Dominican Film Showcase Concludes Successful Event at Drexel University

On October 10, 2013, as part of its popular Dominican Film Showcase program organized to promote, share, and celebrate the stories, characters and history of the Dominican Republic with an international audience, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) in collaboration with Café Latino, and the assistance of the Drexel University Spanish Club, presented a Dominican film screening, Ana’s Struggle,
produced by a representative of a new generation of Dominican filmmakers, Bladimir Abud.

Bladimir was warmly received by more than 40 students and faculty, who asked many questions following the screening about the message of the film, as well as his life as a filmmaker in the Dominican Republic. The discussion with Bladimir continued well after the film, as interested audience members enjoyed light refreshments provided by Drexel University. The event drew a diverse
audience from the Drexel student body– as well as the Philadelphia area– and many were excited about the growing presence of Dominican cultural events in their city.

Bladmir is a humanitarian, as well as an accomplished movie director, and with his films being socially focused, he has won awards for Best Short Film at FUNGLODE’s Global Film Festival in 2008 and the Festival of Santo Domingo shorts in 2000. He directed and produced, If I could save you (2010), Blameless (2009), A young man named Juan Bosch
(2009) and Los Super (2013). He is best known for his 2012 film that was screened at this event, Ana’s Struggle (La Lucha de Ana). The film centers around Ana, whose only son gets involved in a drug deal that leads to his murder, and focuses on the corrupt system that Ana is forced to contend with as she attempts to find justice for her son.  It won three International Awards,
including the Best Picture of the year 2012 at the Premios Soberanos.

GFDD gives special thanks to the Drexel University Spanish Club under the leadership of Kahlil Gedin and Heather Conway for making the event possible. Established 3 years ago, the Drexel Spanish Club provides many opportunities for all students interested in the Spanish language to enhance their conversational and comprehension skills outside the classroom setting.

Dr. Maria de la Luz
Matus-Mendoza, Associate Professor of Spanish at Drexel University and creator of Café Latino, co-hosted the event. Café Latino is a monthly tertulia that disseminates Latin American and Peninsular culture within Drexel University. It is an informal gathering where current topics are discussed. It is a place to meet with writers, artists and speakers to deepen knowledge and understanding of the Spanish speaking culture.

The Dominican Film Showcase was created with the
idea of enriching the Dominican Republic’s film culture and bringing its unique brand of cinema to a wider audience. The program utilizes the seventh art as a platform for discussion, enhancing social awareness and promoting constructive change while highlighting issues of historic and cultural importance to the Dominican community. It also seeks to cultivate appreciation of all aspects of the Dominican Republic’s growing cinematographic talent.

Related Link:
www.dominicanfilmshowcase.org