brazilian films, particularly a genre of films centered on rio de janeiro's favelas, examining the contrasting drug-fuelled violence and the prosperity and beauty of the 'cidade maravilhosa' have drawn huge numbers to the box office in recent years and these days - with rio strongly on the world map after a successful hosting of the 2014 soccer world cup, and host to the 2016 summer olympics, any mention of rio de janeiro in a film raises strong interest.

a prospering economy has resulted in a new middle class of movie-goers in the country - with hundreds of thousands of people lifted out of poverty by economic recovery and growth, a much larger percentage of brazilian population has now access to disposable income, and looks to cinema as one place to spend it.