Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and its sister organization in the Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), announced the film Bears has been this year’s “Audience Award 2014” winner, recognition given by the public that attended the IV edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), held on September 10 to 14, 2014 in the Dominican Republic.

The selection process was conducted by the viewers who attended the screenings during the DREFF, who rated the movies on a ballot distributed in each presentation. A jury was in charge of counting the votes at the end. The audience chose the best film among the 37 presented at the DREFF 2014, where 16 feature films, 8 short films, 6 Dominican productions, 5 GFDD productions and 2 retrospectives were screened.

Bears, directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill and produce by Disneynature, is an epic story on a breathtaking scale. Showcasing a year in the life of a bear family — mother Sky teaches her two impressionable cubs, Amber and Scout, about life’s most important lessons. Emerging from hibernation, the three face the bitter cold and an exciting but very risky outside world.

For more information and to watch the trailer, you can visit http://www.dreff.org/2014/bears/?lang=en

The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) production Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experiencehas been chosen as official selection at the ENFOQUE International Film Festival, to be celebrated in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 13 -15, November 2014.

The GFDD production, directed by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Natasha Despotovic, had received more than 12 awards since its official launch during the 3rd edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF). The film shows in detail how recycling has become an important economic opportunity for Dominicans. Through various business and educational projects the viewer notes that besides the obvious benefit to the environment, recycling allows economic development through the creation of new businesses and industries. A short film that inspires, moves and calls for action.

ENFOQUE is an international film festival that presents some of the greatest new works by emerging filmmakers. The themes for the festival are family, social interest and values.
The Festival is designed to attract film enthusiasts within and outside Puerto Rico, as well as families and individuals interested in seeing visual productions and work with moral values and different perspectives on current social problems.

For more information visit http://garbage.dreff.org | www.dreff.org orwww.enfoquefilm.com

Team members of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival will participate in Toronto’s Planet in Focus film festival

Washington, October 10^th, 2014

The Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) is already warming up to carry out its next edition, which is scheduled to be held on September 8^th to the 13^th, 2015, in various cities of the Dominican Republic. In this regard, several DREFF team members will attend as guests the Planet in Focus environmental film festival next November in Toronto (Canada), which this year will celebrate its fifteenth edition.

Planet in Focus is an environmental organization dedicated to audiovisual art. It has programming throughout the year and its mission is “to produce, promote and disseminate artistically made ​​films and videos that explore and tell stories about the world in which we live.”

The Festival, which this year will be held from November 6^th to 9^th, exhibits and promotes environmental films and videos of all genres: documentary, animation, experimental, short films and drama of Canadian and international filmmakers.

According to the organizers, its objective is to enlighten, engage and entertain audiences of all backgrounds through film.

DREFF

In turn, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) aims to raise awareness among Dominican audiences and to deepen their understanding of today’s environmental issues. DREFF is also dedicated to celebrate the beauty and natural diversity of the Dominican Republic, as well as to provide information and proposals that contribute to its appreciation and which promote its conservation and sustainable use.

The most recent edition of the DREFF, which took place between September 10^th and September 14^th of this year, was held in 10 cities throughout the Dominican Republic and in more than 20 locations, and it screened 37 films from around the world. With a total of 80 screenings -50 of which were aimed at students of all ages- DREFF brought together filmmakers and experts from all over the world for five days to attend the screenings and to participate in panels, workshops and discussions about the latest trends in films and technology, the environment and sustainable development.

The DREFF team, which will hold its fifth edition on September 8^th to the 13^th, 2015, works throughout the year to bring to the Dominican Republic the best films during each of its editions and to create networks with members of the industry worldwide with a view to serving as a catalyst for the creation of projects and programs that promote good practices in the area of ​​the environment, and which result from the interaction of young people and the general public with teachers.

Related links:
http://www.planetinfocus.org/

In appreciation of the valuable work carried out during the IV edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), which was held in 10 cities across the country from September 10-14, 2014, GFDD-FUNGLODE hosted a party to the youth who participated as volunteers.

Over Dominican 50 volunteers contributed to the success of the DREFF, serving as hostesses of national and international guests as well as during the screenings and special events held in during the Film Festival. To GFDD-FUNGLODE, the work of these young volunteers was vital to the success of the DREFF.