during the festival numerous awards are handed out such as best film, best documentary feature, best short film, and best actor/actress.

the festival is one of the largest festivals of its type in latin america, and it is estimated that over 250,000 spectators attend festival do rio during its duration.

the prestigious and very competitive première brasil section features drama, documentaries, and short films all attempting to catch the judges' attention, in a bid to win the troféu redentor award.