The 27th edition of the Rio International Film Festival, recognized as Latin America’s largest, is set to captivate audiences from October 2-12. The festival will screen approximately 260 films, comprising 124 local Brazilian productions and a diverse selection from dozens of countries worldwide. Kicking off the festivities, Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated film “After The Hunt,” starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield, will open the festival on October 2 at the historic Odeon theater in Cinelândia Square. The extensive programming will conclude on October 11 with Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” also at the Odeon, followed by the awards ceremony on October 12.

A significant highlight of this year’s festival is the “Premiere Brasil” section, dedicated to local films. It features a record 124 Brazilian productions, including feature films, short films, and the premieres of four TV series—an unprecedented number in the festival’s history. This robust selection, chosen from over 300 feature and 1,000 short film submissions, underscores the vitality of Brazil’s domestic production sector. Ilda Santiago, Rio Fest’s Executive Director, Programming & International Projects, emphasized that producers and distributors eagerly premiere their works in Rio due to the unparalleled visibility it offers within the press, critical circles, and the broader film community, affirming “Premiere Brasil is the biggest showcase of local films in the country.”

Premiere Brasil is structured into competitive and non-competitive categories. The Redentor prize competition encompasses sub-sections for Fiction, Documentaries, and Novos Rumos (for new directors). Non-competitive sections include Out-of-Competition, Clássicos Restaurados for heritage cinema, Retratos (films profiling people or institutions), Geração (films for kids and teens), À Meia Noite (horror films), Especial Séries Brasileiras (series), and O Estado das Coisas, dedicated to documentaries on current affairs, with a special focus on the environment this year.

Eleven features are vying for the Redentor fiction prize. Notable entries include Murilo Salles’ “A Vida de Cada Um,” exploring the relationship between a police captain and his children; Marcelo Gomes and Maria Clara Escobar’s “Dolores,” depicting an elderly woman’s dream of becoming a casino owner; and José Eduardo Belmonte’s “Quase Deserto,” about two men who witness a Detroit murder. Marcio Reolon and Filipe Matzembacher, known for “Hard Paint,” present “Night Act,” while Rogério Nunes’ “Coração das Trevas,” an animated adaptation of “Heart of Darkness,” offers a dystopian view of Rio’s outskirts. Flávia Castro’s “Cyclone” and Felipe Sholl’s “Ruas da Glória” are also in contention. Making history, Luiza Shelling Tubaldini becomes the first trans woman director to compete in Premiere Brasil with her romantic thriller “Love Kills.” Cíntia Domit Bittar contributes the horror film “Virtuosas,” and Susanna Lira, a four-time Redentor winner, showcases “#SalveRosa.”

The Premiere Brasil Out-of-Competition segment presents a strong lineup of 13 films, highlighted by Kleber Mendonça Filho’s critically acclaimed “The Secret Agent.” This historical political suspense film has already garnered multiple awards at Cannes 2025, including Best Actor for Wagner Moura and Best Director for Mendonça, and has been selected as Brazil’s entry for the Best International Feature Oscar. Other notable films include Karen Harley and Lírio Ferreira’s documentary “Para Vigo Me Voy,” a tribute to the late filmmaker Cacá Diegues; Flávia Lacerda’s comedy “Perrengue Fashion”; Gloria Pires’ directorial debut “Sexa”; Flavia Castro’s “As Vitrines”; Sergio Rezende’s “Por Nossa Causa”; Mauro Lima’s “O Homem de Ouro,” portraying controversial police officer Mariel Mariscot; and André Sturm’s political thriller “A Conspiração Condor,” which investigates the suspicious deaths of two former Brazilian presidents in 1976.

Beyond the local selections, the international program boasts an impressive array of films. Juliette Binoche will attend to present her directorial debut, “In-I in Motion.” Acclaimed Italian helmer Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia,” which opened this year’s Venice Film Festival, and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” Norway’s Oscar candidate, are major highlights. Kristen Stewart’s feature directorial debut, “The Chronology of Water,” based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, also stands out. Other significant international screenings include François Ozon’s “The Stranger,” Kaouther Ben Hania’s docudrama “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” Hong Sang-soo’s “What Does the Nature Say to You,” Agniezka Holland’s biographical drama “Franz,” Werner Herzog’s documentary “Ghost Elephants,” and Claire Denis’ “The Fence.”

Complementing the artistic showcases, the festival's business section, RioMarket, will host the launch of the Audiovisual Industry and Commerce Federation (FICA) on October 6. Led by Walkiria Barbosa, Rio Fest’s Executive Director and President of FICA, the federation aims to establish a comprehensive state policy for Brazil’s audiovisual sector, drawing inspiration from successful international models like South Korea’s. FICA’s proposals, which include new credit lines, initiatives to boost the games industry, strategies for exporting Brazilian films and TV shows, anti-piracy measures, innovation incentives, and sector governance, have been incorporated into President Lula da Silva’s “New Industry Brazil” development plan. During the launch, MPA will present Oxford Economics’ study on the economic contribution of the audiovisual industry in Brazil in 2024. UK consultant Amanda Groom, instrumental in the rise of South Korea’s film and TV industry, will deliver a lecture at RioMarket, underscoring the collaborative spirit for Brazil’s cultural and economic growth.