Following their goal of raising awareness and deepening the understanding of environmental issues among Dominican audiences, GFDD and the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) are making the film available to the public worldly, free of charge.

Following its successful screening in 13 international festivals, Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience is now available online for free at Global Foundation for Democracy and Development’s (GFDD) Youtube Channel. The 17-minute documentary, produced by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode), is one of its kind in its genre in the country, that shows us how recycling has become a significant economic opportunity for Dominicans. Through various business and educational projects, the viewer learns how, besides the obvious benefit to the environment, recycling brings economic development through the creation of new businesses and industries.

“It is a film that inspires, moves and calls to action,” explains the Director of GFDD and Director of the short film, Natasha Despotovic. “Now – she continues – the message is clear: trash is no longer just trash and it has a value. As long as trash can be utilized it is not trash. The proper term is waste, a resource that is raw material first and then it can be turned into a new product.”

Following their goal of raising awareness and deepening the understanding of environmental issues among Dominican audiences, GFDD and the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) are making the film available to the public, free of charge, with a view to promoting discussion and inspiring people to action through its screening at conferences, schools, universities and communities, not only in the Dominican Republic but worldwide.

Awards

Last December, Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience won its third international award, the Award for Best Documentary at the Miami Short Film Festival (MSFF), after receiving the Award for Best Documentary at the Green Lens Environmental Film Festival 2014, and the Second Place of the Fan Coral Award 2014 at the Reef Renaissance Film Festival. In total, this short film has participated in 13 official competitions at international film festivals around the world.

This project is part of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) and its Short Film Production program. This year, the fifth edition of DREFF will take place from September 8th to the 13th in 14 cities throughout the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) ushered in the new year by joining the Green Film Network (GFN), the prestigious international association of environmental film festivals. Through its network of major festivals, the GFN promotes global awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues by coordinating the events of its member festivals, by promoting and distributing films worldwide, and by encouraging cooperative initiatives and projects. In its homepage the association welcomes DREFF and explains its mission, vision and objectives. Its website also hosts a dedicated link to the Dominican festival.

As a result of its affiliation with the GFN, the DREFF, an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), will be able to work more closely with other festivals, such as Paris’ FIFE (France); Turin’s Cinemabiente (Italy); Delhi’s CMSVatavaran (India); Moscow’s Eup (Russia); Zaragoza’s EcoZine (Spain); Porto Velho’s Festcineamazonia (Brazil); and Buenos Aires’ FINCA (Argentina).  Membership will also allow DREFF to create linkages with events such as GFFIS, Seoul (Korea); Planet in Focus, Toronto (Canada); SEFF, Sisak, (Croatia); SFGFF, San Francisco (United States); The Interfilm, Berlin (Germany), and the RIEC – IWFE, Montreal (Canada), et al.

GFDD’s Executive Director and Director of the DREFF, Natasha Despotovic, expressed her “pride of belonging to this important organization, whose main purpose is to support the work of international directors and to promote films that create awareness of environmental issues.”

The environment has long been at the forefront of GFDD/FUNGLODE’s mission.  Since its inception, the Foundation has sought to develop national and international networks, to focus attention on pressing environmental issues, to bring national and international experts together for discussion, and to develop training initiatives.  These efforts, in fact, culminated in the creation of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival.  By screening a diverse selection of high quality films and by organizing discussion panels that comprise environmental experts, filmmakers, and other stakeholders, the Festival organizers seek to promote internal dialogue.  Further, by deepening the understanding of environmental issues among Dominican viewers, the DREFF hopes to inspire citizens to adopt responsible practices that will ensure the country’s environmental sustainability and health.  Hence, membership in the GFN is consistent with DREFF’s short-term and long-term goals.

Ultimately, by bringing together people from all walks of life—young and old, scholars, scientists laypersons, representatives from the public/private and governmental/non-governmental sectors—the GFN network will provide the Dominican festival not only an expanded forum for discussion, but also a broader platform from which to appreciate and celebrate the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic.

Related links:
www.dreff.org
www.greenfilmnet.org
http://greenfilmnet.org/festivals/dreff/
http://greenfilmnet.org/dreff-santo-domingo-dominican-republic-welcome-to-the-gfn/

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), its sister institution in the Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode), and the prestigious New York Film Academy (NYFA) signed an agreement today under which Dominican film students pursuing academic film programs in the United States will receive a 25% tuition fees discount and will also have the possibility of taking courses in the Dominican Republic. The president of GFDD/Funglode and former president of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández, signed the agreement today in New York City, together with the president of NYFA, Michael Young, at the Manhattan offices of the film school. The agreement represents a milestone in the history of the Dominican film industry.

President Fernández commented on the excellent opportunity that this agreement provides, stating that it “opens a space for the young Dominican film industry to be able to support local talent through better training.”

In turn, Young noted that the NYFA is focused on expanding its network and reaching countries such as the Dominican Republic, and that this partnership “serves as a platform for other citizens of Latin American countries.”

Also present during the event were GFDD Executive Director Natasha Despotovic, and the Director of the GFDD New York office, Yamile Eusebio, as well as the Director of Development and Inter-Agency Development at NYFA, Jack Newman.

Under this agreement, the Dominican students that go through the GFDD/Funglode selection process and are accepted by the North American film school will receive a 25% discount on their academic programs, which include all areas of the seventh art, from directing, acting, photography and production to writing, directing documentaries, television journalism, animation and design of video games. The programs offer a wide range of possibilities, from undergraduate and graduate degrees to workshops lasting from one up to several months.

The Agreement

The agreement recognizes that “GFDD/Funglode serve as a bridge for Dominican students who wish to pursue their higher education in the United States of America” and emphasizes that, “in support of the efforts made by GFDD/Funglode in regard to student mobility, the NYFA will offer a 25% tuition reduction for students that are approved by GFDD/Funglode and who are accepted by NYFA for its degree programs”.

As the agreement indicates, all applicants will be shortlisted by GFDD/Funglode and must meet the admission requirements specified in https://www.nyfa.edu/ GFDD/Funglode will send the applications and supporting materials to NYFA for review, processing and final approval for admission to NYFA.

Related links:

www.globalfoundationdd.org

www.funglode.org

www.nyfa.edu/