GFDD and FUNGLODE Dominican Film Showcase Airs in Washington, DC April 9-12, 2013

Monday March 25th, 2013

Washington DC, March 25, 2013

Partnering with the Art Museum of the America’s of the OAS, the Department of Sustainable Development of the OAS, the Dominican Republic Permanent Representative to the OAS and the Dominican Republic Embassy to the White House, GFDD is delighted to announce the second edition of the 2013 Dominican Film Showcase Program. The event will take place in Washington, DC on April 9-12, at the OAS’s Art Museum of the Americas as a CineAmericas initiative.

The program will include the screenings of El Rey de Najayo (The King of Najayo), Pelotero: Ballplayer and La Lucha de Ana (Anna’s Struggle).

Additionally, one of the days will be dedicated to GFDD produced shorts, Pico Duarte, Lago Enriquillo (Lake Enriquillo), and the winner of DREFF’s Globo Verde Dominicano 2012 Award, De Espaldas al Mar (Turning Our Backs to the Ocean.) All films are in Spanish with English subtitles.

Through the series of screenings, question and answer sessions with directors and subject specialists, the films promote the efforts of the organization to present the Dominican Republic under a constructive, positive and engaging light while at the same time introducing the work of young Dominican filmmakers to a new audience. The film’s makers and protagonists, who will be in attendance at their respective film, will take spectators for a behind the scenes delve into it’s the topics and production.

Opening Night
Tuesday, April 9, at 6:00pm
Film:  Pelotero: Ballplayer
Directors: Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin, Jon Paley
In the run-up to the most important day of their lives, two young Dominican baseball players confront competition and corruption to achieve their Big-League dreams.

Q&A with the directors will follow the screening.

Wednesday, April 10, at 6:30pm
Series of Shorts:
Primera Expedición Educacional al Pico Duarte (First Educational Expedition to Pico Duarte)
De Espaldas al Mar (With Our Backs to the Ocean)
Crecida de los Lagos Enriquillo y Azuei, estudio de un caso y sus posibles implicaciones globales (The Growth of Lake Enriquillo: Environmental, Social and Scientific Implications)

The series of short films masterly depict the enchanting nature of the Dominican republic, particularly its coastal and marine ecosystems. The shorts raise the problem of environment protection and the contribution of the society to preserve it.
Discussion and Q&A about GFDD’s efforts to document Dominican Republic environment and biodiversity with experts in the subject will follow.

Special guest: María José Bengoa, President, Volunteer Association of Banco de Reservas, the Dominican Republic

Thursday, April 11, at 6:30pm
Film: La Lucha de Ana (Anna’s Struggle)
Director: Bladimir Abud
La Lucha de Ana is the story of Ana, a flower seller who seeks justice for a murdered son.

Q&A with the director, Vladimir Abud, will follow the screening.

Closing Night
Friday, April 12, at 6:30pm
Film: El Rey de Najayo (The King of Najayo)
Director: Fernando Baez
El Rey de Najayo is the dramatic story of Julian, a Dominican drug lord who despite his confinement in prison, was still able to maintain Dominican society in a state of suspense, for over 13 years.

Q&A will follow the screening with the director, Fernando Báez, after which an opening cocktail will be offered at the Museum’s Logia, on the first floor.

All films will be screened at AMA Art Museum of the Americas, located at 1201 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006.

About the Dominican Film Showcase
In an effort to endorse the burgeoning film industry of the Dominican Republic, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development created the initiative the Dominican Film Showcase, which seeks to share and celebrate the stories, history and talent of the Dominican Republic with international audiences, through spotlighting a sample of the best films produced in the Dominican Republic by Dominican filmmakers on Dominican topics.