BEING THERE

Despite its size, Rio de Janeiro is a fairly compact city for foreign visitors and virtually everything of interest is located in the city's southern zone (zona sul) which spreads along the coast from the city centre to Bara da Tijuca.

The language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish. Spanish will help you get by. The secret to surviving in Rio is to simply take the same precautions you would in any other large urban centre. Nothing more, nothing less.

Brazil's currency is the real (R$ - reais). The best known foreign currency is the US dollar and it is therefore highly advisable to bring US dollars in both cash and traveller cheques. Major credit cards are accepted in Brazil although not at all the top restaurants.

Rio de Janeiro is not the capital of Brazil. That honour goes to Brasilia. Rio, however, remains the capital of the Brazilian film industry and is where the majors choose to locate their main Latin American offices. The Latin American headquarters of the MPEAA is also located in Rio.

São Paulo, a 40 minute flight from Rio, is the centre for all the video activity and is also the main video and film market both in value and numbers. The television networks are split between Rio and São Paulo with Globo, the biggest of them all, being firmly rooted in Rio.

With the demise of FestRio there are no industry events as such in Rio. For business reasons avoid Carnival, which often clashes with the AFM, and the weeks that surround it, as no business gets done. Many executives would even advise you to avoid Brazil between Christmas and the end of Carnival, which is Brazil's main holiday period. Carnival in 1996 is from 18-28 February.

Essential side-trips from Rio include Búzios, where the Cariocas go to spend their weekends, and Angra, where an excellent Club Med is located.

There are a number of interesting country house hotels located close to Rio de Janeiro and many of the best are represented by Roteiros de Charme (Routes of Charm). The association's office in Rio can help you plan your routes.

When travelling within Brazil you should remember that the country covers an area larger than Europe. However, if you are visiting Brazil on business you should schedule a visit to both Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Having come so far you should also consider visiting Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Santiago (Chile).