Representatives of the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival (DRGFF),
an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development
(GFDD)
and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE),
attended the thirty seventh edition of the popular Gramado Film
Festival Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, August 9-15, 2009.
Semiramis de Miranda, DRGFF Digital Media Director, and Taina
Rodriguez, DRGFF Promotion Coordinator, liaised with filmmakers,
celebrities, politicians and other industry professionals that
gathered from all over the world to experience the most
celebrated film festival in Latin America.
Gramado is legendary for its innovative new cinematographic
language of making films. Films are selected not only for
entertainment purposes, but also for their ability allow the
viewer to experience a wide variety of emotions through imagery,
scenery, photography, content, camera angles and other features.
Brazilian and Latin American filmmakers showcase their latest
productions in hopes of winning the most coveted of prizes – the
Kikito (God of Good Humor) Trophy. Film entries to the Gramado
Festival rose by 80 percent this year, which came as no surprise
to one of its curators, Sergio Sanz. He believes that people’s
inherent need to tell stories, coupled with the onset of
digitalization, have brought a democratic “revolution” to the
film industry. The number of film productions across the globe,
especially in developing countries, is increasing at an enormous
rate, which is positive in the sense that people are not as
concerned with the traditional style of movie making. This
brings fresh ideas to the film industry making “old style”
filmmakers rethink their craft.
Young filmmakers have a special function in this environment.
They keep the industry moving with dynamic new ideas. Like in
any other revolutionary movement, exceptional, average and
mediocre films are made. However, the chances of finding great
new directors, producers and many other filmmaking professionals
are higher, both locally and worldwide.
One of the DRGFF’s objectives is to reach out to people from all
walks of life and create an opportunity for discussion on global
issues. Similarly, the Gramado Film Festival is an opportunity
to experience innovative productions and new cinematographic
languages that encourage discussion about “Global Issues,
Personal Stories”.
During the Gramado Film Festival, DRGFF representatives met with
the festival’s president, who will be invited to participate in
one of DRGFF’s professional panels, “Festival Directors in
Dialogue”. Representatives also had a chance to talk to the
president of the ANCINE (Brazilian Film Association of the
Ministry of Culture) about collaboration on a Brazilian Films
Series in the Dominican Republic next year.
DRGFF 2008, had the vision to create “year-round programming to
support the core mission” of the Festival
http://www.drglobalfilmfestival.org/drgff2008/festival_en.asp.
This vision will be realized in 2010, with the first ever
exhibition of Brazilian films in the Dominican Republic. The
development of this initiative will be in conjunction with GFDD
and the Global Media Arts Institute (GMAI).
DRGFF invites you to join in the movement to develop new
programs to support Dominican filmmakers. The Dominican Republic
Global Film Festival is scheduled to take place in the Dominican
Republic in 4 cities: Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, and
Nagua, November 18-22, 2009.
