Dominican Evening at the EFF

The DREFF screened two Dominican films, Lago Enriquillo: Preludio del cambio climático and Mañana and hosted a panel with the films’ directors at theGala Hispanic Theater  in Washington DC, as part of the 23th edition of the prestigious Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital.

The Dominican Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) hosted a Dominican evening as part of
the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (EFF), with screenings and a panel at the Gala Hispanic Theater. Lago Enriquillo: Preludio del cambio climático and Mañana, winner of the Globo Verde Dominicano Award 2014, were shown to an enthusiastic audience who sought to know more about the environmental situation in the Dominican Republic and its exquisite natural resources. The DREFF – an initiative of GFDD – also organized a panel discussion that followed the screenings. Natasha Despotovic, Executive Director of the DREFF, oversaw the panel and introduced the films’ directors, Fernando Báez and Carlos García.

With
this activity, the DREFF and GFDD once again sought to fulfill one of its objectives, which is to provide information and proposals that contribute to appreciation of the Dominican environment and promote its sustainable use. They also endeavor to contribute to the international screening of Dominican films while providing development opportunities to the country’s young filmmakers.

For the past several years, the DREFF has worked with the DC Environmental Film
Festival (EFF), a veteran organization now in its 23rd year. Natasha Despotovic explained that, through this association, “we have learned a great deal about how to organize our film festival in the Dominican Republic, which is growing and improving daily. In its fifth year, the festival will take place in September in fourteen different cities around the country.”

The Executive Director of the DREFF and GFDD introduced Fernando Báez, one of the most prestigious Dominican filmmakers today and Carlos García, a budding director who, while participating in this
event, had the opportunity to learn and to make contact with some of the best environmental film directors working today.

About the movies
Lago Enriquillo: Preludio del cambio climatic presents the history and evolution of the largest lake in the Antilles: Its flora, fauna and its legends. This film is an exhaustive investigation into the lake’s rising water level, analyzed by professionals who have researched it for
years. The documentary looks at how the rising water is affecting the area’s inhabitants while attracting the attention of the scientific community around the world who view the phenomenon as a window into the effects and consequences of climate change. See trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Ivr8c7ETM

Mañana shows the journey
of a man (The Walker) from a land of chaos and destruction to the “earthly paradise,” now lost. This film invites us to realize that we are all responsible for the future of our planet. See movie here: https://youtu.be/vRgqtuNZHyQ

The DREFF
Since its inception in 2011, the DREFF provides the Dominican public a platform for knowledge
and debate on the environment and sustainable development, their issues and best practices, while celebrating the beauty and unique wealth of the Dominican nature.

Through the screening of a diverse selection of the best films that deal with issues of major national and international relevance, and the organization of discussion panels, courses, seminars and field visits, the DREFF not only promotes dialogue but also inspires the Dominican public to take action to ensure
the health and sustainability of the environment.

The EFF
The EFF is the world’s premiere showcase of environmentally themed films. Each March in Washington, DC, the Festival presents more than 150 films to an audience of over 33,000. DCEFF program includes thematic discussions and social events, film screenings at museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theaters. Founded in 1993, EFF is the largest and
longest-standing environmental film festival in the United States. It has grown into a major collaborative cultural event both during the festival and all year-round.

Related links:
www.dreff.org
www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org
http://www.unicorniofilms.com.do/