Olympic opening ceremony was done on the cheap – but it was heartfelt and dazzling

Fernando Meirelles, probably best known for the Oscar-nominated film City of God, pulled off something remarkable on a budget about one-fifth of London's

Phew! It really was all right on the night. No - that's not fair. It was much better than all right. I've been going back and forth to Brazil for the past five years and I was watching the opening ceremony with bated breath.

Congratulations to the remarkable film director, Fernando Meirelles, probably best known for the Oscar-nominated film, City of God, set in Rio's slums. He pulled off something quite remarkable with this spectacular show, on a budget that seemed to shrink every day. It combined his dazzling cinematic skills with some extraordinary choreography and lighting displays, and a strong narrative thread that explained Brazil's complex history to the outside world.