The president of the GFDD/Funglode awarded the Colibrí Prize to the award-winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos, who won an Oscar for his documentary The Cove, and is considered one of the most prominent photographers in the world.

Santo Domingo, September 14, 2015 – The film Racing Extinction and its award-winning director, Louie Psihoyos, brought the DREFF to a close yesterday. The fifth Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) included over 120 screenings and took place over the course of 6 days, in 11 cities in the country and at the 30 locations. National and international guests, representatives of government and non-governmental organizations, experts, and the general public attended last night to see one of the most anticipated documentaries in the past years, which was shown at Funglode in Santo Domingo. The Film Racing Extinction anticipates its worldwide television premiere a few weeks from now.

The president of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Funglode (Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo) awarded the Colibrí Prize to the Oscar-winning director. The Funglode auditorium hosted a full house, which closed the 5th Dominican Environmental Film Festival, an initiative of Funglode and its sister institution in the United States, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD).

Alongside former President Fernández, the Colibrí Prize was awarded by the director of the festival and executive director of the GFDD, Natasha Despotovic.

The two also awarded a Colibrí Prize to Emily Hunter, an environmental activist and daughter of the founder of Greenpeace, Robert Hunter, and his widow, Bobby Hunter, both of whom were guests of honor at the festival.

During the ceremony, former President Fernández was accompanied by the renowned environmentalist and Dominican biologist Idelisa Bonnelly; Omar Ramírez, the Executive Vice-President of the National Council on Climate Change and the Clean Development Mechanism; and marine biologist Oswaldo Vásquez among other international guests.

Before granting the awards, Despotovic highlighted the success of the 5th festival, during which more than 35 national and international films were presented. She thanked the entities that took on the initiative to raise the awareness of the Dominican population regarding the subject of the environment.

Louie Psihoyos and Racing Extinction
Psihoyos’ most recent film, Racing Extinction, ended the list of screenings during the closing ceremony. Psihoyos talked to the public in an interesting question and answer session after the film was shown.

Psihoyos, whose work as a photographer is backed up by his numerous publications and images in magazines such as National Geographic, Fortune, Smithsonian, and Discover, has used natural Dominican scenery as the backdrop to some scenes of his film.

The filmmaker recounted, among many things, a few details of the filming of the film The Cove in the Republic, emphasizing the natural beauty of the country, and explained that the idea for Racing Extinction was also developed here.

His work is well-known around the world. It has been shown on television channels such as Discovery, National Geographic, and History. His imagination, genius, and emblematic images have contributed to illustrating a wide range of complex themes, which are extended and apparent in his film productions.

Racing Extinction shows the audience a covert operation whose objective is to reveal the hidden world of species in extinction and the race against the clock of the people who protect them against it. The team travels across the world to infiltrate the most dangerous black markets in the world and uses high-tech tactics to document the relationship between carbon emissions and the extinction of species. Racing Extinction offers impactful images that have never been seen before, and which truly change our way of seeing the world.

DREFF hosted a workshop titled “How to Make a Movie with an Ipad” at Colegio Bilingüe New Horizons in Santo Domingo on Monday September 14, 2015. The workshop took place as part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF – www.dreff.org) and included the participation of environmental filmmakers and activists Andrew Nisker (Director of The Dark Side of the Chew) and Emily Hunter (Director of Activism 2.0), as well as Alessandra Cannito (Program Manager for Planet in Focus environmental film festival in Toronto).

The activity began with a Q&A between Andrew Nisker and the students, following their screening of The Dark Side of the Chew that same morning. The students were very engaged in the discussion and asked a range of questions associated to the environmental and health impacts of chewing gum. After the 30 minute discussion, Alessandra Cannito, Program Manager for Planet in Focus introduced the workshop and divided the 30 students into two groups overseen by Emily Hunter and Andrew Nisker. For the next hour and a half the students used their Ipads and studied the art of filmmaking, from the importance of selecting the correct frame to understanding how to plan a story line.

Rudy a student from the school told GFDD about his experience stating that he “found the activity very fun as they taught us how to make films. We learned the names of the various frame used in films!”

Laura Domingez, the artistic coordinator for the school praised DREFF for organizing the activity explaining “We are thrilled with this activity that the kids enjoyed very much. They considered the workshop a great opportunity as these two directors gave them tips on how to make films. I think this is one of the activities they have enjoyed the most to date.”

Turning to the workshop outcomes, Andrew Nisker noted that “The Ipad workshop was a very productive exercise because these children have this technology in their hands and everyone can make a movie, but the difference is how do you make a great movie? Just teaching them  a few simple tricks such as framing, storytelling, makes all the difference in the world and I think the children really appreciated that and they did an excellent job at picking up the ideas and realizing them.”

Alessandra Connuto concurred with Nisker explaining she loved “the way the EcoFilmLab turned out”. She stressed “It was perfect to have Emily Hunter working with the older students. Her forte is storytelling and I think that worked wonders with the older students, as they learned a lot about how to produce a film”…”how to convey a story, and do it passionately”…”It was also great to have Andrew Nisker working with the young kids as he is a lot of fun and can keep them engaged during the more mundane aspects of film making, learning shot and understanding focus and light.”

Emily Hunter, joined the other participants in praising DREFF for putting together the event as she explained that she  ”was thrilled to get to teach young people about film making, using some of the tools that they know how to use better than myself. It was important to me to teach the fundamentals of storytelling.Whatever tools young people are using today, it’s still important to teach the fundamentals of storytelling and the students were extremely receptive and eager to learn some of those fundamentals”

Students at UNPHU were responsible for cleaning the beach while the art group Transitando painted a large mural on a wall that adorns the poor neighborhood, with a message of awareness on the importance of the environment

Forty students from Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (UNPHU) supported the initiative of the 5th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival by visiting Manresa Beach, in the community of Bajos de Haina, to clean the beach along with the residents of the community.

Meanwhile, the art group Transitando was the force behind “Muralizing: Fishing for Life and Color,” a project that consisted of painting a large mural on which the message of environmental awareness was made clear by the creativity of the young people who make up the art group.

Omar Shamir Reynoso, a biologist and environmental activist and member of the Environmental Film Festival, coordinated the activities and reflected on the integration achieved with the community.

The coast, located at km 13 Hania in West Santo Domingo, reunited students, artists, and the entire community for a day that transmitted the message of promoting better practices and at the same time celebrating the beauty and unique diversity of the Dominican natural landscape.

The activities received support from the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources through the Vice-Minister of Coastal and Marine Resources.

As a result of the cleaning done, 36 55-gallons bags of garbage were removed from the beach, filled with solid waste, the majority of which was plastic products.

In addition, the group Transitando painted the wall bordering the port with eight artistic paintings that reference marine and coastal species.

For Transitando’s Croncim Dominguez, the level of integration of the community, and most of all children, had a strong effect on him. “They weren’t asking for money or food; all they wanted was to be allowed to paint,” he stated.

Furthermore, the Naval Auxiliaries, with Ginny Heinsen at their head, provided materials for the renovation of the houses of fishermen in the area helping to preserve the sea turtles in the region.

DREFF joined filmmaker and activist Emily Hunter for a screening of her project Activism 2.0, and a panel discussion on environmental activism titled “Promoting the Environmental Conscience” at Funglode headquarters on Sunday September 13. The screening, which took place as part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF – www.dreff.org), also included the participation of the environmental activist Bobbi Hunter, a collaborator in How to Change the World, and Suzanne Harle, the founder and executive director of Green Planet Films.

Activism 2.0 is the story of filmmaker Emily Hunter who 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.

Marc Jourdan, GFDD UN Representative & Environmental Programs Coordinator, welcomed the guests to the activity before introducing the panelists. Following the screening, he moderated an engaged discussion between the activists and the audience. The participants in the discussion asked numerous questions on issues ranging from the evolution of activism, to recommendations the experts could give Dominicans on how to incentivize the local population to become more committed to resolving environmental problems.

Emily Hunter praised the participation of the audience in the discussion stating “It was one of the best discussions that I have had for a Q&A after my film. I had both young and old audiences asking really in depth and quality questions and I think we had one of the most enriching dialogues I have ever experienced.”

Suzanne Harle emphasized the rising use of technology such as drones in environmental film making and environmental activism generally to bring issues to late and really make a difference in the world.

Finally, Bobbi Hunter commented on the level of engagement of the audience noting that “Questions afterwards were very thoughtful and nonstop.” She continued, “It was very exciting and wonderful for me to feel that I had something to contribute in my answers, it showed that the audience clearly had appreciation for different generations of activists.”

At the ceremony, prizes for the Dominican Green Globe contest were also awarded

(Santo Domingo, September 11, 2015). “All Things Dominican,” the new publication of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), was launched on September 11, as a part of the 5^th annual Dominican Environmental Film Festival (DREFF).

This book, both in English and Spanish, is designed to present the main aspects of what it means to be Dominican as well as the natural resources and the culture of the country, from a modern and innovative point of view, in an easy to read manner, with emphasis on interesting and not widely-known facts.

Natasha Despotovic, the director of GFDD and DREFF, presented the book during an activity led by the President of GFDD and Funglode and the president of the DREFF, Dr. Leonel Fernández.

Despotovic explained that this book aims to promote the natural and cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic. She said that through its publication, it aims to inspire, inform, entertain and “to make us feel proud of our country, as promoters and protectors of All Things Dominican.”

The commentary on the publication was done by the anthropologist Delia Blanco, who stated that the book identifies Dominican nature in its form of being and by demonstrating the specific nature of each cultural detail. She said that there comes an important moment when it is necessary for new generations to have an instrument in which they can find themselves.

Blanco added that “in an anthropological way, the book elevates popular and traditional aspects, and raises them to the level of noble subjects, because Dominican nature is above all a feeling.”

Awarding of the Dominican Green Globe Prize
During the activity, the winners of the Dominican Green Globe 2014 were announced. This year, there were four categories: Short films, Messages of Awareness, Photography, and for the first time, the Junior Green Globe, for high school students, in which they can produce short films with any device, whether a camera, telephone or a tablet.

This year’s winners were Jonatán Vila Gómez, in the category of Short Films with “7 Gramos”; Junior Cid, in the category of Messages of Awareness with “Sostenible”; Timoteo Rafael Cedeño in the category of Photography with “En busca del líquido apreciado”; and Rafael Alberto Sanchez and Adonis Franciel Fortuna in the category of Junior Green Globe with “Detrás de la silueta.”

The winners received their prizes from the hands of Dr. Leonel Fernandez, Natasha Despotovic and Alexandra Tabar, Multimedia Director of the GFDD, and the director of the Dominican Green Globe Prize.

During the event, the audience enjoyed the screening of the short film “Value of Life”, the most recent production of the GFDD/Funglode, under the direction of Natasha Despotovic. The documentary revolves around the natural capital and sustainable development of the Dominican Republic. What we saw on the screen last night represents a preliminary version of a feature-length film that the GFDD/Funglode is making, and which will premiere during the sixth annual Dominican Environmental Film Festival.

The guests ended the night with a toast in the Funglode lobby, in which they enjoyed gourmet Dominican food offered by Chef Tita.

About the Festival
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Environmental Film Festival, an initiative of the GFDD and Funglode, provides the public with a platform for knowledge and discussion on the environment and sustainable development, its challenges and best practices, as well as a way to celebrate the beauty and unique diversity of the Dominican natural landscape.

With a varied selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars and community activities, the festival promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experiences, inspiring the Dominican public to carry out actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation and sustainable use of environmental resources.

More information:
www.globalfoundationdd.org

DREFF held a screening of Yakona at the Oasis Cinema in Bonao on Saturday September 12 at 6PM. The screening took place as part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF – www.dreff.org) and was held before an engaged audience of around 60 people, including students from the Cigar Family Foundation.

Yakona is a visual journey through the crystal clear waters of the San Marcos River and its headwaters at Spring Lake. The story takes the viewer from prehistoric times, through the modern era, on an impressionistic journey from the perspective of the river.

Marc Jourdan, GFDD UN Representative & Environmental Programs Coordinator, welcomed the students to the auditorium thanking them for their attendance and introduced Jillian Hall the producer of the film before launching the screening for the young viewers.

Following the project, a lively debate ensued between the audience and the filmmaker who fielded a variety of questions from the importance and purpose of environmental protection, to the value of actions such as recycling and conserving freshwater rivers. Hall praised the students for being “very interested in not only the film but also the environment and the idea of the festival, and the opportunity to be a part of it”. Evelyn, a student from the Cigar Family Foundation, stressed that “the film was very important for the protection of the environment, for the whole of humanity and the rest of the Dominican Republic”.

GFDD/Funglode held a screening of Valor Vital at APEC in Santo Domingo on Friday September 11 at 3PM. The screening took place as part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF – www.dreff.org) and was held in the university’s main auditorium before an engaged audience of around 100 people.

Valor Vital is a short documentary project (which is still a work in progress and will be extended to a full feature length project) that seeks to answer the question: “How do we put a price on the ecosystem”?

The screening focused on the topic of natural capital, and the subsequent informal question & answer session, moderated by Marc Jourdan, GFDD UN Representative & Environmental Programs Coordinator, looked at variety of issues connected to the green economy including renewable energy, recycling and the need to value our relationship with the planet’s natural resources.

Simona Capelli, a professor at the University, found the documentary would “ensure that the country can grow an ecological and eco-tourism industry which could improve everything at the educational level and for the debate on sustainable development.”

Genesis, an Interior Design Student at APEC, found that it was a “good project to motivate Dominicans into thinking about their contribution to the environment, given that we are a country that lives on the environment and the tourism industry. We therefore need to make sure we protect it.”

Boca Chica, DR September 12, 2015 – Special guests at the DREFF were treated to an afternoon luncheon at the scenic Boca Marina restaurant in Boca Chica. Guests arrived at Boca Marina in the early afternoon to enjoy the sunshine, sea breeze, and delicious local cuisine. Pleasant chatter was heard through the afternoon as guests shared their experiences with film screenings, workshops, and other events they had attended at the DREFF.

After a luncheon of classic Dominican fare, guests were invited to take a dip in the clear blue water straight from the stairs off the dock-side restaurant. Several guests enjoyed some time in the warm sea, some even using waterproof cameras to record the experience. Upon departure, many guests commented on the beauty and uniqueness of the experience, saying it was a relaxing break from the bustle of the festival.

Santo Domingo, DR September 12, 2015– Students and guests at local universities were treated to a screening of the film Cotton Road on September 10^th and 11^th as part of the 5^th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF). The screening at UNPHU took place on September 10^th at 6 p.m., and a second screening was shown at Institute Iberia on September 11^th at 10 a.m. Students, teachers, and other guests including Fulbright Scholars were in attendance. The film’s director, Laura Kissel, who is a Fulbright Scholar herself and filmed the movie during her scholarship in China, hosted lively question and answer sessions for the guests after each of the screenings.

Cotton Road is a documentary that focuses on the cotton industry across the world. Americans especially consume nearly 20 billion new items of clothing each year, yet few of us know how our clothes are made, much less who produces them. Cotton Road follows the commodity of cotton from South Carolina farms to Chinese factories to illuminate the work and industrial processes in a global supply chain.

About Laura Kissel
Laura Kissel is an Emmy nominated documentary filmmaker whose work explores contemporary social, cultural, and political landscapes. She was named the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Media Arts Fellow for 2007-2008 and has received numerous fellowships and grants for her work, including a Fulbright Award, a MacDowell Fellowship, funding from the South Carolina Humanities Council, and the Fledgling Fund. Recently completed short documentaries include tan mian hua and Window Cleaning in Shanghai, which premiered at the Robert Flaherty Film Seminar in 2011 and were included in The Flaherty’s touring festival City Symphonies in 2011-2012.

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.

www.dreff.org
www.cottonroadmovie.com

New Horizons School of Santo Domingo, the Perelló de Baní and León de Santiago Cultural Centers hosted the screenings and discussions of this award-winning film.

Santo Domingo, September 12, 2015 – Angela Sun, director of Plastic Paradise, showed her film as part of the 5^th edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF). Ms. Sun traveled to various places around the country to screen her documentary and talk with the Dominican public about the problem of plastic waste and other issues related to environmental protection and sustainable development.

“Education is key to the change we want to see in the world,” said the US-based film director.

In Plastic Paradise, Sun sets off on an investigation regarding the plastic waste our Earth faces. In the early 21st Century, rumors about an island of garbage somewhere in the Pacific Ocean started to rise. There, in what should be a remote tropical paradise, she discovers an ecosystem inundated by plastic waste. The images she uncovers, combined with the latest evidence from researchers, shows that the truth behind the myth is much worse than imagined.

Ms. Sun praised the work of the DREFF for raising awareness among Dominican citizens. “The DREFF is doing a great job in bringing these films to the Dominican Republic.”

Sun said she was pleasantly surprised at the response of the local audiences. “Their enthusiasm and energy at all the screenings was huge and very encouraging.”

About Angela Sun
Award-winning television host/journalist Angela Sun’s passion for storytelling and love for the oceans led to the creation of this ambitious project. A Bay Area Native, she is a graduate of UCLA and also studied abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. A certified EcoDiver, she surveyed the coral reefs of the Andaman Sea as part of the Malibu Reef Check internship program. She serves on the board of advisors for Ocean Defender Hawaii. She has produced for MTV News, ProSeiben Network, and Current TV.