The Sur Futuro Training Center in Padre Las Casas was the chosen venue for film screenings.

Azua is one of the eleven cities hosting the 5^th edition of the 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 Training Center of the Sur Futuro Foundation, in the town of Padre Las Casas, was the venue for Thursday’s screenings, thanks to the collaborative work done by the DREFF and the Sur Futuro Foundation, which is a private nonprofit organization that promotes development and social welfare in communities of the Southern Region of the Dominican Republic.

The DREFF arrived in Padre Las Casas with various films. At 7:00 p.m., a shorts program for children with three films: Once Upon a Time, The Change, and The Flight, and at 8:00 p.m., Landfill Harmonic.

Cristobalina Veloz, personnel coordinator for education at the Sur Futuro Foundation in Padre Las Casas, instructed the children on the importance of taking care of the environment and about climate change. She interacted with the audience on the issues raised in the short films.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Julia, coordinator of climate change and renewable energy for the Foundation, spoke to the audience about the DREFF and encouraged interaction to reflect on and discuss the content of the films.

The fifth edition of the DREFF, from September 8-13, is being held in eleven cities around the country: Santo Domingo, Santiago de los Caballeros, Baní, San Francisco de Macorís, Puerto Plata, San Juan de la Maguana,  La Vega, Samaná, Punta Cana,  Bonao, and Azua, in 30 screening rooms and cinemas.

More than 35 films and documentaries, as well as national and international short films will be shown throughout the Festival. The themes of this year’s Festival include such pressing topics as recycling, food waste, and the extinction of animals.

About the Film Festival
Since its inception in 2011, the Dominican Environmental Film Festival – an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) – has provided the Dominican people a platform for knowledge and debate on the subject of environment and sustainable development, challenges and best practices, in addition to celebrating the unique beauty and wealth of Dominican nature.

With a vast selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars and community activities, the DREFF promotes dialogue, exchange of knowledge and experiences while inspiring the Dominican public to take actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation and sustainable use of the country’s environmental resources.

About the Sur Futuro Foundation
Sur Futuro Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that began its operations on November 16, 2001 promoting the development and welfare of communities in the Southern Region of the Dominican Republic. It seeks to reduce the high levels of poverty and marginalization among that region’s inhabitants by promoting the development of the communities’ social, natural and productive capital, helping to improve the quality of life among the vulnerable populations and supporting sustainable management of the environment and natural resources.

Sur Futuro focuses its work in seven areas: Social Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Production, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Education and Health, Infrastructure of Community Development, Microcredits and International Humanitarian Cooperation.

More information:
www.surfuturo.org
Facebook: Fundación Sur Futuro
Twitter: @SurFuturo

www.globalfoundationdd.org

The activity took place on Thursday, September 9, and included participation from the students in a discussion forum after the film.

(Santo Domingo, September 9, 2015) The Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) held a screening of the film “La sabiduría para sobrevivir” at The Colonial Gate 4D Cinema on September 9.

Angela Alston, a DREFF special guest and representative from Mocamedia TV, participated in the activity which was attended by more than 30 students from Babeque Secondary School. For Alston, it was nice to see that young people “can come to their own conclusions on the subject and that some of them are changing their habits to improve the environment.”

Moisés Abreu, a member of the festival staff, said “When a film is well-made and has a plot that connects with people, we automatically do something about what we learned.”

The documentary shows prominent thinkers and activists in the fields of science, economics, and spirituality discussing the way in which we can evolve and take measures against climate change.

Once the film was over, the students participated in a forum, during which they commented on the film and discussed their feedback.

“This film had a big effect on me, as I knew about all of this reality in words, but I have never seen it in an audiovisual format and that makes you do something about it,” stated Yamil Arbaje, a 11th grade student.

Diani Sánchez, a biology teacher, said “The film was impactful. It allows us to see what is happening and sensitizes us to this situation.”

At the end of the screening that took place on Thursday, September 9 at Loyola School, a question and answer session was held.

(Santo Domingo, September 9, 2015) The 5^th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) held a screening of the film “Dark Side of the Chew” at Loyola School on Thursday, September 9^th.

In the film, Andrew Nisker, the director of the film as well as an ecologist, activist, and award-winning filmmaker, goes on a trip around diverse parts of the planet to talk with a large number of manufacturers, activists, and scientists to expose the truth, both entertaining and striking, on the human obsession over gum.

Suzanne Harle, the founder and executive director of Green Planet Films, participated in the screening and said that she was “impressed with the commitment shown by the students during the film and their desire to see more films on environmental subjects.”

At the end of the screening, the students participated in a question and answer session, during which they demonstrated their enthusiasm for the subject.

“This film is very important because it helps us educate our students on biodegradable materials and their use today, in addition to how they affect our environment,” said Eduard Javier, a mathematics teacher.

“I thought the film was interesting, as it was informative and educational. It showed us things we didn’t know,” said Javier Martínez, a student.

Students from Los Trinitarios School participated in the screening of the documentary “Vanishing of the Bees” and the panel on “The importance of bees and beekeeping for sustainable development.”

(Santo Domingo, September 9, 2015). Students from Los Trinitarios School learned about the important benefits bees provide to human beings by watching the documentary “Vanishing of the Bees”, and later participating in the panel “The importance of bees and beekeeping for sustainable development.”

The activity was part of the screenings being offered by the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), which runs from September 8 to September 13 in eleven cities around the country.

The panel, in which speakers discussed the socio-economic benefits and food provided by bees, was led by Hanoi Vásquez, coordinator of the Clúster Apícola Dominicano (CLUSAPIDOM); Martin Canals, an expert from the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF); and Niyra Castillo, director of agricultural management for the Dirección General de Ganadería (DIGEGA).

Ms. Vásquez said beekeeping is a development tool that can be used to alleviate poverty in the Dominican Republic, “because it contributes socially with the creation of jobs and it includes women in the activities that are being undertaken.”

She referred to the global problem that is causing the disappearance of bees and called for their protection. Vásquez warned that if bees disappear, human beings will follow the same fate. “If bees cease to exist, humanity will not last more than three years.”

The coordinator of CLUSAPIDOM noted that bees are the best pollinators and referred to a study done by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which determined that one in three foods consumed by humans has been pollinated by a bee.

The pollination process is the transfer of pollen from the stamen to the stigma, or receptive part of the flowers in the angiosperms, which germinates and fertilizes the eggs of the flower, making the production of seeds and fruits possible.

Martin Canals said beekeeping is a complementary activity and that, depending on how many of hives (where bees live) one has, it can also provide a livelihood.

He noted that beekeeping in the Dominican Republic is seen as a development tool for rural areas.

The IDIAF expert explained how to develop beekeeping in the DR and then talked about the contributions it can provide to one’s personal financial situation as well as to the food economy.

Niyra Castillo said that, in addition to honey, bees provide us with benefits through their pollen, which contains large amounts of protein. She explained that their contributions range from pollination of fruits and vegetables to the production of wax for the creation of other products.

The students speak
“The activity was very educational and showed us the importance of bees, their honey and what they do in our immunological system.” Danisa Popa Pérez, 12 years old.

“Honey is delicious. Before this film, I didn’t know that bees influenced our development so much. We should take care of the bees so they’re not affected like they are in other countries like the U.S. and France.” Michelle Peralta, 11 years old.

“Bees bring us lots of benefits, for the country’s economy and for our food.” Armando Martínez, 13 years old.

On Wednesday, September 9, as part of 5th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) organized by the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), the French Embassy’s in-house cinema hosted a showing of the documentary The Light Bulb Conspiracy, accompanied by the film’s director, Cosima Dannoritzer. In a short talk prior to the showing of the film, Ms. Dannoritzer expressed her delight at being able to share the documentary with Dominicans and discuss its content, and in doing so contribute to the conserving the planet’s resources.

Speaking on behalf of the French Embassy, First Councillor Dominique Doudet confirmed the Embassy’s pleasure in participating in this renowned festival for the first time. “Our participation is even more special in this case given that in three months’ time France will preside over the COP21 Conference, charged with reaching a binding, universal agreement to limit the increase in global temperature levels to below 2 or 1.5 degrees Celsius.” He expressed the wish that this sort of documentary serve as a warning call for decision makers as well as influence new policymaking.

Noting the large number of international awards it has garnered, Doudet lauded Dannoritzer’s film for helping to raise awareness on environmental issues. In fact, in France the film contributed to the imposition of prison sentences for those involved in Programmed Obsolescence. The law, adopted this past July, made France the first country in the world to penalize Programmed Obsolescence.

After the showing of the film, an interesting debate arose between the organizers of the event, Ms. Dannoritzer, and her assistants. They shared creative suggestions for recycling, conserving resources, and getting involved in initiatives to protect the environment.

The French Embassy also showed another Dannoritzer-directed documentary, La tragedia electrónica (“The E-Waste Tragedy”), the following day (Thursday, September 10).

Screenings at the Constanza Casa de la Cultura were inaugurated by short films “El Cambio,” “Once Upon a Tree,” and “The Flight”

(Santo Domingo, September 10, 2015) Celebrating good practices for the protection of the environment, nearly 150 elementary school students from Villa Pinales School, Gastón Fernando Polytechnic, and Alegría and Montessori Schools enjoyed several short films on Wednesday September 9^th, including “El Cambio,” “Once Upon a Tree,” and “The Flight.”

The activity, held at the Casa de la Cultura of Constanza, inaugurated the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) in that city, and sought to encourage children to make appropriate decisions that will contribute to environmental care and protection.

The short film, “El Cambio,” is about a small town being disrupted by a mysterious machine that causes major climate changes. “Once Upon a Tree” is about an 11-year-old girl who thinks up a way to get people to stop chopping down trees. “The Flight” explores the possibility of two very different worlds that are a direct result of the decisions we make and whether they are matters pertaining to us or to our children.

Following the screenings, the students participated in a learning discussion on ecosystems and the importance of water and rivers.

Evelin de los Santos, president of Casa de la Cultura of Constanza, and Omar Shamir Reynoso, coordinator of panels for the DREFF, hosted the event. Ms. de los Santos stressed the importance of the short film program for the children because she believes in the power of children’s education of as a way to help protect the planet.

Víctor Pimentel, Municipal Director of the Environment; Diógenes Queliz,  deputy director of the Board of Educational of Constanza; Evelin Mejia, of the National Council for Children and Adolescence (CONANI); and Rafael Torre, president of CORA VEGA all took part in the film screening.

Following a screening of the documentary SlingShot, a panel discussion was led by the film’s director, Paul Lazarus.

(Santo Domingo, September 10, 2015). Students from the Instituto Tecnológico de Las Américas (ITLA) debated the global water problem and discussed possible solutions following a screening of the documentary, SlingShot.

The film is part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), September 8-13, being held in 11 cities around the country.

Paul Lazarus, director of the film, and Carlos Miranda, director of the ITLA film school, participated in a discussion that touched on possible solutions and ideas for combatting growing global water shortages.

SlingShot is a feature length documentary that focuses on the famous inventor of the Segway, Dean Kamen, and his work to solve the global water crisis.

The students showed sincere interest in collaborating with the DREFF, which places great value on the protection and preservation of natural resources, through activities that create awareness among the Dominican people.

Some 20 children taking the elective class at New Horizons in Santo Domingo shared their experiences, lessons learned, and anecdotes with French documentary filmmaker Cosima Dannoritzer. The conversation was part of the fifth edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival.

Cosima Dannoritzer is a documentary filmmaker specializing in history and ecology. She has worked for broadcasters such as the BBC, Arte, Deutsche Welle, and Televisión Española. Her documentary about the history of planned obsolescence, The Light Bulb Conspiracy, was sold to more than 30 territories and won 12 international festival awards.

The screening auditorium at UNIBE was filled with excited chatter amongst the over 150 students. Before the showing of the film SlingShot, directed by Paul Lazarus, Cristina Zegarra, Administrative and Human Resources Coordinator at GFDD, and Milagros Rodriguez, a PR Representative from UNIBE, gave everyone a warm welcome and invited them to enjoy the film. Part of the audience included 7^th and 8^th grade students from St. Michael School, a local bilingual elementary school.

SlingShot follows Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway, and his work to solve the world’s water crisis. Dean has always enjoyed creating new things and experimenting with old ones. His lifelong work was to create new inventions that could give people a better quality of life, to take problems that seemed impossible and try to find ways to fix them. It was with this same enthusiasm that he approached the clean water crisis, and worked to make a machine, the SlingShot, that would bring clean, safe water to human beings all over the world.

Following the screening of the film, the floor was opened for a Q&A session. When asked about the progress of the SlingShot machine since filming ended in 2013, Paul Lazarus said that they have made a few new models, and compared its future progress to the modern cell phone. He explained, “We all have these small high-tech cell phones now. Remember where they started? Remember the ‘brick’ phones? This first model of the SlingShot you see, that’s the brick.”

The Q&A session finished with a small trivia game for the audience. Paul asked questions about the film and called on audience members to answer. The children from St. Michael School were especially enthusiastic regarding the film and trivia questions. Noticing this, Paul mentioned the difference he sees in the younger audiences his film reaches. “It’s a great thing,” he said. “Children are so much more in tune with hope and the potential for change, I hope they can harness that and run with it.”

The United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic supported the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) in its fifth edition. The award allowed five U.S. filmmakers to visit DREFF, September 8-13, 2015, and to screen their films to Dominican audiences around the country. Ruth Urry, Cultural Attaché of the American Embassy in Santo Domingo, gave warm remarks on the opening night of DREFF, thanking the opportunity to be part of this initiative, consistent with their sustainable development aims, and their academic and cultural exchange programs in the country.

Paul Lazarus, director or SlingShot; Michael Graziano, director of Resistance; Angela Sun, director of Plastic Paradise; Angela Alston, producer of The Wisdom to Survive; and Laura Kissel, director of Cotton Road, traveled to the DR and actively engaged with audiences in several cities, screening their movies and sharing their vast cinematographic and environmental knowledge and experiences with Dominican students, teachers and general public at lively Q&A sessions and panel discussions.

Venues such as UNIBE, Colegio Bilingüe New Horizons, Centro Cultural Perelló, The Colonial Gate Cinema, Instituto Tecnológico Las Américas (ITLA), among others, hosted these screenings as part of DREFF.

The filmmakers also participated in several social gatherings and activities organized by DREFF for them to enjoy the Dominican Republic and also meet with local authorities and representatives of civil society organizations.