Rio is a special city, surrounded by amazing beaches, lakes, mountains, with intact tropical forests, the most beautiful trees and vegetation, filled with a very happy population that knows how to enjoy life, exemplified by the city's much-celebrated carnival.

Near to 300,000 people work during the whole year to prepare for the three days of intense celebration. Rio's is the biggest carnival in the world, but it's not about the money, it's just pure pleasure.

The negative side of Rio is the social gap that exists between rich and poor.

These contrasting issues are central to the work of Brazilian film director Fernando Meirelles, who was interviewed by David Felice for March's issue of ME (Modern Elegance) magazine, which will be distributed with The Sunday Times tomorrow.

Fernando Meirelles directed City Of God, the much-acclaimed film that documents life within Rio's Cidade de Deus, dubbed by many as "hell on earth". He spoke of the city he passionately loves and about his work. His idea of shooting City Of God was to show to the Brazilian public a part of the country that seems to be forgotten. He strongly feels that society is ultimately responsible for such a gap between rich and poor.

Tomorrow's issue of ME turns its focus on Rio de Janeiro. Conrad Thake takes a look at the career of the man behind the city's modern architecture, Oscar Neimeyer, and Valeria Rossi provides an insight into the rise of Rio's bloco parades.

On the local front, in its continued commitment towards Valletta, ME investigates the past, present and future of the Suq tal-Belt (the Valletta market).

A first for a local Sunday magazine, ME goes on location to shoot fashion. Photographer Camilla Maia takes in the stunning views of Rio and the Corcorado mountain from the terrace of architect Andrè Piva's sun-drenched house in Fonte da Saudade.

All this and much more, portrayed in stunning photography, in tomorrow's issue of ME, the design and contemporary lifestyle magazine, published by Q Publications Ltd and distributed with The Sunday Times eight times yearly.

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