Film London and Filme Rio-Rio Film Commission have  signed a partnership agreement to develop the exchange of trade, talent and culture within their cities’ film industries.

The Memorandum of Understanding – was signed on behalf of Film London, the capital’s film and media agency, by Chairman David Parfitt and by Steve Solot, President of Filme Rio-Rio Film Commission, a joint venture by The State Government of Rio de Janeiro and Rio’s City Hall

The partnership comes as London prepares to pass on to Rio de Janeiro the role of hosting the Olympic Games in 2016, following the London Games in 2012. While the focus of the City to City agreement will be to share ideas and best practice on domestic and international film production, there will also be collaboration on how the film industries of these two Olympic host cities can best exploit the unique opportunity it offers. This will range from how to manage the logistics of filming during an Olympic Games to using film to capitalise on tourism opportunities.

UK director Julien Temple – who is due to start shooting Children of the Revolution in Rio in September 2011 and attended the Cannes launch– welcomed the partnership as it promises to encourage more film-makers to work between the two capital cities.

“Since visiting Rio with the Sex Pistols for The Great Rock and Roll Swindle in the late 70s I’ve always wanted to make a film about the city. Visually Rio is a film-maker’s gold mine and through its music and the people who make it, both the soul of the city and its unique destiny finds its ultimate expression,” Temple commented yesterday.

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