Movie stars and film directors will join President Leonel Fernández and his wife, First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández at the inauguration of the III Dominican Republic Global Film Festival with the traditional stroll down the red carpet. Following the ceremony, Omar Sharif will receive a special tribute followed by the world premiere of the American film Touched. The film’s cast, including actor and producer Shalim Ortiz, will be on hand.

(Santo Domingo, November 18, 2009) – International movie stars, film directors and producers will light up the red carpet on Wednesday November 18 as the III Dominican Global Film Festival gets underway with a special homage to Omar Sharif and the world premiere of the film Touched.
Omar Sharif, Vin Diesel, Michael Madsen and Manny Pérez are part of the impressive gathering of film stars who will walk the red carpet with Shalim Ortiz and the cast of Touched.  Singers spanning several generations, such as Don Omar, Cuco Valoy and  Milly Quezada will also grace the red carpet for the third edition of the Festival, organized by the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo and its sister organization in the United States, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development.

President Leonel Fernández, accompanied by First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, will preside over the inaugural event being held in the Eduardo Brito Hall of the National Theater where Festival guest of honor, Omar Sharif, will be given a special tribute.

Freddy Ginebra and María Elena Núñez will MC the event which marks the beginning of five days of film screenings in five different cities around the country: Santo Domingo, Santiago, Nagua, Puerto Plata and Cap Cana.

Tribute to Omar Sharif

The spectacular high point of the ceremony, to commence with a video made by the Festival production team under the director of Omar de la Cruz, will be the rendering of homage to Hollywood film icon, Omar Sharif.

Actor Vin Diesel will take part in the tribute that includes the presentation of the special video.

Following the world premiere of the American film Touched, the film’s cast, including actor and producer Shalim Ortiz, will be on hand.
The III Dominican Global Film Festival will continue through Sunday November 23 when the movie, Sol Caribe, will be shown in the National Theater at 6:00 pm.

The Film Festival, organized by the Fundación Global, Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and its sister organization in the United States, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, includes 16 panel discussions, master classes and workshops related to the participating films. 

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), the United States Embassy through the Franklin Center and the Mexican Embassy have also contributed to the success of the Festival.