with so many genres of cinema on offer during the length of the festival every taste is catered for - as part of the festival, there is also a large emphasis on the industry section with talks, seminars, and networking events.

the spotlight is often shone on brazilian filmmakers, giving them the chance to showcase their films to an audience they might otherwise not have access to - 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 judge's eye in a bid to win the troféu redentor award - this section is open to international directors and is divided into 12 thematic programs.