The inauguration began with a stroll down the Orange Carpet. Movie stars and film directors joined President Leonel Fernández and First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández. Following the ceremony, Omar Sharif was honored with a special tribute followed by the world premiere of the American film Touched. The film’s cast, including actor and producer Shalim Ortiz, were on hand at the ceremony.

(Santo Domingo, November 19, 2009) - International movie stars, film directors and producers illuminated the Orange Carpet on Wednesday night, November 18, to mark the opening of the III Dominican Global Film Festival where homage was rendered to Omar Sharif and the world premiere of the film Touched was held.

Omar Sharif, Michael Madsen and Manny Pérez were part of the gathering of big screen stars who walked the Orange Carpet with Shalim Ortiz and the cast of Touched in this third edition of the Festival, organized by the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo and its sister entity in the United States, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development.

President Leonel Fernández, accompanied by First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, presided over the inaugural event held in the Eduardo Brito Hall of the National Theater where guest of honor, Omar Sharif, was awarded a special tribute for his illustrious acting career.
Interviewed on the Orange Carpet at the National Theater, President Fernández affirmed that the government is taking steps to consolidate the film industry in the country.

Freddy Ginebra and María Elena Núñez were the MCs of the event which marked 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, which began with a video made by the Festival production team under the director of Omar de la Cruz, was the rendering of homage to Hollywood film icon, Omar Sharif which included viewing a documentary of his acting career.
Sharif, known for his role in Dr. Zhivago and Lawrence de Arabia, expressed his gratitude, in Spanish, for the attention he has received since his arrival to the country. He said he was extremely impressed the country’s natural beauty.

Later the American film Touched was shown in the presence of Shalim Ortiz and the entire cast. Shalim, an actor and singer, introduced the film’s producers, Jackie Watson and Oliver Rossman, and actors Holliston Coleman, Sevy Di Cione and Shirly Brener.

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 includes 16 panel discussions, master classes and workshops related to the participating films. 

Synopsis of Touched

The inaugural movie of the III Dominican Global Film Festival is about the problematic relationship of Monique who vacillates between lovingly calling her daughter “My Sunshine” and “Useless Paralytic.” Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Monique’s 16-year-old daughter Nilsa is intelligent and sensitive but, because of her mother’s manipulation and abuse, has become submissive and painfully shy.

She’s rejected the essence of a pure mother-daughter relationship and uses her lover Jimmy to avoid facing reality. Nilsa is all Monique has and she is not prepared to let her go.

Her neighbor is an elderly woman who has never had a child of her own but who is wise, compassionate and possesses unshakeable faith. Esther is the director of an incredible children’s choir. It is inevitable that the pretty Nilsa will tug at her heart strings and motivate her to do something about her situation. She intervenes in a most understanding and considerate way but nevertheless provokes rage and violence on the part of Monique. Together they embark on a path where they will discover the importance of forgiveness. 

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.  

Organizing Committee of the III Dominican Republic Global Film Festival

November 18, 2009
Dominican President Leonel Fernández, accompanied by the First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, presided over the inaugural ceremony Wednesday night of the Third Dominican Global Film Festival in the Eduardo Brito Hall of the National Theater where Omar Sharif was awarded a special tribute for his illustrious acting career.

Interviewed at the entrance of the Orange Carpet at the National Theater, President Fernández affirmed that the government is taking steps to consolidate the country’s film industry.

He announced that next year a foreign film company will invest $100 million dollars to make a film in the Dominican Republic which will generate a large number of jobs and energize the economy.

The President said he is hoping the investment in the country’s culture will help promote the DR on an international level and therefore attract more foreign investment.

He said his major desire is for our country to have a strong film industry with good actors and quality productions.

“To achieve this objective, some 200 young people are studying film in distinguished universities in the US and Europe, such as at the FUNGLODE institute,” he said.

He said that culture is an industry in itself just as there are countries that have a growing economy because they developed their cultural industry.
President Fernández said he would like to see the film industry consolidated which would also provide jobs to Dominicans.

During the inaugural act in which special guest Omar Sharif was paid homage, the film Touched by actor and producer Shalim Ortiz was premiered.
President Fernández said he was satisfied with the advances made in terms of film and that they were confirmed by the presence of so many international film stars, directors and producers.  

Some of the guests that walked the Orange Carpet with Omar Sharif included Vin Diesel, Michael Madsen and Manny Pérez.

Musicians such as Don Omar, Cuco Valoy and Milly Quezada were also on hand at the opening of the third edition of the Film Festival.
The ceremony began with the a video about and an homage to Hollywood icon Omar Sharif who referred to the Dominican Republic as a paradise and thanked President Fernández for inviting him to our country. Shalim Ortiz also thanked the President.  

The III Global Film Festival will run through Sunday November 23 and will conclude with a screening of the film Sol Caribe, in the National Theater at 6:00 in the evening.

President Fernández affirmed that the country continues in its struggle to consolidate democratic institutionalism, economic and social development and the construction of cultural space that will allow for the country to continue on the road to progress and modernity.

Presidential Office of Information, Press and Publicity