INSERT: The cast will interact with the public prior to the screening of the film which premiered recently at the Toronto International Film Festival. Many of the film’s scenes were shot in Santiago de los 30 Caballeros and Washington Heights, New York.   

“La Soga” stars Manny Pérez, Denise Quiñones, Juan Fernández, Paul Calderón and Fantino Fernández will walk the red carpet at the inauguration of the III Dominican Global Film Festival to be held in the auditorium of the Regional Center of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo in Santiago  (CURSA in Spanish) on November 17.

“La Soga” will be shown at 8:00 pm. The film’s cast will answer audience questions after the screening, as part of the inauguration program which is being carried out with the cooperation of the province’s Director of Culture, Enegildo Pena, the press coordinator José D’Laura and rector of CURSA, Humberto Peralta.

The world premiere of “La Soga” took placerecently at the Toronto International Film Festival. The story moves between Santiago in the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights, New York.  The movie is a crime story and a love story at the same time and it is also an analysis of the price of revenge.   

After witnessing the murder of his father, a butcher from Santiago, at the hands of Rafa, a known criminal from New York, young Luisito (Fantino Fernández) meets General Colón (Juan Fernández), Chief of the Dominican Secret Police.  Colón takes advantage of Luisito’s unbridled desire for revenge and turns him into a ruthless killer. Twenty years later, Luisito (Manny Pérez as the grown Luisito) is Colón’s number one hit man. Colón keeps Luisito under his total control, with the promise that he will one day hand over his father’s killer, who by now has fled to New York.  

But things change when Luisito meets Jenny (Denise Quiñones), his first love. Jenny’s tenderness makes him see the corruption that surrounds him.

Full of raw energy and unparalleled beauty, this incisive portrait of an assassin in search of redemption is Josh Crook’s feature film debut as well as Dominican Manny Pérez who is the film’s main actor, scriptwriter and producer. 

Director Josh Crook, native of Brooklyn, New York, studied history and art at Marietta College in Ohio. He co-directed several films with his brother Jeff Crook including “The Fittest” (2003), “Sucker Punch” (2003), “Ghetto Dawg 2” (2005),  “Salvage” (2006), “Rockaway” (2007) and “The Level” (2009).

Manny Pérez, Josh Crook and the rest of the cast will share details about the film prior to the screening at the opening of the Film Festival in Santiago.
The III Dominican Global Film Festival, which runs from November 17 to 22, is also taking place in Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Nagua and CapCana. A total of 30 films and documentaries will be screened throughout the Festival in addition to a series of nine panels, workshops and master classes.
Through the films, professional training and educational programs, the 2009 Festival seeks to inspire and educate emerging artists, industry professionals, high school and college students and film lovers all around.

OTHER FILMS

Other films will also be shown in Santiago including “P-Star Raising,” at 10:00 am, “The Window” at 7:00 pm, both on Wednesday November 18;  on Thursday, November 19th “The Beautiful Fight” at 10:00 am and “500 Days with Her” at 7:00 pm; Friday the 20th at 10:00 am, “Sergio” and “Among Us” will show at 7:00 pm; “The Actors Studio” on Saturday November 21st at 10:00 am and “The Giant” at 7:00 pm. “The Maid” will be shown on Sunday at 6:00 pm in evening.

SPONSORS

The III Dominican Global Film Festival is made possible with the generous support of CapCana, Abastos & Services, SERIGRAF, Digital 15, Punta Perla, Radio Cadena Comercial, Ruíz Centro Stereo, Telemicro, Telemicro Internacional, La 91, Zol, Radio Disney, Odebrecht, CTN, Hotel Santo Domingo, New World Films, Ram Engineering, WindTelecom, Tech Films Solutions 3, Thrifty, Amhsa Marina, Aquí y Allá, Tiendas Corripio, Dominicana Radio Dispacher, Induban, Cinema Palace  and MADE.

In addition, the Festival also has support from UASD, the National Theater, Cinemateca Dominicana, Mauricio Báez Club, León Center, Air Ocean, Memoria de Nación Foundation, LVT Subtitlings, RNN, Ministry of Education (SEE), Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (SEESCyT), Sousa Sistemas, Telecentro and Vinópolis.

The Spanish Embassy, Spanish Aid Agency (AECI), United States Embassy through the Franklin Center and the Embassies of Israel and Mexico have also contributed to the success of the Festival.