Mayor Of Rio Offers To Fully Fund Woody Allen’s Next Movie If He Shoots Locally

Over the past several years, Woody Allen has shuttled between the U.S. and some of Europe’s big cities to make his films. If the mayor of Rio has his way, Allen will be flying to Latin America for his next effort. Mayor Eduardo Paes told Brazilian newspaper O Globo that he will pay “whatever it takes” to get Allen to shoot there. Paes further pledged, “I’ll pay 100% of the production.” He said he’s gone to great lengths to express his desire to Allen, including speaking with his sister, producer Letty Aronson, and getting a message to him via architect Santiago Calatrava. Brazil has been in the news recently for uprisings over, among other things, government spending on the upcoming World Cup and Summer Olympics. But Paes said he would put up with expected criticisms from locals for handing over “the millions” that would be required.

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