The city expects to receive 70,000 tourists during the World Cup 2014. Around US$43 million will be invested in infrastructure by Bahia’s Secretary of Tourism (Setur BA) in the Bay of All Saints area.

Salvador’s privileged topography brings a clear division between the Cidade Baixa and Cidade Alta (Low City and High City), but they are interconnected through one of the city’s most notable landmarks, the Elevador Lacerda. Still, the ultimate symbol of Salvador is the Pelourinho, a historical centre with churches and colourful colonial buildings that was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Setur BA is investing in training local guides not only in the capital, but also in other cities in the State. The Secretary of Tourism, Domingos Leonelli, says that the main legacy of the event will be the “human capital”. “The training of the tourism sector will open the doors for economic integration. By 2014 our goal is to have 5,000 workers trained in time for the Pronatec Cup in Bahia”, said Mr. Leonelli.

Another project will involve the training of 600 professionals in languages including English, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Italian, German, French, Croatian, beside Brazilian Sign Language. Setur and Bahiatursa are training hosts to work in Porto Seguro (and waterfront locations Arraial D’Ajuda, Trancoso and Caraiva) and the Mata of St. John ( Praia do Forte and Imbassai), to welcome tourists.

The Arena Fonte Nova (which replaces the former Fonte Nova Stadium) is a newly built, multipurpose stadium with a capacity of 56,000. Operating as a public-private joint venture, the complex will also house a panoramic restaurant, a football museum, car parks, shops, hotels and a concert hall.

Budgeted in at US$300 million, the arena will host three games during the Confederations Cup (including the classic soccer match Brazil X Italy in June) as well as six other matches in the 2014 World Cup.

Bahia’s ‘welcoming squad’ will not only be on the streets, but also available via call center (Dial Tourism Bahia), working 24 hours a day and offering customer service in 12 languages, as well via online chat at www.bahia.com.br.  Another initiative is the construction of a World Cup Training Center in Praia do Forte, located 56 km away from Salvador International Airport. At the Airport Luis Eduardo Magalhaes two projects are underway: renovations to control towers, and expansions to accommodate greater airplane traffic.

After two years of intense creative work, the time has come for the emerging artists and graduate students from Ryerson’s Documentary Media (MFA) program to showcase their projects to the Toronto community and the world. From May 1st to July 14th, the DOCNOW festival will present viewers with an innovative collection of diverse works, which challenge the meaning and methods of contemporary documentary practice, from filmmaking to mixed-media installations.

 DOCNOW’s 31 participating artists offer audiences an intimate look at a range of current issues—from a film confronting disabilities in and outside of Canada, and a new media project on experiences of being transgendered, to a photo-based essay film on the lives of factory workers in China, and an interactive project on immigrants who own and operate businesses along Bloor Street. The festival offers fresh perspectives and approaches to important current issues.

Established in 2007, Ryerson’s Documentary Media program is the only MFA degree program in Canada dedicated to developing tomorrow’s documentary filmmakers and visual artists. The program contributes to Canada’s world-renowned reputation for excellence in documentary by nurturing new talent and critical approaches. A unique facet of this program is its cross-disciplinary structure in which students produce work in film, new media, photography, installation, or combinations of the above.

DOCNOW screenings will take place at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W., Toronto, on May 29th and May 30th from 6:00pm to midnight. Exhibitions can be viewed from May 1st to July 14th at these Toronto galleries:

Ryerson Image Centre Student Gallery

• Ryerson School of Image Arts Commons
• Toronto Image Works
• I.M.A. Gallery
• Art Bar: Gladstone Hotel
• Milk Glass Co.
• Oz Studios

Screening: May 30, 19:45   At: The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema

Co-production: Rita Simone

This story began in 2010 with Veras’ journalistic project concerning the impact of female leaders in poor rural communities in north-east Brazil. This professional experience soon became a personal journey about hope, a promise, and a re-encounter. Healers tells the story of a woman known as Dona Josefa who has been a health care worker, midwife, and community leader for over 50 years. Besides taking care of villagers, she can deeply affect people who cross her path, like filmmaker Gabi Veras—who had a dream of becoming a mother. After a promise made by Veras, the director returns to Sertão—Brazil’s most neglected area—and discovers the world of herbal medicine. Healers shows that despite the lack of support from authorities in these remote areas, traditional medicines which combine prayer with the use of herbs are slowly making governments realize their power. Today, some communities in the region that have been served by these herbal-based treatments have shown themselves to have efficient, trustworthy, and economical systems of alternative medicine. Intrigued by such an effective way of promoting health, Veras takes the viewer on her personal journey, uncovering an unconventional world that exists and functions thanks to women like Dona Josefa.

Artist Bio 

Born on a tropical island, Gabi Veras has spent more than 15 years in newsrooms both in Brazil and Canada. She has been a freelance journalist for CBC Radio and Radio Canada International. Most recently she was as a producer for CBC Newsworld, and also for OMNI Television in Toronto and Calgary. Telling compelling human stories through documentary has always been her passion. In 2001, she co-produced Avi Lev’s documentary We Are Samba.

JASON O’HARA RHYTHMS OF RESISTANCE

(HD Video)

SERVICE:

All screenings and exhibitions are FREE and open to the public.

Please visit DOCNOW.ca for schedules, venues, project details and artist profiles.

For more information and interview requests, please contact: Gabi Veras at (647) 244 7107, or at

info@docnow.ca, www.docnow.ca

September 4^th (Wednesday) and 5^th (Thursday) -  Jazz Bistro

Brazilian singer Fernanda Cunha (based in Sao Paulo), has been a regular performer in Canada since 2005.  She has performed coast-to-coast-to-coast:  from Vancouver Island and the Vancouver International Jazz Festival (several years), to the Alianait Arts Festival in Nunavut and Jazz Yukon series; from the Edmonton International Jazz Festival to the University of Toronto, The Jazz Room in Kitchener, and other venues.

In 2009, she explored the musical affinities between Canada and her homeland with her fourth album, appropriately entitled Brasil Canadá

It’s no secret that, although Brazil is Fernanda’s homeland and she performs at jazz festivals all over the world, Canada is her heart´s country.

Fernanda has played with lots of Canadian musicians over the last years, and since 2011 has chosen to play with Toronto jazz guitarist Reg Schwager when she is in Canada.

Her new CD “Coração do Brasil” (heart of Brazil), features the Toronto-based musician Tom Szczesniak on accordion. Tom has also played with Fernanda in some concerts in Ontario in the past two years.

Early this fall, Fernanda is coming to Toronto especially for two concerts at Jazz Bistro September 4^th (Wednesday) and 5^th (Thursday).

Her show will feature Reg Schwager (guitar) and multi-instrumentalist Tom Szczesniak  (alternating among piano and accordion ) and Pat Collins (Bass).    They will play some songs from her new album as well as earlier albums.

Brazil is a land of an extraordinary variety and depth of musical styles, music that speaks from the heart.  Reflecting that passion, Fernanda’s trio will play lots of sambas and bossas, plus other rhythms and romantic Brazilian songs. The repertoire includes songwriters like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Johnny Alf, Sueli Costa, Ivan Lins, Antonio Adolfo, Daniel Gonzaga, and others.

SERVICE:

Fernanda Cunha, vocalist from Brazil, www.fernandacunha.com
With: Reg Schwager – guitar http://www.regschwager.com
Tom Szczesniak – accordion and piano http://www.tomszcz.com
Pat Collins- bass www.patcollinsbass.com

Toronto: September 4^th and 5^th – Jazz Bistro

The quality of the Brazilian products is guaranteed by conformity with the highest international health standards, as a result of policies developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, related institutions as well as the constant pursuit of excellence by Brazilian companies. Today the Brazilian products are available, appreciated and recognized in over 200 markets worldwide.  At SIAL Canada 2013, Brazil showcased the high-quality of its products to Canadians and international buyers.

Where: Direct Energy Centre – Toronto, Canada

When: from April 30 – May 2, 2013

BRAZILIAN EXHIBITORS

100% Amazonia Ltda.

Brasfrut Frutos do Brasil Ltda.

Cachaça Pitu

Citrolife Comércio e Produção de Bebidas Ltda.

Indústria Alimenticia do Vale Ltda. – COCO SAMBA

Novo Mel

Organique – Brasil Beverages

Phyto Planet

Ranac

Eximpo

Forno de Minas

Jalles Machado S.A.

Native - Usina São Francisco

Cariocas Import & Export Inc.

Br4 Trade

T.W. Importers & Exporters Inc.

Mellohawk Logistics

Café Pilão

Predilecta Alimentos Ltda.

Yoki Alimentos

By Ingrid Coifman

In Hill of Pleasures (Morro dos Prazeres), sixth long documentary by director Maria Ramos, looks at the process of pacification of one of Rio de Janeiro’s poorest slums from the perspective of six main characters: a local postman, a teenager with a history of involvement in drug dealing, a bookseller, and three police officers.

Ramos captures to the big screen the daily tensions between residents and the new police force while portraying the obstacles on the road to reconciliation. Co-presented by Brazil Film Fest, the documentary is a co-production between Brazil and Netherlands and the third part of a trilogy that includes Justice (2004) and Behave (2007).

This observational doc, shot in one of the world’s most stunning views, reveals a community living in the midst of time of change. Each of the six people followed by the director tries to find balance and co-exist with the ones before seen as enemies.

Maria Ramos studied musicology and electro-acoustic music in Paris and London. In 1990, she attended the Netherlands Film and Television Academy, specializing in documentary. Her debut, Brasilia – a Day in February, won the jury prize at the International Documentary Festival of Sao Paulo. Desi won the audience award in 2000 at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and the Golden Calf for Best Documentary at the Netherlands Film Festival 2001.

The 20^th edition of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market, goes on until May 5, 2013 in Toronto. This year’s Festival will screen 205 docs from 43 countries.

Service: Screenings: TIFF Bell Lightbox (Cinema 2), Tuesday, April 30th, at 3:30 pm; Isabel Bader Theatre, May 4th, at 6:30 PM. Tickets: http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/hill_of_pleasures

By Fernando Pieri        

 Brazil offers all facilities for opening your business on its territory. Would you like to open a branch of your company in Brazil? Brazil allows the opening of branches of foreign companies, without any participation of Brazilian individuals or legal entities, or you can, not needing any prior government approval, opt to run a new company with Brazilian participation in it. The dividend to be remitted to Canada, as a reward for participating in a Brazilian company, is tax free as well as the foreign investment done for acquisition of shares.

Maybe you have know-how and manufacture capital goods or have technology in computer without similar one in Brazil? Running a company in Brazil, you can request to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) the “ex-tarifário” which is a reduction on rate of Importation Tax on capital goods or related to computers technology that are of great importance to the production by the Brazilian industries or for the modernization of their industrial park.

Perhaps you want to expand your business to Latin America. Brazil is the leader of MERCOSUR (trade bloc of countries-South Cone) and is one of the “BRICS” countries, being a gateway to South American market. In this sense, the new Brazilian company can import the inputs from the Canadian company, proceed with the manufacture in the territory of Brazil and then export to neighboring countries. The benefit of this operation? Suspension or even exemption from all taxes that a traditional importation would be subject to. This model of “import for export” is called “drawback”.

Do you want to experience the Brazilian consumer market and the receptivity of your product by the Brazilians before running a new business over there? Alright! You can use the “warehousing import”, a customs regime in which you can export from Canada to Brazil, with suspension of taxes. The goods are placed under fiscal control, as dry ports, until the sale to a Brazilian consumer. The sale coming true, you pay the taxes that was suspended, proceed with the customs clearance and then delivered the goods to your Brazilian client, what enables, above all, fast delivery of an imported product without opening a branch in Brazil.

Are you interest in investing in Brazil?   Tell us what the features of your business are, Brazil has the right benefit for you!

Service:

Co-presented with BRAFFTV – Brazilian Film and TV Festival.

By Ingrid Coifman

Film director and actress Petra Costa brings her documentary “Elena” to the Hot Docs 2013, following other successful international screenings and awards such as Audience Award & Best Documentary at the 45^th Brasilia Film Festival 2012, Special Mentions at the 9^th ZagrebDox International Competition and the 28th Guadalajara Film Festival, and Best Documentary Feature at Films de Femmes 2013.

The story is about Elena, a young Brazilian woman who travels to New York with the same dream as her mother: to become a movie actress. She also leaves Petra, her seven year old sister.

Two decades later, Petra also becomes an actress and goes to New York in search of Elena. She only has a few clues about her: home movies, newspaper clippings, a diary and letters. Gradually, the two sisters are confused and the audience can no longer tell one from the other.

The documentary has already  been acclaimed by well-known Brazilian directors Walter Salles (“Central Station”) and Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”). Petra uses intimate personal experiences as her raw material, featuring her sister, Elena, who died when she was seven. Petra said that she came to know Elena more deeply only ten years later, when developing a theater workshop. She found one of Elena’s diaries and start identifying completely with her big sister, learning that she had gone through the same things at the same age.

Before making Elena, Petra directed and produced the short film ‘Olhos de Ressaca’ (Undertow Eyes), a depiction of love and aging as seen from the perspective of her grandparents. In 2009, the short film won prizes such as Best Short Film in the London International Documentary Film Festival, Best Short Documentary in Cine Las Americas and Special Jury Prize in the Gramado Festival.

The 20^th edition of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market, takes place from April 25 to May 5, 2013 in Toronto. This year’s Festival will screen 205 docs from 43 countries.

Service:   Elena is co-presented with BRAFFTV – Brazilian Film and TV Festival.

Screenings: April 26^th at 8:30pm (TIFF Bell  LightBox 2), April 27^th  at 11:30am  (Rom), and May 5^th at 1pm (Rom). More info: http://www.hotdocs.ca//film/title/elena

By Ingrid Coifman, Leila Monteiro Lins & Maria Helena Amaral

Billions of spectators around the globe will be focused on Brazil from June 12 to July 13, 2014. Sustainable economic and tourism developments are the expected outcomes for a country that is investing US$16.5 billion in infrastructure in preparation for the world’s greatest soccer event, where Brazilian and foreign spectators will generate an estimated US$5 billion in the local economy.

Brazil’s greatest moment                                                                                      

Discover Brazil’s team has prepared a special report to introduce the 12 host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo.

One of FIFA’s main concerns is Brazil’s commitment to sustainability standards. According to Claudio Monteiro, Executive Secretary of the Brasilia 2014 Local Organizing Committee, “Among several other sustainable practices, a rainwater collection system has been adopted for lawn irrigation and solar power will feed the stadiums’ light reflectors. All necessary requirements were carefully planned and integrated into the construction work.”

Around 600,000 foreign fans are expected to join the biggest sporting event on the planet next year. Besides watching the games, tourists will be able to enjoy Brazil’s 8,500 km of beaches and distinct ecosystems such as the Pantanal and the Amazon Forest and the diverse cultural and gastronomic heritage of the country.

The current edition of Discover Brazil magazine is online.  Go to the home page of our site.  HAPPY READING!

 By Jose Francisco Schuster

 Brazil recently turned into one of the most attractive markets in the world, being able to be economically stable while most of the world goes through a downturn. With a flourishing middle class, many sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors are on the rise. Brazil has become more notable for its scientific and technological developments, with a lot of room to grow. FindBrazil was founded about one year ago and its purpose was to provide consulting services to foreigners so that they could enter the Brazilian market. Brazilian companies are aiming to attract investors or allies for both their national and international expansion.

FindBrazil was founded by two young entrepreneurs, Lukas Lins Vilar and Rodrigo Calheiros Borges.  It is based in Brazil, but plans to operate worldwide. It already has an office in Toronto, the powertrain of Canadian economy and close to the US’s major financial centres. From Europe, operations will start soon, probably in The Hague, Netherlands. The organization already counts on a number of partners in areas such as law and accounting, with several contacts with the Brazilian government.

“Foreign investors see Brazil as a great opportunity, with its solid economic growth rate above the European and North American averages”, says Vilar, FindBrazil’s President & CEO. He points out that although Brazil’s growth is below the average of other BRIC’s countries, it surpasses China and Russia on law stability. Brazil has also less bureaucracy than India and Russia, being more competitive. Besides that, Brazilian language and culture are easier for one to adapt.

 Government incentives

Brazilian businessmen, on the other hand, count on a series of government incentives to export – actually, Brazilian harbours, roads, railroads and customs operations are having difficulty keeping up with the growth in trade. Vilar hopes Brazil will turn the focus of its exports to manufactured products and benefit from their higher value. The recent government investment of more than US$ 27 billion in harbours, railroads, and other measures, provides an opening for private investments. Lowering the costs will help Brazilian exports to be even more competitive.
With major events scheduled for the next few years, such as the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, Brazil will catch even more international attention and will be able to show the world so much more other than tropical forests and beautiful women.

Business between Canada and Brazil has already begun soaring, with US$ 28 million in trade and in investments in 2010. Bilateral trade has grown 42% in the last five years, reaching US$ 6.6 billion in 2011. Exports from Canada to Brazil accounted for US$ 2.7 billion, including fertilizers, fuel, machinery, paper and electronics. “But there is a lot of room for development in several areas”, says Vilar.

At this point, FindBrazil  is already working with some Canadian technology companies searching for opportunities in Brazil. The organization was present at “Canada 3.0″ – the largest conference about digital media, as well as at “Brazil-Canada 3.0″, which took place for the first time in the estate of Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil, last December.

FindBrazil  is also working well with hotels in the scenic Brazilian Northeast. They are not only looking for foreign investments, but also for partnerships to expand in Brazil. Theorganization is also promoting some Brazilian capitals abroad. Through forums about business opportunities in the country, they include information on how to obtain financing from Brazilian banks and government incentives.

The Brazilian Beat: Canada Dance Congress is the largest celebration of Brazilian dance in Canada. Now in its third year, Brazilian Beat will build on its past success by showcasing Brazilian dance culture and music through a series of events, parties, and instructional workshops.

Now in its third year, Brazilian Beat will build on its past success by showcasing Brazilian dance culture and music through a series of events, parties, and instructional workshops.

Over the five days of Brazilian Beat, there will be nightly performances featuring some of the world’s finest exponents of Brazilian dance – dancers and dance companies from both Brazil and Canada. There will be a dance contest for advanced amateur dancers, a free seminar on preparing for dance performances and, in addition, there will be fourteen hours of instruction at dance workshops led by trained dance professionals over the course of the event. Every evening will finish with a dance party, a chance to practice new skills and to socialize with others in the Brazilian dance community.

Again this year, Brazilian Beat will feature an outstanding lineup of performers and dance instructors. Among these will be Renata Pecanha, “The Queen of Zouk”, from Rio de Janeiro, and Thiciane Fortes, also from Brazil. Other inspirational dance professionals will be coming to Toronto from the United States, from Montreal, and from Quebec City to make this year’s celebration bigger and better than ever before.

The main venue for Brazilian Beat will be the Casa do Alentejo Community Centre, 1130 Dupont Street, Toronto (near Dufferin Street).

Brazilian Beat 2013 is also pleased to announce, again this year, the Brazilian Beat Opening Night Cancer Fundraiser: Samba for the Cure. This night of samba performances, instruction, and social dancing will be devoted to raising funds for NACCI (an organization in Salvador, Brazil devoted to the care of children with cancer). The party will be held on April 17th at the Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street W., Toronto (near Dufferin Street).

Brazilian Beat is organized to promote the dance training and experience of instructors, students, performers, and dance aficionados. It is dedicated to the advancement of the appreciation of Brazilian culture in Canada. The event is organized by Brazil Dance World, a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by the dance professional and event organizer, Goreti Cardoso.

Event Highlights:

-          Largest celebration of Brazilian dance held in Canada

-          Five nightly parties

-          Electrifying performances by some of the world’s best Brazilian dancers

-          Opening Night Party Cancer Fundraiser

-          14 hours of workshops in a wide variety Brazilian dance styles

-          One free seminar

-          Four days of intensive workshops with the Queen of Zouk and the world’s top instructors from Brazil and North America.

SERVICE:  

For tickets and further information on the 3^rd Annual Brazilian Beat Congress please visit www.brazilianbeatcongress.com