GFDD and FUNGLODE host La Hija Natural at Cine Americas: Dominican Republic

Thursday July 21st, 2011

Washington DC, 7/21/2011
The air was filled with waves of laughter at the packed screening of the Dominican melodrama, La Hija Natural (Love Child) at the Cine Americas: Dominican Republic, hosted by GFDD and FUNGLODE.

The film focuses on Maria, who as a child was a simple and sensitive young girl with the strange habit of putting ladybugs in her mouth. After her mother dies in an accident, 18 year-old María decides to look for the father she has never met. She travels to a nearby town taking what few belongings she has and finds her father, Joaquín, living in a dark, old house in the middle of an abandoned banana plantation, which the locals claim is haunted by spirits. He lives there with an enigmatic Haitian as his only companion. Having no one else in the world, she has no option but to stay with this drunken and recently widowed old man, and confront the ghosts of the past that haunt them both.

Though not billed as a satire, this authentic take on Dominican life resonated with both Dominican and international audiences alike. The film was character-driven, with each of the characters displaying a high level of emotional intelligence in situations that audiences could easily identify with – probably having experienced them themselves at one point or another.

Special guest Director Leticia Tonos, a graduate of the London Film School, explained that all the characters in the film were based on her own observations of the Dominican people and culture and that the movie””s reality-based script drew heavily on everyday language and humor that Dominican audiences could immediately recognize and appreciate. The movie will be premiered in New York at its International Latino Film Festival this August.

As a Director, Leticia is more interested in posing questions than making statements and likes to challenge her audiences with complex topics that require thought. Always concerned about social issues, she has also directed and produced several videos for non-profit organizations. La Hija Natural was made with the support of various institutions including the Ministry of Culture, Program Ibermedia, Film Corporation of Puerto Rico, GFDD and FUNGLODE as well as Global Media Arts Institute (GMAI), an initiative of both GFDD and FUNGLODE.

The Dominican Film Showcase aims to present, share, and celebrate the stories, characters and history of the Dominican Republic with an international audience. It is made possible by GFDD and FUNGLODE in partnership with the Dominican Embassy in Washington DC, the DR Mission to the OAS and the Art Museum of the Americas at the OAS.

The Program continues with Jean Gentil, on July 21 and The Republic of Baseball on July 22.

For more information on Love Child, please go to: lahijanatural.com

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