Lobster fishing as a natural and economic resource
Sustainable food production: conventional, organic or local?
Beyond the grocery store: adopting a more holistic lifestyle
Tuning into the invisible bird
Our friends the whales
Conserving biodiversity, our legacy of life on earth
Surviving Climate Change
Architecture for good life
The Economic value of nature

My Village, My Lobster

Panel Theme: Lobster fishing as a natural and economic resource

“My Village, My Lobster,” is the shocking story of the indigenous Miskito lobster divers along Nicaragua's Miskito Coast, who risk their lives diving for the region's most lucrative resource – the Caribbean spiny lobster, the vast majority of which ends up in the United States.

In the past 50 years, seas and their coasts have suffered more and more from major threats that affect their ecological integrity.   Following the film, join the director and the producer of the film alongside local experts and fishermen to shine a light on the black market of spiny lobster in the DR. The panel will highlight the impacts of this illegal trade on fishermen, spiny lobster populations and the coral reef ecosystem, as well as examples of sustainable fishery initiatives that are being carried out successfully in the country.

Thursday, September 6th at 8:00 PM
Punta Cana- Galerías Punta Cana

Friday, September 7th at 7:00 PM
UNPHU- Salón de Conferencias

Panel participants:
Joshua Wolff, Director
Brad Allgood, Producer
Jake Kheel, Director PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation (PCEF)
Susanne Leib, Coastal Marine Project Coordinator, PCEF
Ruben Torres, President ReefCheck Dominicana
Pedro Montero, Viceministry of Coastal and Marine Resources

In Organic We Trust

Panel theme: Sustainable food production: conventional, organic or local?

For much of mankind’s history, agriculture has had the sole purpose of farming and livestock production, without taking into consideration any principles of sustainability.  Since the 1970s, however, several agro-environmental movements have risen, focusing on the promotion of agricultural systems that are less invasive, more equitable, and socially and economically more profitable. Thus was born the popularity of organic food. For the last 10 years, organic food sales have grown 20 percent each year, and now, over 73 percent of grocery stores sell organic products. When "organic" became a brand, everything changed – the movement and the label grew apart. Demand expanded too quickly to be supported by small local farms and big corporations went into the business.

After the screening of the film, join director, Kip Pastor, local government and agricultural organizations to discuss how the DR, a major organic food exporter itself, has found innovative ways to produce food and grains in an environmentally friendly, economically profitable manner and in a way that is more equitable to producers, trades and consumers alike. In turn they will also address what food systems are more sustainable and highlight solutions at the local level which improve food security and lead to a higher degree of food independence and self-sufficiency.

Thursday, September 6 at 6:30 PM
UCNE- Juan Pablo Segundo

Friday, September 7 at 8:00 PM
Centro Cultural Perelló

Panel participants:
Kip Pastor, Director
Cristiana Cruz Minier, School Garden Initiative Coordinator, GFDD
Ludovina Silverio Santos, Guaconejo Cooperative Coordinator

Vegucated

Panel theme: Beyond the grocery store: adopting a more holistic lifestyle

In this film, follow three meat and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Part sociological experiment, part science class and part adventure story, the film showcases the rapid, and at times comedic evolution, of three people who share one journey and ultimately discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world.

Consider, however the Dominican Republic, where meat and its consumption has historically been associated with an indication of wealth and status. In the discussion with the film’s producer Demetrius Bagley, we look at how to encourage consumers to be more conscious of what they eat, and contrary to cultural beliefs, the benefits to eating lower on the food chain. Also meet other individuals that can personally attest to the gains of assuming a more vegan lifestyle showing us how we can actively participate in a win-win situation by eating healthy foods while saving money & reducing our carbon footprint on the world.

Wednesday, September 5 at 6:15 PM
Centro Cultural Narciso González, Santo Domingo

Thursday, September 6 at 8:15 PM
Puerto Plata – Asociación Cultural Sueños de Colores

Panel participants:
Demetrius J Bagley, Producer
Natasha Despotovic, GFDD Executive Director
Cristiana Cruz Minier, School Garden Initiative Coordinator, GFDD
Johnny Martínez Rodríguez, Director SwáSthya Cultural Center

Anna, Emma and the Condors

Panel theme: Tuning into the invisible bird

In a world of climate change and environmental catastrophes, two sisters, Anna and Emma, and their companions, the California Condors, stand out as a beacon of hope. Together with their father, Chris Parish, the director of the Peregrine Fund at Vermillion Cliffs, and their mother, Ellen Parish, teacher and leader for the environmental organization "Roots and Shoots," they fight for the survival of the California Condors. The girls understand that if we do not take care of the life surrounding us, we will in the end face the possibility of our own extinction.

Birds surround us and blend in everywhere in the world, so much so that sometimes they are invisible to the eye. Following the film, join a discussion of local bird preservationists on the island of hispaniola, which boasts a high level of avefauna, to learn more about efforts to support the bird species in the DR, some of which are facing extinction. Learn how to get more involved with the art of bird-spotting and how to value this important species’ significant role in nature.

Friday, September 7 at 10:30 AM
Centro Cultural Narciso González, Santo Domingo

Panel participants:
Kate Wallace, Society for the Conservation and study of Caribbean birds (SCSCB)

The Whale

Panel theme: Our friends the whales

The Whale is the true story of Luna, a young orca who, at age two, becomes separated from his large family, and stranded in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Although alone, Luna doesn’t fade away, making contact instead with people in boats and on the shore. The film is a thoughtful, philosophical documentary that ponders the impulses behind, and advisability of, intense interaction between human being and another smart species.

Following the screening, join the film’s director Michael Parfit and producer Suzanne Chisholm, along with local experts whom will share their personal experiences, encounters and unique bonds they have formed with whales, and reflect on the ethical and practical issues behind this interaction.

Thursday, September 6 at 11:30 AM
Centro Cultural Narcizo González

Saturday, September 8 at 8:00 PM
Puerto Plata- Asociación Cultural Sueños de Colores

Panel participants:
Michael Parfit, Director
Suzanne Chisholm, Producer
Oswaldo Vásquez, Atemar
Roberto Llerena, Grupo Nautilius

Life: Challenges of Life

Panel theme: Conserving biodiversity, our legacy of life on earth

Capturing the extraordinary things animals and plants must do to survive and reproduce, this film documents, at 1000 frames per second, the actions of an array of creatures. Witness amazing behavior such as capuchin monkeys smashing open palm nuts with stone 'hammers'; hippos launching from the water into the air and chameleons stealing prey from a spider's web. Sprint with cheetahs as they band together to tackle ostriches; watch dolphins form perfect rings of silt to trap fish and swim with a seal as it struggles to escape killer whales in the ice of Antarctica.

Whichever way you look at it, biodiversity is a fundamental part of the Earth's life support system and represents the common link between all living creatures and our common survival. After the film, join seasoned National Geographic Explorer, Jon Bowermaster and other local panelists from the science world who will highlight their experiences out in the field and explain why biodiversity, from which human livelihood stems, is so important to preserve for future generations.

Wednesday, September 5 at 11:00 AM
Centro Cultural Narciso González, Santo Domingo

Thursday, September 6 at 11:30 AM
Centro Cultural Perelló, Bani

Panel participants:
Eleuterio Martínez, Dominican Academy of Sciences

Someplace with a Mountain

Panel theme: Surviving Climate Change

Where can we go? We have no mountain. Such is the plight of a special group of Pacific islanders, traditional sailors, the proud forefathers of many cultures in the tropical Pacific. They are losing their homes and crops because of the rise in sea level. Their livelihood and culture are dramatically threatened, as the islands they live on are flooding day by day.

Global climate change is the cause of much of the loss of the planets biodiversity, the reduction in the productivity of important crops, and the reduction in the availability of water for human, agriculture and hydroelectric consumption.  Mindful of the fact that, the majority of Dominican population lives within 6 miles from the coastline, following the film a panel, comprising those with hands on expertise and policymakers will talk about Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and how the steady rise in sea level increasingly threatens our living culture and ultimate survival.

Thursday, September 6 at 7:30 PM
Centro Cultural Perelló, Bani

Friday, September 7 at 5:00 PM
UNPHU- Salón de Conferencias

Saturday, September 8 at 12:00 PM
UCNE- Cinema Biblioteca

Panel participants:
Max Campos, Organization of American States
Charlotte Vick, Google Ocean
Moisés Álvarez, National Bureau of Clean Development Mechanism, National Board of Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL)

Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life

Panel theme: Architecture for good life

Embark on a journey from our evolutionary past and the origins of architecture to the world's most celebrated buildings in a search for the architecture of life. The film showcases buildings that connect people and nature – hospitals where patients heal faster, schools where children's test scores are higher, offices where workers are more productive and communities where people know their neighbors and families thrive.

As an innovative way of designing the places where we live, work and learn, Biophilic Design reflects humanity's need for a connection to nature.  Following the screening, find out how local architects in the DR are applying the concept of green architecture by using a combination of the latest technology, and the most sustainable materials, to create buildings that are in harmony with the environment and connect us more to nature.  In this informative session, meet with those at the forefront of the green building movement in the country, as they explain the process of designing spaces that conform to internationally accepted standards of environmental and ecological sensitivity.

Thursday, September 6 at 8:00 PM
FUNGLODE

Friday, September 7 at 12:00 PM
UCNE- Cinema Biblioteca

Panel participants:
Gustavo Luis Moré, Center for the Study of Architecture, Urbanism and Habitat, FUNGLODE
Johnny Pérez Guerra, President of the Dominican School of Architecture, GCIA y GMZ
Marcos Barinas, Coordinator for the Sustainable Design Master's Program, UNIBE

Riqueza Viva/Wild Wealth

Panel theme: The Economic value of nature

With striking images, “Wild Wealth,” captures the beauty of Latin America and the Caribbean, a region rich in biodiversity which houses 33% of the world’s mammals, 35% of reptiles, and half of the worlds’ tropical forests.

After the documentary, join officials from the Inter-American Development Bank to highlight examples and best practices of sustainable biodiversity conservation in the areas of tourism development, agriculture, fisheries, and job creation. Learn how communities can work together to maintain a balance between economic, environmental, and social objectives, conserving the environment for future generations whilst using the natural resource base for economic development.

Sunday, September 9 at 8:00 PM
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo

Panel participants:
Jorge Requena, Chief of Operations of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in the Dominican Republic
Roberto Herrera, Presidente de EcoRed

Ecological Films…Action!
Plastic Vortex: Our Oceans, Plastic and Other trash
Social Networks as generators of environmental impact
Recyclart

Title: Ecological Films…Action!

Thursday, September 6th, 2012
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Panelists: Fernando Báez – Unicornio Films / Evan Abramson – Carbon for Water,
Suzanne Chisholm, Producer The Whale

Thanks to an evolution within the Latin American film industry, the Dominican Republic benefits today from film legislation, film festivals, production companies and a new generation of filmmakers. Simultaneously, the world is also witnessing an awakening of sensitivity towards the environment, in which terms such as conservation and sustainability are becoming ingrained in daily life. The DR Environmental Film Festival seeks to motivate emerging filmmakers in the country to adopt these new ideas and concepts within their productions, encouraging the use of film as a weapon to create stories that raise awareness and have an impact on the environment.

About the panelists:
Evan Abramson is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer born in New York City. Together with his wife Carmen Elsa Lopez, he writes, directs, shoots, edits and produces. In 2010 they formed Cows in the Field, a production house focused on telling the stories of people impacted by environmental crisis around the globe — and on finding solutions. Their 2011 documentary Carbon for Water, has won nearly 20 film festival awards. Evan’s 2010 multimedia documentary, When the Water Ends won First Prize at the 2012 World Water Forum and was nominated for a Webby, a World Press Photo Award and was a finalist in the Online Journalism Awards.

Fernando Báez, Founder and President of Unicorn Films and Grupo Unico, has made more than 250 documentary films. He was production manager on several channels of the Dominican Republic, as well as director and producer of the documentary series La Imagen Nacional. He has won numerous national and international awards as a television director. His productions include "Tiempo para Cosechar"; "Un Pueblo con Alma de Carnaval"; "República Dominicana... Sus Ríos, Saltos y Lagos"; and the recently released feature film "El Rey de Najayo", among others.

Fernando Baez holds M.A. degrees in both Cinematography and Film.

Suzanne Chisholm is an award-winning film producer and director, currently living in British Columbia. She was born in Quebec and raised in Nova Scotia. She has produced and filmed news stories and documentaries in Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, the South Pacific and throughout North America.

Together with her husband, Michael Parfit, Suzanne directed, produced and filmed over 20 stories for the National Geographic Channel-US, on a variety of environmental, wildlife, cultural and human-interest stories around the world. They also directed and produced The Search for the Never Never, a one-hour documentary about the Australian environment, which was distributed internationally. Their first film was Letters from the Forgotten People, a story about refugees in Tanzania. Her work has been shown on National Geographic Channel, CNN, PBS, BBC, NHK, France 2, CBC, Al-Jazeera, and in film festivals around the world.

Thursday, September 6th, 2012
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Title: Plastic Vortex: Our Oceans, Plastic and Other trash

Panelist: Doug Woodring, Ocean Recovery Alliance

Join us for this fascinating discussion of one man's voyage to clean up the oceans and his discovery that plastic is at the heart of the matter. This eye-opening and informative workshop will highlight opportunities involved in the world of plastic and its role as a secondary material and valuable resource. The talk will be aimed at showcasing solutions to the issues of plastic pollution in our environment, including cutting edge recycling, rethinking the industry in terms of packaging and materials. The talk will also focus on effective policies and emerging new technologies that aim to reduce the scale of marine debris and its impact on our environment.

About the panelist:
Woodring is an environmental entrepreneur, a writer, a competitive athlete, a sports event organizer and a creative innovator on community issues. He is the founder of a newly established non-profit organization, the Ocean Recovery Alliance, which is focused on bringing innovative solutions, technology, collaborations and policy together to impact positive improvements for the health of the ocean.

Woodring has a dual masters degree from The Wharton School (MBA) and Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) where he studied Environmental Economics. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Friday, September 7th 2012
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Title: Social Networks as generators of environmental impact

Panelists: Sebastián Bustamante – Verdeate.com, Farah de la Mota – Panorama Verde, Isaolym Mieses – Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Lorna Aquino – Green Love RD

When you compare Facebook with its 850 million users to the third most densely populated country in the world, or you consider that each day over 110 million tweets are recorded and that there are over 150 million blogs on the web, you will clearly see a social impact which has evolved at a rapid rate over the past few years through the internet. While many complain of these social networks, one cannot argue of the power they yield in driving movements and campaigns which can, in a matter of minutes, result in an almost immediate international response, thanks to the social impact they have on the networks' users. So why not harness this power to increase awareness and affect changes in attitude and behavior with regard to the environment?

About the panelists:
Sebastián Bustamante González, Director of the VERDEate.com portal - He has experience in project management, consulting, foreign relations and online projects. Part of his professional development has taken place in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Barcelona. He is an Administrative Engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and is a consultant for startups of companies related to technology and the environment.

Farah De la Mota: Presenter, journalist and correspondent in the Dominican Republic for news chain NTN24 - She graduated in communications from Universidad Católica de Santo Domingo and holds a Master Degree in Marketing Direction from Barna Business School. She has worked for important media outlets such as Listín Diario, CDN and Informativo Diario Libre, and in public relations for institutions such as Universidad INTEC, Grupo Ramos and Cámara Americana de Comercio. At present, she is the face of Periódico El Nacional for Telesistema Canal 11, where she is also a news anchor for Telenoticias. Since 2011, she has been producing and presenting the weekly show Panorama Verde, which seeks to bring education, awareness and information on the environment to the Dominican population.

Isaolym Mieses: Ex Communications Director for the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources. She is an expert in communications projects in the fields of public relations, mass media relations and content broadcasting. She has experience in plan development and communications strategies for government entities and non-governmental institutions. A graduate in journalism, she has earned respect in the mass media arena, collaborating with important national and international print media.

Lorna Aquino, Executive Director at Green Love. Graduated in tourism and hotel management. Has experience in business management, field in which she has led projects seeking to increase productivity and enhance workplace performance. She is an advocate for balance between the personal, social and professional sides to each individual. Together with her mother, she manages an ecological project, which has been operating successfully for the past three years. This project fights for social inclusion, economic development and green culture.

Saturday, September 8th 2012
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Title: Recyclart

Panelists: Bertha Santana - Manos, Arte y Reciclaje (MAR), Moses Ros -  Proyecto Gráfica

Imagine a lamp made out of plastic bottles, or your new favorite purse made out of paper. Recycling is about finding an alternative and transforming used materials into new objects, which would otherwise be thrown away. In many ways recycling has become a new means of expression for many artists, which have embraced it as a way to give something back to the environment, inspired on what they know how to do best. Join us for this workshop to learn how you can transform what would otherwise see as garbage, into new objects with an entirely different use to what you originally purchased them for.

About the panelists:
Moses Ros-Suárez, Proyecto Gráfica: Public artist of Dominican descent living and working in New York City. His work includes sculpture, painting and printmaking. Currently Ros-Suárez combines printmaking and recycled material to create a new art from discarded resources.

Bertha Santana: Dominican specializing in artistic recycling. She conducts community and company workshops.