considered one of the biggest and most important film festivals in the world, the festival do rio is an event in the diary of every film buff in the city - the festival was born in 1999, as a merger of two already well-established events in rio: the mostra banco nacional, and the rio cine festival, and has become the cinema highlight of the year.

festival do rio has always attracted some of the biggest names in world cinema, with past attendees including roman polanski, willem defoe, harvey keitel, among many more - the festival is spread out over the course of two weeks, and showcases an estimated four hundred films.

offering cinema with a feminine touch is rio de janeiro's the femina - festival international de cinema feminino, dedicated to films directed and/or produced by women - an initiative by the institute for culture and citizenship femina, the femina festival seeks to promote the work of female films directors and producers, whilst encouraging young directors, to increase the participation and visibility of women's cinema, in brazil.