Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) presented the details of the Second Dominican Republic Global Film Festival before the directors of Santiago’s Major Media Affiliates. The Festival will be held in five Dominican cities, November 18-23, 2008.

Films will be shown in Ciudad Corazón at the Regional University Center of Santiago (CURSA), part of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). International film experts will offer training workshops at the Leon Center.

This Monday´s opening presentation was held at the Gran Theater Bar of Cibao and was hosted by Yamile Eusebio, Festival Production Director; Enegildo Peña, Deputy Minister of Culture for the Northern Region; and Humberto Peralta, Director of CURSA.

Present at the event were Adalberto de León, Director of Channel 55; César Hernández, Director of Channel 25; Amaury Polanco, Director of Channel 29, as well as representatives from El Caribe, CDN, the newspaper, La Información, Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Institute), the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration and the Cultural Center.

Peña gave the welcoming address, stating that the Festival “… is an example of what should be done on a national and international level to promote film.”

Peralta expressed his satisfaction regarding participating in this event for the second year that supports the country’s flourishing film industry.

Yamile Eusebio thanked the people of Santiago for the support that they have provided the Festival and the facilities they have made available for the film screenings and workshops.

She announced that the Festival is working with the Ministry of Education to hold film screenings in the afternoons, free of charge, for outstanding students, as a way of motivating and rewarding them for their hard work.

She emphasized that this event supports the work of the Global Media Arts Institute (GMAI), which offers classes and training opportunities to up-and-coming industry professionals. “We believe that with this Festival we are fulfilling the goal of projecting the Dominican Republic as a unique place for the film industry,” she concluded.

See Gallery of Photos

A total of 36 feature-length fiction and documentary films have been confirmed to be screened during the second edition of the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival. Under its motto, Global Issues, Personal Stories, the Festival will bring to the Dominican Republic the best of international film, while at the same time offering opportunities for learning, professional development and the creation of professional networks.

Santiago is one of the five Dominican cities hosting the film festival, will include a competition, to be held November 18-23. Other cities hosting film screenings are Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Nagua and Higüey.