Film about Man’s Most Basic Necessity, WATER, Closes the III Dominican Environmental Film Festival

Santo Domingo, September 8, 2013

What has arguably become one of the most unique and influential Film Festivals in Latin America, the III Dominican Environmental Film Festival, organized by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundacion Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), drew to a close on Sunday, September 8, following four extraordinary days during which audiences viewed, discussed and gained new insights from 28 of the most ground-breaking, influential, environmentally focused documentaries, films and shorts from around the world.

The highlight of the Closing Night, held at FUNGLODE in Santo Domingo, was a screening of the award-winning documentary, A Thirsty World, by celebrated filmmaker and cinematographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Weaving his trademark spectacular aerial images with the harsh, everyday reality of people around the world, Arthus-Bertrand’s film focuses on one of the major challenges to human survival: potable water. The film pays tribute to those people who are struggling to ensure that clean, safe and healthy drinking water is accessible to every human being on the planet.

Preceding the screening was a special appearance of the filmmaker himself in an open discussion where Mr. Arthus-Bertrand, who spoke candidly about the critical water shortage the earth faces and the great inspiration he found in the tireless efforts of remarkable men, women and children around the world who tirelessly work to ensure that the nine billion human beings expected to be sharing the planet in 2050 will have access to clean, safe and healthy drinking water.

Yann Arthus Betrand was honored on the evening by a DREFF Award recognizing his Outstanding Contributions to the Environment. Upon receiving his award, bestowed upon him by Executive Director, Natasha Despotovic, Yann thanked GFDD and FUNGLODE for inviting him, and for the wonderful opportunity to film parts of his upcoming film, "Human: The Movie" in the Dominican Republic. This film is slated to be screened at the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.

The Closing Night ceremony was attended by environmental and business leaders, students and academics, film lovers, and a host of other individuals who identify with the Festival’s message of environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Festival Director and GFDD Executive Director, Natasha Despotovic, closed the evening by thanking all those who were instrumental in making the III Annual Dominican Environmental Film Festival the most successful one yet.  In particular, Ms. Despotovic noted that the Festival and the work being done by GFDD and FUNGLODE, would not be possible without the generous support of a vast network of highly dedicated organizations, businesses and individuals who have set aside any and all differences in order to work together to protect and nurture the environment, and thereby ensuring that future generations will always enjoy the diversity, wealth and the sheer magic of the most extraordinary place in the solar system known to man – Planet Earth.

ReCrearte Certificate Awards
The evening also saw the graduation ceremony of people participating in ReCrearte workshops conducted by GFDD and FUNGLODE collaborator, Bertha Santana throughout the year, and which was initiated in 11 DREFF in 2012.  Using art as a means of expression, each of the awardees, are now certified artists, having learnt through the workshops how to take advantage of the things we are about to throw away, transforming them into new objects with an entirely different use to what they were originally purchased.

Sponsors
The DR Environmental Film Festival is an initiative of the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and its sister organization in the United States, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), in collaboration with the: Ágora Mall; NGO Alliance; The American School of Santo Domingo; Banco de Reservas; Bepensa; Children and Youth Library of the Dominican Republic; Centro Cuesta Nacional; Centro Cultural Monina Campora; Centro Cultural Narciso González; Centro Cultural Perelló; Centro Cultural León Jiménez; Children International; ECORED; Propagas Foundation; FUNDAZURZA; Siempre Mas Foundation; Impulsar ORG; INSAPROMA; Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources; Odebrecht; OH! Magazine; Plan Lea; Puerto Plata Tourism Cluster; Listín Diario; PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB; UNAPEC; UNPHU; Vida Azul Foundation and Ztadium Studios.

Related links
www.dreff.org
www.environmentaldictionary.org
www.globoverdedominicano.org
www.ecored.org.do
www.iadb.org

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