Story

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Brazil's interim President Michel Temer, who was loudly booed at the Olympic opening ceremony, won't have to face the same jeering crowds when the Rio Games end.

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’sPhew! 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. Continue reading...

The Olympic Games opening ceremony takes place at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night. Former marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima lights the Olympic flame to cap the ceremony after performances showcasing the Amazon rainforest and athlete entrances