After the opening celebration of the IV Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) in an event held at the Centro Cultural Monina Cámpora of San Juan de la Maguana, a group of passionate Dominican young people interested in the film industry and moviemaking and who recently took workshops on the subject, talked to Jurgen Hoppe.
The Director of “Extinction in Progress”, a documentary that approaches Haitian main environmental challenges, answered some questions and technical inquiries and gave them recommendations and advices to achieve better results on their cinematographic works in the future.
The event took place on September 11th, 2014. For more information on the Film Festival visit: www.dreff.org
O ‘Barry, who is the protagonist of the documentary The Cove, received the award from renowned Dominican marine biologist Dr. Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi. The documentary, starring O’Barry itself, was screened at the event. The production has won eleven international awards, among which are presented: the Audience Award at the 25th US Sundance Film Festival in 2009 and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award for Best Documentary in 2009.
Extinction in Progress summary: The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is still struggling to get on its feet from the disastrous 2010 earthquake. But the real problem Haiti faces in the near future is the complete degradation of its natural resources. Today, forests cover less than two percent of its territory and scientists predict a mass extinction of Haiti’s biodiversity. Over a three-year period, a team of scientists and naturalists travel to the most remote locations in Haiti to investigate the current state of its biodiversity. Surprisingly, they discover almost 50 new species and rediscover species thought to be lost, including one of the most endangered mammals, the Hispaniolan solenodon.
Save the Devil summary: One is a family of Haitian farmers struggling daily to feed their children and one is a family of birds formerly thought to be extinct living in the last place on Earth they can hide. As starving Haitians burn the remaining trees and move further up the mountains to grow food the birds must move or die. Haiti is almost completely deforested and it is only a matter of time before there are no trees left. The bird, called the Black-capped Petrel by scientist and the Diablotín by locals, is a speaker from the future. The bird is an indicator of what is to come. When the little devil is pushed to extinction the people are not far behind.
Prior to the celebration, guests and organizers of the Film Festival enjoyed the official opening of the DREFF, held at thePalacio del Cine de Ágora Mall in Santo Domingo, with the participation of over 20 international personalities of the environment, about 30 national experts, DREFF advisors in the country, and the general public committee. President of GFDD and FUNGLODE, Dr. Leonel Fernández, attended the opening ceremony, as well as Mrs. Natasha Despotovic, GFDD Executive Director, who welcomed everyone.
President Leonel Fernández, president of GFDD and FUNGLODE, was present at the ceremony, where Ms. Natasha Despotovic, Executive Director of GFDD, offered the opening remarks after a short video introduction of the Film Festival. Ms. Despotovic acknowledged the presence of special national and international guests including Isabel Turull (General Manager of Palacio del Cine), José Rafael Lantigua, Rafael Suárez, Dominican authorities, public, private and NGO collaborators, and distinct attendees to this edition of DREFF as Richard O’Barry, Stuart Sender, Charlotte Vick, Suzan Beraza, among others.
