Rio2C, Latin America’s Largest Creativity Event, Reaches Record Attendance as Rio de Janeiro Aims to Build as Brazil’s Film and TV Capital

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As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but share the exciting news! From May 27th to June 1st, Rio2C, the largest creativity event in Latin America, will be held in person for its sixth edition. This year promises to break records with approximately 52,000 attendees and an impressive 483 executive participants from a staggering 39 countries!

The ongoing expansion of this year’s event, themed “The Edge of Perfection,” underscores the robustness of the film, television, and creative sector in Rio, according to Rafael Lazarini, CEO of Rio2C.

The fact that the event is growing more each year with the theme “The Edge of Perfection” shows how strong the film, TV, and creative industry is in Rio, as stated by Rafael Lazarini, head of Rio2C.)

The city serves as the base for South America’s largest broadcaster and telenovela creator, Grupo Globo, along with being a historic hub for independent film production in the country, known for launching the Cinema Novo movement of influential filmmakers like Glauber Rocha, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, and Caca Diegues during the 1960s and 1970s.

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The city is the home to South America’s biggest broadcaster and telenovela producer, Grupo Globo, and has a long-standing reputation as the primary center for independent film production in the country, giving birth to the Cinema Novo movement of notable directors such as Glauber Rocha, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, and Caca Diegues during the 1960s and 1970s.

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This city is where Grupo Globo, South America’s biggest broadcaster and telenovela maker, sets up its headquarters, and it has a long history of being the main center for independent film production in the country – the birthplace of the Cinema Novo movement led by filmmakers like Glauber Rocha, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, and Caca Diegues in the 1960s and 1970s.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’ve witnessed how tradition, an abundance of talented individuals, and the city’s captivating allure, coupled with forward-thinking government policies, have laid the groundwork for a robust film production sector in Rio. A comprehensive study conducted by Rio’s City Hall reveals that films produced within our city accounted for 70% of the Box Office (B.O.) and 71% of ticket sales in Brazil from 1995 to 2024. Last year, these figures surged to an impressive 90% of the total B.O. and 88% of all ticket sales in Brazil, a trend that persisted this year.

The powerful stage presence of two films significantly boosted Rio’s Box Office (B.O.) and attendance percentage recently: “I’m Still Here,” this year’s winner of the Best International Feature Film Oscar, premiered in Brazil on November 7, 2024, while “O Auto da Compadecida 2,” directed by Guel Arraes and Flavia Lacerda, was unveiled on December 25, 2024.

Just as New York City serves as the business and financial hub of the U.S., with Los Angeles being the global capital for film and television, so too does Sao Paulo stand as Brazil’s economic powerhouse, while Rio de Janeiro is the heart of the country’s creative industry. In essence, Rio de Janeiro can be likened to Los Angeles within the context of Brazil.” This was stated by Lazarini in an interview with EbMaster.

Mayor Eduardo Paes of Rio is anticipated to grace Rio2C 2025, where he plans to unveil a bundle of incentives worth approximately 131 million reais ($23 million) for Rio-based businesses. This financial package will see the federal government contributing around 100 million reais ($17.5 million), while City Hall chips in with roughly 31 million reais ($5.4 million). These funds are intended to support various sectors, such as film and TV production, exhibitions, festivals, and training programs.

Mayor Paes shared with EbMaster that City Hall intends to present a “Film-Friendly” seal in Rio2C, which the local film agency RioFilme and the Rio Convention & Visitors Bureau will bestow upon trustworthy businesses within the city that provide services and goods for international film and television production.

City officials believe that Rio’s stunning natural attractions, vibrant culture, and diverse population make it an appealing destination not just for domestic film productions, but also for those of international corporations.

In 2022, Paes informed EbMaster that his administration established a cash rebate for foreign filmmakers shooting in Rio. The city repays up to 35% of qualified expenses for international producers, based on the anticipated benefits to Rio’s economy and reputation from the production.

Simultaneously, RioFilm optimized the process for Rio’s Film Commission, making it easier for filmmakers, television producers (including those from TV Globo and TV Record), and advertisement creators to produce films, series, TV shows, and commercials. This streamlining helps producers navigate through bureaucracy and other potential challenges.

In 2024, the Film Commission of Rio granted a total of 8,782 days for filming in Rio, marking an increase from the 7,885 days in 2023 and the 7,498 days in 2022, as reported by RioFilme.

One of the world’s cities with the highest number of film shoots, we surpassed Paris and Mexico City in terms of total shooting days in 2023. In the following year, we hosted a total of 505 productions, with 27 of them being from abroad. Rio’s film and television industry generated approximately 4.2 billion reais ($736 million) in 2023, marking a significant increase of 68% compared to the earnings in 2019.” (Paes told EbMaster)

In recent years, Warner’s “Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire,” created by Legendary Pictures, and Universal’s “Fast X” from the “Fast & Furious” series are among the top international films shot in Rio.

According to Leonardo Edde, the president director of RioFilme, one challenge for increasing the size of Rio’s production sector is the scarcity of contemporary studios. While TV Globo and TV Record have state-of-the-art studios in Rio, they are primarily used for producing their own telenovelas and programs within the broadcasters.

Indie film producers often found themselves with limited options: they had to use Polo Rio Cine Video, a collection of seven studios constructed by the city in 1988, or work with small studios scattered throughout town or travel to São Paulo. Despite being an essential project, Polo Rio didn’t receive adequate funding, either public or private, for several years, and the facilities became outdated as a result.

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Indie film producers frequently faced limited choices: they often relied on Polo Rio Cine Video, a complex of seven studios built by the city in 1988, or worked with small studios located throughout town or traveled to São Paulo. Although it was an important project, Polo Rio struggled to secure enough funding, either public or private, for many years, and the facilities grew outdated as a result.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding the legal aspects, private businesses hesitated to invest in Polo Rio. The lease agreements were ordinary ones, enabling the city to evict any renting companies within just 30 days after giving notice, as Edde explained to EbMaster. Consequently, Mayor Paes, upon assuming office in 2021, initiated a public tender to select a company to manage Polo Rio for a period of 30 years.

The Sao Paulo studio and post-production group Quanta secured a 30-year contract, with the option to extend for another 30 years. Marcelo Pedrazzi, one of Quanta’s partners, shared with EbMaster that they assumed management of Polo Rio in July 2022 and have so far invested around half of the 92 million reais (approximately US$ 16 million) as outlined in their agreement.

Beginning in early planning stages, it was decided to build a cutting-edge production studio by the end of 2023. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as the filming location for “O Auto da Compadecida 2,” a highly anticipated Amazon Prime Time series produced by Rio’s Conspiracao and H2O. The studio was meticulously designed to replicate the arid landscapes of Brazil’s Northeast, with approximately 98% of the filming taking place within its walls, according to Pedrazzi.

Quantum has built two new studios and refurbished two existing ones. Their goal is to have a total of 15 functioning studios in Polo Rio completed by March 2026, as stated.

In a conversation with EbMaster, Pedrazzi mentioned that Kevin Costner’s famous line from ‘Field of Dreams’, “If you build it, he will come,” refers to the producers in this context. Sao Paulo dominates advertising production, but when it comes to entertainment, films and series, Rio de Janeiro is the primary market. Essentially, everyone desires to film in Rio.

The aspirations for Rio’s creative sector are quite grand. The Mayor has put forward a plan to establish a Creative District in Barra, which is close to Cidade das Artes and where the Rio2C event occurs, to the Rio City Council.

Drawing inspiration from Madrid’s Creative District, Rio de Janeiro’s district will span a vast territory that encircles Globo’s Burbank-esque production facility, TV Record’s studios, Polo Rio, and various smaller studios scattered throughout. This includes the studios located within Riocentro, the city’s principal convention center.

In the heart of the District, where most of the 2016 Summer Olympics events took place in a spacious venue, plans are underway to construct a themed amusement park, a resort, an Olympic Museum, a multi-purpose tower featuring offices, an ice skating rink, a theater, and a site designed for the bi-annual Rock in Rio music festivals.

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In the central District, where the 2016 Summer Olympics events were primarily held on a vast expanse of land, there are proposals to establish a theme park, a resort, an Olympic Museum, a tower with offices, an ice skating rink, a theater, and a venue for the Rock in Rio music festivals every other year.

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At the core of the District, where the 2016 Summer Olympics events predominantly took place on a sizable area, the plan is to develop a theme park, a resort, an Olympic Museum, a tower with office spaces, an ice skating rink, a theater, and a location for hosting the Rock in Rio music festivals every two years.

In the style of Rio de Janeiro, the city government has announced their intention to appoint a private firm to oversee the management of the complex for a period of thirty years, according to the mayor.

Paes stated to EbMaster that Rio stands to gain significantly from this endeavor. Over the 30-year contract period, the project is projected to create approximately 143,000 jobs, both direct and indirect.

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2025-05-27 13:17