Tag Archives: Rio de Janeiro

Sebastian Baez Makes History with Title Defense at Rio Open

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Make that two in a row for Sebastian Baez. 

The 24-year-old Argentine tennis player became the first player to successfully defend the Rio Open title on Sunday after overcoming Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-3 at the ATP 500 event in Brazil.

Sebastian BaezIn front of the capacity crowd in Rio de Janeiro, Baez produced a relentless display of aggressive, consistent ball-striking against Muller. He pulled the Frenchman from side to side with his accuracy, and he glided around the baseline to track down anything Muller threw at him, raising his arms in delight after sealing victory on his second match point.

With his one-hour, 26-minute win, Baez captured his fourth trophy on South American soil. The fifth seed, who has won his past 10 matches in Rio, is now a seven-time tour-level titlist.

“I am so proud of the whole week,” Baez said in his on-court interview. “I am so happy for every match. I did my best and I am so happy. I try to give my best every point.

“Of course the finals are different because you want to win the tournament. I try to focus on the match and that is most difficult part in the finals, but the support from my coach and the team is so important.”

Baez has clinched six of his seven crowns on clay, with the exception coming on hard courts in Winston-Salem. Since the start of 2022, Baez has earned 73 wins on clay, the most of anyone on Tour according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

The World No. 31 showed why he’s such a consistent performer on the surface this week with a series of impressive wins. Baez defeated Roman Andres Burruchaga and Chun-Hsin Tseng in straight sets and battled to three-set victories against Mariano Navone and Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

In a dominant display in the final against Muller, Baez struck 26 winners and broke the Frenchman’s serve five times, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Muller was aiming to capture his second tour-level title, having triumphed in Hong Kong earlier this season. The 28-year-old is up 19 spots to No. 41 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will rise to a career high on Monday.

Front Row to Release Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund’s “City of Gold” in Middle East for First Time

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Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund acclaimed Brazilian film is heading to Middle East theaters more than 20 years after its release.

Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment will release the iconic Oscar-nominated Rio de Janeiro gangland drama City of God across the Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time.

City of GoldCo-directed by Meirelles and Lund, film made waves back in 2002 for its realistic depiction of the rise of gang violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro with a young unprofessional cast.

Front Row originally released the film straight to DVD in the Gulf due to a variety of local restrictions but some two decades later is pushing on with a theatrical release in a sign of how the region is opening up.

Front Row’s planned February 22 release coincides with the 21st anniversary of the movie’s 2003 theatrical release following its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes in 2002, and also ties in with a global re-release on February 23.

The initiative also coincides with Front Row’s 20th Anniversary.

“The film holds a special place in our hearts; it was our first acquisition, and at the time we couldn’t release it theatrically due to language restrictions imposed by cinemas, and also because we couldn’t afford the budget it needed to stand out, so it went straight to DVD,” says Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra.

“We’ve come a long way since, and City of God remains an unforgettable masterpiece that deserves to be seen on the silver screen. What better way of celebrating our 20th?”

Front Row is co-distributing City of God with The Festival Agency, led by Leslie Vuchot, who acquired the rights from Wild Bunch.

The partnership is part of drive by Front Row to release a number of classics in the Gulf region that were not presented on the big screen first time round.

City of God was nominated in four categories at the 76th Academy Award but went home empty handed. However, it regularly features on critics lists as one of the top films of all time and is ranked #25 on IMDB with an audience score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Carlos Saldanha’s Disney Comedy Series “How to be a Carioca” to Screen at Iberseries & Platino Industria

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Carlos Saldanha’s latest project will get its first screening next month.

The 58-year-old Brazilian animator, director, producer and voice actor’s Disney comedy series How to be a Carioca will screen for the first time at the Iberseries & Platino Industria event in October.

Carlos SaldanhaThe first episode of the Star Original Productions-badged comedy will play at the fest, which is held in Madrid.

Saldanha and co-creator Joana Mariani will feature on a panel for the show alongside Leonardo Aranguibel, VP of Production, Head of Production Operations and Strategy, The Walt Disney Company Latin America.

The Portuguese-language comedy series follows an American writer who has to learn the quirks of Rio de Janeiro’s people after moving to the city. It stars the likes of Seu Jorge and Douglas Silva, and marks one of the first live-action Brazilian series the Oscar-nominated Saldanha has made in some years. He’s known for directing two of the Ice Age and Rio movies and picked up an Academy Award nom for 2017’s Ferdinand.

The show is set to launch on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+’s streaming services, including Disney+ worldwide.

How to be a Carioca follows an American writer who has to learn the quirks of Rio de Janeiro’s people after moving to the Brazilian city. Saldanha is creating the show with Mariani and Diogo Dhal with scriptwriters Rodrigo Nogueira, Sabrina Rosa and Felipe Scholl. Moovie is producing.

The series will screen as part of the Chapter One strand of Iberseries.

Lopez Attends Rio de Janiero’s Carnival Festivities…

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La vida es un carnaval for Jennifer Lopez…

The 42-year-old American Idol judge spent part of her weekend in Brazil for Rio de Janiero’s iconic Carnival festivities.

“Hello everyone! My first time here during carnival! #ILoveBrazil,” wrote Lopez on her Twitter account about her visit to the South American country.

Jennifer Lopez at Carnival

The singer/actress—joined by her boyfriend Casper Smart and manager Benny Medina—was spotted wearing a bright red shirt and jeans at the night’s festivities. She flashed a bright smile as she waved to the Carnival crowd from her private VIP seats, courtesy of Brazilian beer company Brahma at the Sambadrome, the central dance competition of the parade.

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival Festivities 2012

Lopez has been appearing in a Carnival-themed commercial in Brazil for the beer company the past few months. It features the Puerto Rican pop star effortlessly dancing the fast-paced Samba.

But Lopez wasn’t the only Latina singer in Brazil to enjoy Carnival…

Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie also turned up for the festivities wearing a yellow T-shirt and tiny denim shorts.

Fergie at Rio de Janeiro's Carnival Festivities 2012

The 36-year-old part-Mexican singer was hosted by Head and Shoulders and viewed the festivities from the same VIP location as Lopez.

Lopez to Headline Her First Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

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She recently demonstrated her capoeira skills in Uruguay while filming her new Latin talent show Q’Viva… But Jennifer Lopez could shake her bon bon in Brazil next month.

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican multi-hyphenate will reportedly participate in the colorful samba school parades at the massive Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro during the city’s Carnival celebrations, according to EFE.

Jennifer Lopez

It would the first Rio Carnival as the headliner of a group of celebrities, including Brazilian and foreign stars, for Lopez, who would be a guest of Brazilian beer company Brahma.

The nation’s top 13 top samba schools will parade through the Sambadrome on February 19 and 20.

In addition, JLo will reportedly star in a Carnival-themed advertising campaign that Brahma will start airing this week.

The brewing company didn’t say just how much Lopez was being paid to participate at Carnival, but the Brazilian press reported she could bank up to $2 million. Not a bad day for the American Idol judge!