Our world revolves around food. People photograph meals, talk about favorite foods, obsess over spice usage and more. Food, and eating it, is a big part of each culture. Just Eat It and Food Patriots, two films which will be screened at the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival, each explore food and our approach to it as a society.

In Food Patriots, an American mother whose son nearly died from contaminated food embarks on a rollercoaster journey to understand the food industry and improve her family’s eating habits. Surprising, funny, and poignant, this personal film unfolds like a home movie. Food Patriots features food advocates from all walks of life who are trying to hatch a revolution to change the way Americans eat and buy food, and educate the next generation of consumers. Director Jeff Spitz and co-producer Jennifer Amdur Spitz will be present as special guests at the screenings of their film during the DREFF.

To check screenings of the movie, click here.

In Just Eat It, a simple question is asked: why does nearly half of the food we love end up in the trash? Filmmakers and food lovers Jen and Grant dive into the issue of food waste from farms, retail, and the back of the fridge. After catching a glimpse of the billions of dollars of edibles that are tossed each year in North America, they pledge to quit grocery shopping and survive only on discarded food for 6 months. Examining our systemic obsession with expiry dates, perfect produce, and portion sizes, Just Eat It is both entertaining and shocking. Director Grant Baldwin and Producer Jenny Rustemeyer will be present at the DREFF as special guests during the screenings of their film.

To check screenings of this film, click here.

About Jeff and Jennifer Amdur Spitz:
Jeff Spitz is an Emmy Award-winner who creates original documentaries and social impact campaigns. A California native and graduate of UCLA, Jeff holds a masters degree in English Literature from the University of Chicago and is an Associate Professor of documentary film at Columbia College Chicago.

Jennifer Amdur Spitz is a businesswoman whose entrepreneurial spirit and social conscience frequently intersect. She founded Amdur Spitz & Associates (ASA) in 1992, a strategic communications and media firm. In 2000, Jennifer and her filmmaker husband Jeff Spitz co-founded Groundswell Educational Films to make artistic documentary films that cross cultures and stimulate transformative dialogue and events.

About Grant Baldwin and Jenny Rustemeyer:
Grant Baldwin is a director, cinematographer, editor, and composer based in Vancouver, Canada. He has an eye for creative cinematography and a varied background working with sports films, narratives, and documentaries. Grant directed the documentary The Clean Bin Project (2010) which won 10 festival awards and Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story which garnered him the award for Emerging Canadian Filmmaker at HotDocs.

Jenny is a Leo Award-winning film producer and passionate zero-waster whose documentaries have appeared on Superchannel, The Knowledge Network, and MSNBC. Her latest film, Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story has won 9 festival awards. She has spoken around the world on the topic of waste reduction and food waste.

About the DREFF:
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

In recent years, more and more honeybees have been disappearing- literally vanishing from their hives. This phenomenon is known as Colony Collapse Disorder, and is a very real threat to the farmers who produce many of our favorite fruits and vegetables.

“The Vanishing of the Bees”, a film co-produced by George Langworthy and Maryam Henein, follows two commercial beekeepers as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill pollination contracts across the U.S. The film explores the struggles they face as the two friends plead their case on Capitol Hill and travel across the Pacific Ocean in the quest to protect their honeybees. The documentary examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between mankind and mother earth.

Bees pollinate hundreds of different plant species, including apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries, and many other fruits and vegetables, not to mention flowers. Without these buzzing helpers, many of our fruit and vegetable crops are at risk of disappearing entirely.

The documentary will be shown at the upcoming Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) this September. The screening location is Santo Domingo, Funglode Auditorium.

In addition to the film screening, a special presentation on bees and beekeeping will take place on in the Funglode Auditorium on September 9^th at 4 p.m. The event is open to all ages and will feature a live bee colony, beekeeping equipment, products such as honey and beeswax, and more.

About the DREFF:
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

Did you know that chewing gum is the world’s second most common form of litter? Andrew Nisker, director of the film “Dark Side of the Chew” is working to encourage others to pay attention to their gum disposal, and how their chewing habits are affecting our environment.

“Dark Side of the Chew” will be screened as part of GFDD/Funglode’s annual Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) this September. Viewings will take place in Santo Domingo, Colegio Loyola and APEC; Santiago, Instituto Iberia; and La Vega, UNPHU. Nisker will be attending the screenings to talk with attendees about the film and answer their questions.

Nisker says “Gum is usually the first consumer transaction a child experiences. They ask their parent for a coin to put in the gum ball machine.” While chewing gum is something that people of all ages all around the world do almost mindlessly each day, many are unaware of how their disposal habits are adding up.

Chewing gum has been around for thousands of years, but the problems only began recently. “Major gum manufactures changed their formulation to meet demand. They created gum from synthetics (polymer) and moved away from natural gum base (chicle). That was over sixty years ago, and we now have planet coated in plastic polymer that never seems to go away,” A lot of resources, time, and money are spent removing discarded gum from sidewalks and roadways. Even after removal, it often washes down into our watershed, which only adds to the large plastic pollution problem we already face.

While Nisker is worried about the dangers that chewing gum poses to the environment, his goal is not to ban the chewy pastime. “This isn’t an anti-gum film by any means. We just want consumers to be aware about what they are chewing and know that the perceived simple act of spitting your gum out on the street instead of properly disposing of it has a massive environmental and economic cost… it’s up to you and me to remind fellow gum chewers about doing the right thing, putting your gum in the garbage bin.”

About Andrew Nisker
Andrew Nisker is a filmmaker, author, activist, and teacher. He graduated from York University’s film school and then signed a first-look deal with Broadway Video. He also wrote, directed, and produced several documentary shorts. Nisker returned to Canada and became a director for lifestyle and documentary television for networks including CBC, CTV, Chum Television, and others, and began producing and directing full-length documentary films. He is also the founder of the film distributor Take Action Films and a board member for Planet In Focus Film Festival.

About the DREFF
Since its creation 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

More information:
www.darksideofthechew.com

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

Medical science is advancing every day. Thanks to the development of new medical procedures, drugs, and techniques, more people are living longer and better lives. However, it appears there can be too much of a good thing. Antibiotics have become an important talking point as of late, with arguments from both sides of the spectrum. There are claims that these drugs are being used too much or too little, and that our dependence on them is changing how we fight infections.

The film Resistance, which will be shown at the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) this September, explores the developments of antibiotics over the years. The film’s director, Michael Graziano, will be present as a special guest at the screenings of his film during the DREFF.

Antibiotics were first massed‐produced in the 1940s. Their ability to fight and kill bacteria revolutionized medicine and had profound effects on everything from agriculture to war. After less than 80 years, however, these miracle drugs are failing.

Resistant infections kill hundreds of thousands of people each year, and there are now dozens of so‐called Superbugs. How did this happen? Using microscopic footage, harrowing personal stories, and expert insights, Resistance clarifies the problem of antibiotic resistance, how we got to this point, and what we can do to turn the tide.

Resistance will be shown at several locations throughout the Dominican Republic during the week of the festival, including: Santo Domingo- UNIBE; and Santiago- Centro León.

A screening of the movie can be found here.

About Michael Graziano:
Michael Graziano founded small‐r in 2014. Prior to small‐r, Michael was a partner at Uji Films where he helped create original films and commissioned work for a number of clients including Al Jazeera, The Tribune Company, WIRED, and more.

Recently, Michael directed the feature documentary Resistance (2014).  Prior to Uji Michael was a PhD Candidate in film and media studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.

About the DREFF:
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

Del 9 al 12 de septiembre San Juan de la Maguana será una de las 11 ciudades que acogen este año la V edición de la Muestra de Cine Medioambiental Dominicana, una iniciativa de Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) y la Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode). El Centro Cultural Monina Cámpora es el escenario escogido para las actividades y proyecciones gratuitas. El miércoles 9, a las 6:00 pm, tendrá lugar allí el acto inaugural con la proyección del documental The Wisdom to Survive y  la participación de la productora Angela Alston y otros invitados especiales de dentro y fuera del país.

El anuncio se hizo en esta ciudad con la presencia del director regional de Cultura, Ángelo Valenzuela; la subdirectora de Comunicación de Funglode, Jenny Almonte; y la encargada de distribución de materiales impresos, Arsenia Miranda.

Diversos medios de comunicación locales asistieron, la mañana del jueves 27, al Centro Cultural Monina Cámpora para enterarse de los detalles de esta edición de la Muestra de Cine Medioambiental Dominicana en San Juan de la Maguana.

También el miércoles, a las 10:00 am, se proyectará el nuevo cortometraje de GFDD/Funglode Valor Vital y el jueves 10 de septiembre, a las 10:00 am un programa de cortos infantiles. Ese mismo día, a las 6:00 pm, tendrá lugar el documental Ice Bear. Mientras tanto, el viernes 11 se presentará Como cambiar el mundo a las 6:00 pm y el sábado 12 se proyectará Gambling on Extinction a las 6:00 pm.

La quinta edición de la Muestra de Cine Medioambiental Dominicana será celebrada del 8 al 13 de septiembre en 11 ciudades del país: Santo Domingo, Santiago de los Caballeros, Baní, San Francisco de Macorís, Puerto Plata, San Juan de la Maguana,  La Vega, Samaná, Punta Cana,  Bonao y Azua y 30 salas de proyecciones.

Más de 35 películas, documentales y cortometrajes nacionales e internacionales se proyectarán en esta edición, que presentan temas candentes que van desde el reciclaje al activismo, el desperdicio de alimentos o la extinción de animales.

Sobre el DREFF
Desde su creación en 2011, la Muestra de Cine Medioambiental Dominicana –una iniciativa de Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) y la Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode)-  brinda al público dominicano una plataforma de conocimiento y debate sobre el medio ambiente y el desarrollo sostenible, sus retos y las mejores prácticas, además de celebrar la belleza y riqueza únicas de la naturaleza dominicana.

Con una variada selección de películas y numerosos paneles, talleres, seminarios y actividades comunitarias, el DREFF (por sus siglas en inglés) promueve el diálogo y el intercambio de conocimientos y experiencias, inspirando al público dominicano a adoptar acciones que contribuyan a la apreciación, conservación y uso sostenible de los recursos medioambientales.

Al reunir a jóvenes, académicos, expertos, activistas, cineastas, representantes de los sectores público y privado y organizaciones no gubernamentales, así como a un amplio público de todas las esferas de la sociedad, la Muestra promueve programas y proyectos que contribuyen a la protección, conservación y sostenibilidad del medio ambiente.

Gracias a la participación de más de 60 instituciones privadas, no gubernamentales y públicas, la Muestra llega cada septiembre a más de 7,000 espectadores, en unas 10 ciudades de la República Dominicana y unas 30 salas de proyección, con la programación de más de 80 proyecciones gratuitas.

Para cumplir el compromiso de GFDD/Funglode de contribuir a la realización de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, el DREFF ejecuta 5 programas que operan durante el año entero y trabajan con diversas comunidades ReCrearte, EcoHuertos y RDescubre.

En su misión de promover la realización de películas medioambientales y elevar el nivel de sensibilización pública, el DREFF organiza el concurso Premio Globo Verde Dominicano, el programa  Proyecciones de Películas Medioambientales, produce sus propios documentales y mantiene constantemente actualizado el  blog de la Muestra.

La DREFF es miembro de Green Film Network, una red internacional que agrupa a 30 de los más importantes festivales de cine medioambiental del mundo.

App del DREFF:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

Since childhood, Madison Stewart has grown up near the Great Barrier Reef and treated sharks like family. But lately more sharks are disappearing and in greater numbers. Due to their bad reputation, few people seem to care. And with more shark attacks being reported on the news this summer, it’s understandable that an average person might fear these ocean predators. Madison, at just 20 years old, has grabbed her camera and gone on a mission to help save these incredible, misunderstood creatures.

The film Shark Girl, produced by Gisella Kauffman, follows Madison on her journey. She dives directly into shark-infested waters in an effort to prove that these animals are not the killing machines popular culture makes them out to be. Even while feeding dozens of them by hand out of a bait box, Madison says she has never felt fear around sharks. However, their numbers are slowly dwindling. Due to unregulated fishing practices, over 90% of sharks have disappeared from our oceans. The shark fin trade especially has taken a toll on the number of sharks.

But that’s not to say there isn’t hope. By preserving an area in the South Pacific about the size of France, the island nation of Palau has declared their waters to be the first national shark sanctuary. Madison hopes that she can encourage people to be more accepting of these creatures, and cut down on the unregulated and illegal fishing practices that are killing them.

To see the screening of Shark Girl click here.

Shark Girl will be shown at the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) this September, from the 8th to the 13th. Viewings will take place at Bani, Centro Cultural Perelló; Puerto Plata/Sosúa, Sosúa Bay Hotel; Samana, Hotel Villa Serena; and Bonao, Cinema Oasis.

About the DREFF
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

The movie Planetary will be screened at DREFF 2015. Guy Reid, the director of the film, and Christoph Ferstad, the producer, will be in attendance as special guests at the screenings of their film.

The upcoming Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) will host several screenings of the film Planetary. The festival, an initiative of GFDD/Funglode, will run from September 8^th to the 13^th in 11 cities across the Dominican Republic. Planetary is one of over 30 films that will be screened through the week. Guy Reid, the director of the film, and Christoph Ferstad, the producer, will be in attendance as special guests at the screenings of their film during the DREFF.

Planetary is a provocative and breathtaking wakeup call – a cross-continental cinematic journey that explores our cosmic origins and our future as a species. In the midst of a global crisis of perspective, we have forgotten the undeniable truth that every living thing is connected. The film is a poetic reminder that now is the time to shift our perspective.

Planetary will be screened at various locations throughout the week of the festival, including: Santo Domingo- UNPHU, BIJRD, and Centro Cultural Narciso Gonzalez; and Santiago- Centro León.

To check screenings of the movie, click here.

About Guy Reid and Christoph Ferstad
Guy is an award-winning director, speaker, and photographer specializing in eastern philosophy, ecology, and sustainable development. He has a masters degree in leadership in sustainable development from London’s Forum for the Future, and has also studied at SOAS in London with a focus on Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and the relationship between worldview and ecology.

Christoph Ferstad is a cinematographer and producer who previously worked under producer Gary Kurtz (Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Crystal) as associate producer on two scifi/fantasy projects. Christoph has a background in photography, specializing in storytelling and portraiture.

About DREFF
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

A mother-daughter activist duo, Bobbi and Emily Hunter are no strangers to encouraging environmental change. As the wife and child, respectively, of Bob Hunter, the first president of Greenpeace, the family has always been involved in environmental awareness. Bobbi and Emily will be present at the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) this September as representatives for the screenings of two movies; Activism 2.0 and How to Change the World. Additionally, the Hunters will be receiving an award of Recognition in Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Awareness.

In Activism 2.0, Emily embarks on a personal journey to find a new generation of activists. She goes underground with a group called ‘The Black Fish’ as they employ unconventional tactics to protect the Mediterranean Sea. Doing things differently, the activists attempt to track illegal fishing operations using controversial drone technology.

How to Change the World chronicles the beginnings of Greenpeace. Media savvy from the beginning, the pioneers of the movement captured their spontaneous activist adventures on 16mm film. When youthful energy comes up against the complexities of a growing organization, and idealism meets compromise, the group finds their battle to save the planet forces them also to fight each other.

In addition to the screenings, Emily will also be participating in two workshops during the DREFF. How to Make Movies with iPads focuses on teaching participants the basics of how to make their own short environmental movies, from pre- to post-production, using iPads and iMovie applications. Green Activism: Promoting Environmental Awareness through Images explores how film and photography have become essential tools in the struggle to protect the environment.

Both workshops encourage participants to work toward making changes, no matter how small. Emily says “A small group of ordinary people can still do great things to change our world; it’s not just a privilege reserved for the rich and powerful. Through organic and spontaneous acts such as installing solar panels, small groups of creative people can make a big difference.”

About the DREFF
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

More information:
www.dreff.org
www.activism2.net
www.howtochagetheworld.squarespace.com

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

The Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), and initiative of GFDD/Funglode, is honored and excited to announce filmmaker, author, and award-winning journalist Jon Bowermaster as a guest of honor at this year’s festival. Jon will be present at the screenings of his film Antarctica, On the Edge 3D, and will be leading a panel discussion at the Academy of Sciences in Santo Domingo. We are also excited to announce that Bowermaster will be receiving an award of recognition for Inspirational Documentary Films.

A long-time friend of the DREFF, Bowermaster has produced 7 films, a television series, and numerous journal articles that focus on the importance of keeping our planet beautiful and safe. Also a noted ocean expert and long-time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council, he is the founder of the Oceans Aid Project which is a ten-year long series of expeditions focused around the world’s oceans.

A six‐time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council and award‐winning writer and filmmaker, Bowermaster has been on expeditions ranging from the Aleutian Islands to Vietnam, French Polynesia to Chile/Argentina/Bolivia, Gabon to Croatia, and Tasmania to Antarctica. Seeing the world from the seat of a sea kayak has given Bowermaster a one‐of‐a‐kind look at both the health of the planet’s oceans and the lives of the nearly four billion people around the globe who depend on them.

Jon’s most recent documentaries are Terra Antarctica, Rediscovering the Seventh Continent, What Would Darwin Think? Man v. Nature in the Galapagos, and the prize‐winning SoLa, Louisiana Water Stories. His most recent films are Dear Governor Cuomo, and Sink or Swim: Learning the Crawl in the Maldives. He is at work on a new film that takes a nationwide look at fracking, called Dear President Obama, due out in 2015.

Another recent film by Bowermaster, Antarctica, On the Edge 3D, will be showcased at DREFF this year.  From its place anchoring the bottom of the globe, Antarctica might seem too frozen to have any impact on the rest of the planet. But, as shown in this 3D film, the very fact that it is constantly changing – the sea around it freezing and thawing every year – turns it into the planet’s beating heart, its rhythm intimately influencing the earth’s weather, ocean currents, and climate.

About the DREFF:
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF)- an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) -has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic’s natural heritage.

With a diverse selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars, and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience, inspiring Dominicans to adopt actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation, and sustainable use of their environmental resources.

Watch the GFDD Global Roundtables discussion with Jon Bowermaster here.

More information:
www.dreff.org
www.oceans8films.com

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
Twitter @MuestraCine / Facebook MuestraCineMedioambiental

Yamile Eusebio, Operations Director, gave the details on the upcoming environmental film festival, which will take place against the backdrop of places such as the Sosúa Bay Hotel, Gregorio Urbano Gilbert Polytechnic School, and Santa Rosa de Lima College.

Puerto Plata, August 26, 2015. This year, Puerto Plata will be one of the 11 cities to host the 5^th Annual Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode).

The Sosúa Bay Hotel, Gregorio Urbano Gilbert Polytechnic School, and Santa Rosa de Lima College are the chosen locations in Puerto Plata for activities and free screenings, which are being organized with the help of the Puerto Plata Tourism Cluster.

Yamile Eusebio, Operations Director, gave details on the festival, which will be held from September 9^th to 11^th in Puerto Plata.

Eusebio said the GFDD and Funglode aim to use this festival to raise awareness among citizens so that they can “make a difference and succeed in making the Dominican Republic a world leader in environmental matters.”

Roman Medina Diplan, a member of the Tourism Cluster, welcomed the initiative, stating that it “provides Puerto Plata with a platform for learning about and discussing the environment and sustainable development.”

During his speech, Tomás Callender, President of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Sosúa and Cabarete, spoke of the things that are being done in this part of the country to preserve the environment.

Festival Activities
On Monday, September 9^th, at 6:00 pm, the inauguration of the festival will take place at the Sosúa Bay Hotel with a screening of the documentary Shark Girl. Peter O’Brien, an environmental consultant, will participate during the festival inauguration along with other national and international guests.

On that same day, screenings at Gregorio Urbano Gilbert Polytechnic School will start at 9:00 am with the documentary Just Eat It. Additionally, at the same time at Santa Rosa de Lima College, a series of short features from the Academy of Environmental Cinema of Punta Cana will be shown.

On Thursday, September 10^th at 9:00 am, the screening of Exuma will take place at  Gregorio Urbano Gilbert Polytechnic School while the Dominican productions Biodiversidad de la República Dominicana (Biodiversity of the Dominican Republic) and Diarios del Fin del Mundo (Diaries of the End of the World) will take place at Santa Rosa de Lima College.

On Friday, September 11^th, the short films Gente Como Tú (People like You) and Basura o Recurso? Experiencia de la República Dominicana (Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Experience) (a GFDD/Funglode production) will be shown at 9:00 am at Gregorio Urbano Gilbert Polytechnic School. Orgullo de Mi Tierra: Descubre Puerto Plata (Pride of My Land: Discover Puerto Plata) will be shown at 9:00 am at Santa Rosa de Lima College. All screenings will be open to the public.

About the DREFF
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival – an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) – provides the Dominican public with a platform for learning about and discussing the environment and sustainable development, its challenges and best practices, as well as to celebrate the beauty and unique diversity of Dominican nature.

The Dominican Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) mobile app is now available and can be downloaded from the following links:

DREFF app:
Apple (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dreff/id1029535649?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.sched.dominicanrepublicenvironmen2015

www.dreff.org / info@dreff.org
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