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