The DREFF and a New Generation of Dominican Filmmakers

The 5th Dominican International Film Festival, which will be held on September 8 to 13th in 11 cities in the country, aims to develop a new generation of environmental filmmakers. In this year’s festival, in addition to the panels and forums with national and international experts that will be held after each screening, the DREFF will hold 4 workshops and two master classes. Funglode´s headquaters will welcome a workshop on DSLR technology and low-cost film-making, the
master class by director Denis Delestrac called “My 10 Rules for Making Documentaries” and the workshop “Green Activism: Promoting Environmental Consciousness through Images.”

Workshops and Master Classes
Two Master Classes with Denis Delestrac

Denis Delestrac is one of the most sought-after European documentary directors and among the most influential investigative filmmakers of this decade. His films -two of which will
be shown at this edition of the DREFF- generate public debate and influence policy decisions. He has given master classes at festivals and univer- sities all over Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Africa.

Access is the key
The renowned European film director will give advice – based on his own filming experience – on how to get interviews with highly sought after personalities and gaining entry into places where cameras are
normally not welcome.

Place: Instituto Iberia, Santiago
Date: September 9
Time: 10:00 am Workshop Filled

Directing documentaries
In this class, Delestrac will share the personal methods and tricks he developed through his years of experience. He will give advice on how to break into the film industry and make docu- mentaries with an international impact.

Place: Funglode, Santo
DomingoDate: September 12
Time: 4:00 pm

The Environmental 72 Hours Film Project
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce high school students to the world of the profes- sional DSLR cinematography. The students will learn techniques and artistic skills to produce an environmental short film in the four main phases of the creation process: pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution. Each group will make an
environmental short film of 3-5 minutes in 72 hours.

Place: Colegio Loyola, Santo Domingo
Date: September 8
Time: 9:00 am Workshop filled

Technology DSLR: Making films with social impact on a low budget
Given by: Gabriel Romero, filmmaker and film professor in the Uni- ted States, and Manuel Villalona, Dominican director and photographer and other national and international guests.

Documentary filmmaking has gotten easier and cheaper with the help of DSLR cameras. Filmmakers no longer need huge budgets or big producers to make high-quality movies; they just need good stories to tell. The goal of this workshop is to provide filmmakers with these new technologies in order to bring their stories to the big screen and generate the social change they wish to make.

Place: Funglode, Santo Domingo
Date: September 10
Time:
4:00 pm

Green Activism: Promoting Environmental Awareness through Images
Film and photography have become essential and powerful tools in the struggle to protect the environment and in the creation of awareness around sustainable, socio-economic development. Filmmakers, photogra- phers and producers will explore new ideas and concepts related to envi- ronmental activism of the 21st century.

Place: Auditorio de Funglode,
Santo Domingo
Date: September 13
Time: 10:00 am

“How to Make Movies with iPads”
In partnertship with Planet in Focus Film Festival of Toronto, Canada
With the Canadian filmakers Emily Hunter and Andrew Nisker, and Alessandra Cannito, Festival & Programs Manager of Planet in Focus

The goal is to teach participants the basics of how to make their own short environmental films,
using iPads and iMovie in all phases:

Pre-production (storyboarding, location scouting, shot listing) Production (shooting, lighting, sound considerations) Post-production (editing, titles, music)

Place: Colegio New Horizons, Santo Domingo
Date: September 14
Time: 4:00 pm Workshop filled

“Digital technology has allowed us to increase the amount of democratic tools available to us. Using twitter, we have been
able to access masses of likeminded people and create a conver- sation not only for sustainable development but also social change. We can now communicate these messages to a larger audience and have more opportunity to share local real stories with real people that would usually go unheard.”

Emily Hunter, director of Activism 2.0