Welcome to the 2009 Rio Film Festival, and the very first Nisimazine to be published in Brazil. Our team, as part of NISI MASA, the European Network of Young Cinema, has diversity of origin as a trademark, with journalists coming all the way from Europe and also from nearby Latin America countries, like myself. Our magazine - distributed for free every other day to festival audiences and available here on www.nisimazine.eu - will focus mainly on work from young and talented new filmmakers.

  This is also my first time in Brazil, and what better opportunity to live the Rio experience than through the most important international film event of our region. Once I opened the Official Programme, it hit me: the never-ending list of films appeared all at once in front of my eyes. I feel I must see them all, now! I know, I am a greedy cinephile "basterd".

  I was attracted right away by the competitive section of the Festival, where the newest Brazilian films are presented. Something similar happened while reviewing the Latin American showcase of films that have gained worldwide recognition in recent years. The excitement grows even further while checking out the Panorama Cine Mundial section: Herzog, Tarantino, Ozon, Haneke, Winterbottom… names that bring me great memories, and all new films that I can’t wait to see.

  I hope you can flow with our team through this sea of films in Rio!

Laslo Rojas