The Rio Film Festival (Sept 22 -Oct 6) is expanding itsmarket activities and has now declared itself the largest industry gathering inLatin America.

Some 900 film and TV distributors, producers, exhibitors,trade groups, festival programmers and film commissioners from around the worldhave registered to attend the event.

More than 200 projects will screen in the Rio Screenings& Seminars market event alongside the 300 films that will be showcased inthe festival.

"Our goal is to generate international interest in LatinAmerican films and to help Brazilian films that have no local distribution inplace yet," said Walquiria Barbosa, one of the festival's directors. "We arealso hoping that the interaction between Brazilian and international filmprofessionals opens up dialogue and creates new possibilities for collaborationand co-productions."

At least 100 buyers are expected to attend the Screeningsand Seminars, which takes place at the Hotel Meridien in Copacabana and isequipped with video and DVD cabins where buyers can view product includingfilms, TV documentaries, shorts, animated productions and works-in-progress.

"We believe it is possible to achieve greater penetrationof Brazilian and Latin American films in foreign markets, especially in homevideo and TV," said Barbosa.