Dominican Republic Global Film Festival 2006 Debuts in November
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 29th, 2006

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), proudly announce the debut of the DR Global Film Festival (DRGFF) in November 2006. The five-day event will run

from November 8th to 12th and will feature an international selection of dramatic and documentary films by internationally acclaimed filmmakers. The movies are to be shown at a number of venues in Santo Domingo and Santiago, including theatres, university auditoriums, FUNGLODE facilities, the cinematheque and movie theatres.

The Festival aspires to play a leading role in nurturing and enriching the film culture of the Dominican Republic and bring cinema to a broad variety of audiences. Under the subtitle "Global Issues, Personal Stories", it seeks to raise awareness and deepen understanding of global issues through stories about events and people that have shaped our lives. It uses film as a modern platform for the discussion of ideas about politics, social and economic issues.

In that sense, the mission of the DRGFF complements that of Fundación Global Democracia y Desarollo (FUNGLODE) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD).

As a part of the festival program, a number of social and educational activities will create opportunities for networking, learning and sharing of ideas. After the gala opening night, multiple daily screenings, workshops and discussion panels with directors, actors, filmmakers and industry leaders will follow. The festival will close with a tribute to a major cinematographic figure.

The organizers of the Festival plan to exhibit a wide variety of films to which audiences in the Dominican Republic would not otherwise have access. Special efforts will be made to reach out to people from all walks of life and social backgrounds, and create opportunity for discussion. Movies that click with young people, while dealing with relevant social and political issues, will be highly represented.
Film as a medium for enhancing social awareness and promoting constructive change will be a permanent underlying trait of this big international gathering. At the same time, it is expected to raise awareness among film industry professionals of the desirability of the Dominican Republic as a shooting location, as well as foster the professional development of domestic human resources in the field, contributing therefore to the economic development of the country.

DRGFF is another initiative by GFDD/FUNGLODE that seeks to encourage art appreciation, enhance understanding of global issues, offer training in media arts as well as support the economic, social and democratic development of the country. Some of the institutions' programs in that area include The FUNGLODE Art Gallery, Global Magazine, Cinema Forum and, particularly, the Global Media Arts Institute (GMI) which offers initiation courses and professional development programs with special emphasis on television and film production.

Join us November 8-12 and be part of this extraordinary experience. Stay tuned for our news and announcements of the full program.

For more information on this coming event please contact: DR Global Film Festival at (212) 751-5000 or e-mail Asuncion Sanz at AsuncionSanz@globalfoundationdd.org or Yamile Eusebio at y.eusebio@funglode.org .

Visit http://www.drglobalfilmfestival.org and register to receive regular updates. Further information also at http://www.globalfoundationdd.org (English) and http://www.funglode.org (Spanish)