The Path to 2009
New York, December 1, 2008

The countdown begins. The Dominican Republic Global Festival team has already begun working towards the celebration of the third edition of the Festival, to take place November 18-22, 2009. However, we do not want to move forward with the next edition without thanking everyone for their enthusiasm and participation in the 2008 Festival - to the more than 100 renowned international invitees, to the local experts, to the collaborators in the provinces, to the more than 30,000 spectators, to the Friends of the Festival, to the corporate sponsors, and to the diplomatic body. To all of you, thank you.

The Festival Staff, led by General Director, Natasha Despotovic, worked arduously since the end of 2007 in multiple areas that required multidisciplinary collaboration to bring to fruition a cinematographic event of this magnitude: technical direction, programming, production, filmmaker relations, promotion and marketing, communications, publications, digital media and publicity, web design and web casting, technological infrastructure, graphic design and photography, professional and thematic panels, translation, coordination of volunteers, administration, special events, ticket sales, university relations, corporate relations, transportation, special services, coordination in the provinces, and safety.

Work was realized by some 120 people in order to ultimately arrive at a successful completion: from the most renowned international film festivals, 36 high quality films arrived to the Dominican Republic that corresponded to the Festival's theme: "Global Issues, Personal Stories." The II Dominican Republic Global Film Festival presented 26 fiction and 10 documentary films -- a Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) initiative of unprecedented proportions, attracting a record number of over 30,000 spectators.

All of this would not have been possible without the support of over 200 volunteers that worked diligently day and night so that the event would be a success.

Additionally, thanks to close collaboration with the Ministries of Culture, Education and Higher Education, as well as with the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and other universities in the country, thousands of students from middle schools and high schools and numerous universities enjoyed great cinematographic works and the presence of experts in multiple areas with whom they were able to exchange knowledge and experiences concerning today's world.

Moreover, 17 panels, master classes and workshops directed towards cinematographic industry professionals and enthusiasts were celebrated. As a new addition to the Festival, this year, for the first time, 14 thematic panels related to the films principal themes were introduced, including: the global water crisis, AIDS, globalization and rural development, social psychology and group dynamics, human rights, women as agents of change, and domestic violence.

Furthermore, the Festival presented a tribute to Colombian Distributor Elba McAllister, Founder and Executive Producer of Cineplex. Also, for the first time, the Festival Public voted to select the best dramatic and documentary film.

We invite you to recollect all that occurred during this year's Festival by visiting our webpage, www.drglobalfilmfestival.org. See photographs, virtually attend panels realized, find out the winning films, listen to interviews with international filmmakers and read the great wealth of content available on the site.

During the Closing Night celebrated Sunday, November 23 at the National Theater in Santo Domingo, the General Director announced that the third edition of the Festival would be celebrated November 18-22, 2009. "Starting now we are preparing a variety of contents, which will include new components, such as a day of Dominican shorts. Accompany us on the journey and prepare for a Festival that is each time larger and more impactful, each time more complete and more enriching. See you soon!"