Dominican Global Film Festival to Recognize Prominent International Filmmakers for Contributions to the Dominican Movie Industry
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, November 6th, 2006

This Wednesday, November 8, at the Teatro Nacional, the inauguration of the Dominican Global Film Festival will pay tribute to a variety of filmmakers who have recently filmed in the Dominican Republic.

During the opening ceremonies of the first Dominican Global Film Festival, the Teatro Nacional will become the setting of an important homage to directors and producers who have contributed to the promotion of the film industry of the Dominican Republic. Andy García, who filmed his work “La Ciudad Perdida” in the country, will be recognized alongside Luis Llosa, director of “La Fiesta del Chivo”, which was also filmed in the DR. “La Ciudad Perdida” will be shown at the opening of the Festival.

Tribute will also be paid to actor and director Robert De Niro, who chose the DR as setting of his movie “The Good Shepherd” (“El buen pastor”), due out in 2007. As he is currently overseeing postproduction of the film, the actor will be unable to attend the event.

The Festival’s inaugural gala will also recognize Alejo Menéndez, who has promoted the Dominican Republic to moviemakers in the United States for years by drawing attention to the many possibilities offered by the country’s rural and urban landscapes. Similarly, the ceremony will highlight the important contributions of Dominicans Claudio Chea and Jaime Piña. Each will be recognized for his support of the country’s film industry.

Filmmakers will be honored in the Eduardo Brito Room at the Teatro Nacional in the presence of key figures of the international stage and screen.

Andy García will be accompanied in the festival by producer-musician Emilio Estefan, Enrique Murciano of “La Ciudad perdida” and “Miss Congeniality”, as well as Néstor Carbonell, Steven Bauer, Joseph Drago, Juan Fernández, and Gonzalo Menéndez. Actors Lola Dueñas (“Volver”, “Mar Adentro”), Adriana Barraza (“Amores Perros”, “Babel”), and Dominik García-Lorido (“La ciudad perdida”) will also attend. Well-known producers and directors including Esther García (producer of Pedro Almodóvar’s “Volver”) and Israel Caetano (director, “Crónica de una Fuga”) will also participate in the Festival, as will Dominican actresses Dania Ramírez and Zoe Saldaña.

The Festival, which runs until November 12, was organized by the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) www.globalfoundationdd.org and the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) http://www.funglode.org/FunglodeApp/. Under the title “Global Issues, Personal Stories”, the Festival seeks to increase global awareness via the retelling of personal stories and circumstances.

The Film Festival also seeks to inform students and youth, thus providing them with the tools to necessary develop new projects, promote a culture of constructive social change, and bring the urban and natural charm of the Dominican Republic to the filmmakers of the world. The Dominican Global Film Festival was inspired by the President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández, who is also Founder and Honorary President of the foundations FUNGLODE and GFDD.