original soundtracks.

Cinemas are cheap ($4) and among the best are the Largo do Machado I & II and the São Luiz I & II, both in Largo do Machado; the Ricamar and the Roxy, along Avenida N.S. de Copacabana; and Condor Copacabana in Rua Figueiredo Magalhães. Jornal do Brasil lists what's on and where.

There's an excellent chain of art-house cinemas, called Estação, showing the latest films on the international circuit. Check out the Estação Paissandu, near the corner of Rua Senador Vergueiro and Rua Paissandu, Centro; the Estação Cinema 1 in Leme; the Estação Botafogo, Rua Voluntarios da Patria 88; and the Estação in the Museu da República, Palácio do Catete.

Since 1984 Rio de Janeiro has hosted Rio-Cine , an international festival of film that includes some TV and video productions as well, and ranks alongside those of Cannes, Montreal and Moscow.

It takes place over ten days in November and is based in the Convention Centre of the Hotel Nacional : contact the organizers at Rua Paissandu 362 (tel 021/285-7649), in Flamengo. Cariocas love the cinema and their festival lacks the snobbery that has marred Cannes. Over three hundred films are shown during the festival, with parallel screenings in cinemas all over Rio

Rio de Janeiro guide
Brazil guide