Corinthians win 2012 Copa Libertadores

Posted on by

Corinthians, from São Paulo, won the 2012 Copa Libertadores on 4 July after beating the Argentine side Boca Juniors 2-0 in the final game in São Paulo after a goalless draw in the first leg in Buenos Aires.

It is the first time that Corinthians have won the South American title and will now play in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2012.

Brazilian teams have been in the final of the Copa Libertadores for the last eight consecutive years, winning the last three tournaments through International, Santos and now Corinthians.

TAM and LAN merge to form LATAM Airlines Group

Posted on by

Brazil’s TAM airlines and Chile’s LAN Airlines have merged to form the LATAM Airlines Group. The new group offers passengers more flights to more destinations than any other affiliated group of airlines in South America, initially reaching around 150 destinations in 22 countries and transporting cargo to 169 destinations in 27 countries.

“The creation of this group of airlines is an opportunity to take South America to the world and to allow us to position ourselves to operate in an increasingly competitive environment due to the continuing consolidation of the global airline industry,” said Enrique Cueto, Executive Vice President-CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.

Among the benefits that passengers of both TAM and LAN will see over time are increased connectivity, improved routes and frequencies, and reduced connection times. Additionally members of the airlines’ frequent flyer programs, LANPASS and TAM Fidelidade, will be able to earn and redeem kilometres/points over the complete route networks of LAN and TAM.

Confederations Cup 2013 – Host Cities Chosen

Posted on by

FIFA has announced that the host cities for the 2013 Confederations Cup will be Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. All will be testing stadiums to be used in the 2014 World Cup.

The tournament, which will take place from 15 to 30 June 2013, will feature eight teams including Brazil as the host; Spain as reigning World Champions; Uruguay as the champions of South America; Mexico as champions of CONCACAF; Japan as the Asian champions; and they will be joined by the European, African and Oceania champions.

The eight teams will be split in to two groups with the top two in each group going forward to the semi-finals.

Rio in Focus in Two New Films Announced in Cannes

Posted on by

It has been announced at the Cannes Film Festival that Rio de Janeiro based TV Zero has joined forces with the UK’s Film and Music Entertainment (F&ME) to produce Streetkids United II. It is one of two films announced in Cannes that will focus on life in Rio de Janeiro.

The film is the follow up to the hugely successful Streetkids United and will be made to coincide with the second Street Child World Cup that is being organized by the Amos Trust and the ABC Trust prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“In 2014 Rio de Janeiro will play host to the second Street Child World Cup and will look to build on the success of the inaugural tournament that took place in Durban prior to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,” explains F&ME’s Sam Taylor. “The 2014 event will bring teams of street children together from 20 countries to compete and to make their voices heard. As with the first Streetkids United film – our goal is to tell the story of the children and the event – and through it draw the world’s attention to the terrible plight of street children across the globe, and the fact that these children are somebody.”

The 2014 Street Child World Cup will be hosted by the Action for Brazil’s Children’s Trust, a UK registered NGO that is dedicated to helping street children and the most vulnerable young people in Brazil. The charity’s patrons include Pelé, Fernando Meirelles, Jimmy Page, Brian May, Jeremy Irons and Juliette Lewis.

“We are currently working with TV Zero to find the right Brazilian director for the project. To get right to the heart of the issue we want a director that will become fully entrenched and deeply involved in the lives of the street child community in Rio,” producer Mike Downey told Brazil the Guide. “About the only challenge we won’t have is finding a Brazilian director with an interest and knowledge of football.”

Founded in 1991, TV Zero is one of Brazil’s most successful and dynamic production houses that in 2011 was responsible for Bruna Surfistinha that sold over 2 million admissions and grossed over US$10 million at the Brazilian box office.

“As a production company we have produced a number of films that deal with both football and social inequality,” says TV Zero’s Rodrigo Letier. “It will be an incredible experience to link these important themes in the sequel to an already very successful film. Sadly street children are an important part of life in Rio, but it will be a great experience to share an uplifting story about them for a change”.

Children of the Revolution: This is Rio

TV Zero is already working with Taylor and Downey’s F&ME on Julien Temple’s highly anticipated music documentary feature Children of the Revolution: This is Rio, which begins shooting later this year in Rio de Janeiro. In Cannes, where it was chosen by Variety as one of the Brazilian film projects to watch, it was announced that the project has now been joined by Cologne-based production outfit 2Pilots.

Julien Temple filming in Rio de Janeiro

The German producers, Arne Ludwig and Joerg Siepmann, will bring a key part of the final financing to complement the existing funding from RioFilme, world sales company Ealing Metro International, and support from a number of Rio based audiovisual production and promotional funds.

2Pilots has also brought on board German distributor Rapid Eye Movies to release the film theatrically in Germany and is in an ‘advanced stage of negotiations with German broadcasters.’

The documentary, which has been written by Temple, Helen Beltrame and Chris Pickard, will look at the musical, social, political, and cultural revolutions that have taken place in Rio since the late 1960s to today.

The film, which is fully prepped, is expected to start shooting in September after Temple has finished the release schedule for his London Olympic feature, BabyLon/don. Temple has already been scouting in Rio where he met and talked with Seu Jorge, Lenine, Nelson Motta, Roberto Medina, Kassin + Berna, Sanny Pitbull and B Negao, among others, as well as getting reacquainted with old friends from the time he shot with the Sex Pistols and Mick Jagger in Rio.

An Award Winning Taste of Brazil

Posted on by

The exciting and talented young Brazilian chef, Bel Coelho, has made a quick visit to London, along with one of Brazil’s leading sommeliers, Arthur Azevedo.

Bel and Arthur were in the UK to showcase the onboard catering of TAM Airlines. Bel is responsible for having developed over 800 different options and combinations of dishes to be served across the airline’s international services during 2012. To Arthur falls the responsibility of selecting the wines to compliment the new menus.

Bel Coelho, Sue Faithfull (TAM UK), Arthur Azevedo

Bel is considered one the most exciting chefs of her generation in Brazil. Since cooking at home as a little girl, and then later working with major names from the global gastronomic scene, she has developed a special care for the ingredients she uses and for the visual presentation of the dishes. All of which has helped make her restaurant, Dui, one of São Paulo and South America’s very best and most sought after.

Bel says her menus offer passengers meals that are a well-balanced combination of functional, whole and organic ingredients, which are prepared to give nutrient-rich dishes with a feeling of lightness, well-being and satisfaction.

To match some of Bel’s more sophisticated dishes, Arthur has looked to source top-quality wines from different countries, focusing mainly on the most important wine making regions of Europe. The highlights include in First Class the white, Dr. Bürklin-Wolff Pechstein Grand Cru from Pfalz in Germany, and amongst the reds, La Croix Figeac (St. Émilion/Bordeaux/ France). For Business Class the selection includes the white wine Dr. Bürklin-Wolff Wachennheimer Altenburg Premier Cru and the red, Jean-Luc Thunevin Château Bel-Air-Ouÿ (St. Émilion/Bordeaux/France). Economy Class passengers have not been overlooked and the selection for long-haul flights includes two modern and affordable South American wines. The Callia Alta Malbec and the Callia Alta Chardonnay from San Juan in Argentina.

Arthur’s selection of wines has been picking up international awards for both him and TAM. Most recently Arthur and TAM won two of the top categories in Business Traveller’s prestigious “Cellars in the Sky” awards. The Brazilian airline received the award for best red wine served in First Class (Clos Canon 2008), and as the airline with the most improved First Class wine cellar.

World Class Dining

On the gastronomic front it has also been announced that Alex Atalal’s São Paulo restaurant, D.O.M., has been rated as the fourth best in the world and the top restaurant in South America by Restaurant Magazine’s list of the world’s top 50 eateries in 2012.

D.O.M. São Paulo

According to the magazine, D.O.M.’s principal aim is to champion produce from Brazil and the Amazonian region, from everyday palm hearts and cassava to obscure finds from the rainforest. More familiar European fine-dining fare gets a look-in, but often in a supporting role.

Other Brazilian’s restaurants to be rated in the world’s top 100, include Mani in São Paulo, whose chef, Helena Rizzzo, developed TAM’s menu back in 2010; and Roberta Sudbrack in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil Going for Olympic Football Gold

Posted on by

The draw for the 2012 Olympic soccer tournament has been made.

Brazil’s men, who are still looking for their first Olympic title, are scheduled to play:

26 July, 19.45: Brazil x Egypt – Millennium Stadium – Cardiff
29 July, 12.00: Brazil x Belarus – Old Trafford – Manchester
1 August, 14.30: Brazil x New Zealand – St James Park – Newcastle

If Brazil’s wins its group (C), it will play a quarter final in Newcastle at 17.00 on 4 August, then a semi-final in Manchester on 7 August at 19.45, and the final in Wembley on 11 August at 15.00.

If second in its group, the route for Gold for Brazil would be a quarter final in Manchester at noon on 4 August; a semi final in London’s Wembley Stadium on 7 August at at 17.00, and the final in Wembley on 11 August at 15.00.

All times are local UK times.

Brazil women’s team, also looking for their first Olympic Gold after two Silvers, are drawn to play in a group with Great Britain, New Zealand and Cameroon.

25 July, 18.45: Brazil x Cameroon – Millennium Stadium – Cardiff
28 July, 14.30: Brazil x New Zealand- Millennium Stadium – Cardiff
31 July, 19.45: Brazil x Great Britain – Wembley – London

Twenty years on: Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development

Posted on by

Twenty years on from the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development), world leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, NGOs and other groups, will come together in Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The event, which takes place from from 20 to 22 June 2012, will discuss how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet.

The official discussions will focus on two main themes: How to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty, including support for developing countries that will allow them to find a green path for development; and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development.

The boy from Ipanema – Tom Jobim – heads to Cannes

Posted on by

The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim will be heard in Cannes this years as the festival is giving a special screening to Nelson Pereira dos Santos’ new documentary A Música segundo Tom Jobim.

Performances shown in the film include GAL COSTA (Se todos fossem iguais a você), ELIZETH CARDOSO (Eu não existo sem você), DIZZY GILLESPIE (Chega de saudade), GARY BURTON (Chega de saudade ), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & GERRY MULLIGAN (Samba de uma nota só / One Note Samba), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM  (Desafinado / Off Key), ELLA FITZGERALD (Desafinado / Off Key), SAMMY DAVIS JR (Desafinado / Off Key),  JUDY GARLAND (How Insensitive), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & VINICIUS DE MORAES  (Garota de Ipanema), ERROL GARNER (Garota de Ipanema), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & FRANK SINATRA ( Garota de Ipanema / The Girl from Ipanema / Corcovado / Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars), ELIS REGINA (Corcovado), ADRIANA CALCANHOTO (Ela é Carioca), NARA LEÃO (Dindi ), MAYSA (Por causa de você), NANA CAYMMI (Sem você), DIANA KRALL (Este seu olhar), OSCAR PETERSON (Wave), SARAH VAUGHAN (Wave), CYBELE & CYNARA  (Sabiá), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & ELIS REGINA (Águas de março), CARLINHOS BROWN (Luiza), JANE MONHEIT (Águas de março / Waters of March), STACEY KENT (Águas de março / Lex eaux de mars), MILTON NASCIMENTO (Matita Perê),  ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & MIÚCHA (Samba do avião), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM & BANDA NOVA (Two Kites), ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM, CHICO BUARQUE & BANDA NOVA  (Anos dourados), CAETANO VELOSO, MILTON NASCIMENTO, CHICO BUARQUE, GAL COSTA, GILBERTO GIL & PAULINHO DA VIOLA (Lamento no morro).

Frank Sinatra and Tom Jobim

Brazilian director, Walter Salles, will screen On The Road, a film based on the novel by Jack Kerouac, in competition in Cannes. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Tom Sturridge Amy Adams, and Steve Buscemi.

Fan Fest locations confirmed for 2014 World Cup

Posted on by

The twelve host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup will offer fans the chance to watch games in special locations known as FIFA Fan Fest.

“The FIFA Fan Fest symbolises the most exciting part of football and the FIFA World Cup: thousands of fans gathered to watch a match together and celebrate,” says ex-Brazilian legend Ronaldo, who is also a member of the Local Organising Committee Management Board. “The FIFA Fan Fest brings together people from all social backgrounds. As Brazilians, we have always had the custom of cheering for our national team in large popular festivals all over the country, therefore I’m sure that this will be the best FIFA Fan Fest of all time.”

Thierry Weil, FIFA’s Marketing Director, echoed Ronaldo’s words, saying “The FIFA Fan Fest provides FIFA and the LOC with a platform to strengthen the fan experience of the World Cup, taking the event to millions of fans outside of the stadiums.”

The FIFA Fan Fest first became part of the official World Cup programme in Germany in 2006, following the huge success of unofficial public viewing events in Korea during the 2002 cup. The success of the FIFA Fan Fest programme in Germany led to the concept being developed further for the 2010 World Cup, when not only the South African Host Cities but also six international venues hosted an event which welcomed over six million football fans over 31 days.

The locations of the FIFA Fan Fest in the twelve 2014 Host Cities are:

  1. Belo Horizonte – Praca da Estacaoo;
  2. Brasília – Esplanada dos Ministerios;
  3. Cuiaba – Parque de Exposicoes;
  4. Curitiba – Parque Barigui;
  5. Fortaleza – Praia de Iracema (Aterrao);
  6. Manaus – Memorial Encontro das Aguas;
  7. Natal – Praia do Forte;
  8. Porto Alegre – Praça Glenio Perez;
  9. Recife – Marco Zero;
  10. Rio de Janeiro – Praia de Copacabana;
  11. Salvador – Jardim de Alah;
  12. Sao Paulo – Vale do Anhagabau;