Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience (¿Basura o recurso? Experiencia de la República Dominicana?) was selected as a finalist in BLUE 2014’s International Ocean Film Competition in the Foreign Language category.
The 17-minute short film (http://garbage.dreff.org), directed by Natasha Despotovic, came out on top in a tight competition: 350 films from 45 countries are participating in this year’s this edition of the festival, which will take place next November in St. Petersburg, Florida.
BLUE will be the 10th film festival for which the short film has been an Official Selection since its premiere in 2013 in the III Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (www.dreff.org).
BLUE participants and audiences will be able to witness the reality about pollution in the Dominican Republic, how the recycling movement is beginning, and how it benefits the country, citizens and environment.
About BLUE:
BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Event is a groundbreaking seven- day experience that is recognized for bringing together the world’s finest collection of ocean films, along with acclaimed underwater photography exhibits, esteemed filmmakers, photographers, marine scientists, policy makers and the surfing community and makes it all available to the general public.
BLUE is infamous for its multi-disciplined programming and dynamic synergies. It is through BLUE’s three- tiered structure that everyone is able to enjoy all that BLUE has to offer.
The Film Festival: The screenings and filmmaker Q & A of the finalist films from the international competition, and ocean photography and art exhibits, provide the environment for every person to experience, learn, understand, and become inspired about our oceans and the life within.
The Industry Conference: This is the opportunity to enhance production and communication skills, gain underwater filmmaking technical expertise through hands-on master classes, hear the latest information on ocean issues and promote film projects in the development stage to network commissioners and other media funding organizations.
The Conservation Summit: The unique combination of lectures and panels impart the latest science, share insight, debate issues, and challenge audiences to be proactive. For filmmakers and general public alike, these sessions have proven to be some of the most dramatic and inspiring moments at BLUE.
With the Film Festival, Industry Conference, and Conservation Summit all located in Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg FL, BLUE is located right on the central west coast of Florida, it has easy access from the Tampa Bay International Airport. The Airport is a quick scenic drive across the bay to the festival headquarters-the Hilton St Petersburg Bayfront- and is home to several International Airlines.
About Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience:
The Dominican Republic has more than 340 open-air landfills without any type of management or control, which have become highly-concentrated areas of air and water pollution. They are an unseen danger for every Dominican. Fortunately, the country is witnessing cultural changes which are creating initiatives that convert this «problem» into an opportunity for development. The message is clear: trash is no longer just trash, rather it has value. As long as trash can be utilized, it is not trash. The appropriate term is «discarded material,» a resource which is raw material and then turned into a new product. Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience, a film produced by GFDD/FUNGLODE, depicts how recycling has become an important economic opportunity for Dominicans. Through various corporate and educational projects, the viewer observes how– aside from the obvious environmental benefits– recycling enables economic development through the generation of new companies and industries. A short film which inspires, moves and calls to action.
Related Links:
http://garbage.dreff.org
http://www.blueoceanfilmfestival.org
