Flor de Azúcar: A Stop in New York on the Way to the Oscars

On its way to the Oscars, the Dominican film Flor de Azúcar from director Fernando Báez made a stop in New York to be screened for the press and people from the arts world. The event, held in the Dominican Commission of Culture of the United States (CODOCUL), was organized by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism with support from CODOCUL, the Dominican Film Festival in New York, and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD). During
the screening, in which the director of GFDD’s New York office, Yamile Eusebio, served as MC, Báez was present alongside the ambassador from the Dominican Mission to the UN, Francisco Cortorreal, among others.

Yamile Eusebio offered the words of welcome and thanked the Ministry of Tourism, represented by Lucien Echavarria, for “the support offered so that this special screening can be held both here in New York as well as in Miami on Thursday, November
10th.” He continued on to thank “Carlos Sánchez, Culture Commissioner in the United States, for opening these doors for us; thanks to his team, led by Joanna Herrera, communications director, and Franklin Mateo, the Commission’s events coordinator. We also recognize the presence of James Duarte, representing the Dominican Film Festival in New York. Thanks to Armando Guareno, founder and director of the festival, for the support.”

“This night is very special,” Eusebio remarked, “as we celebrate that a Dominican film is competing for the official nomination to the Oscars. The idea of producing such a
wonderful film began several years ago and today we’re very pround to share the same nationality as such an extraordinary human being.”

Carlos Sánchez then thanked the organizers for selecting the CODOCUL auditorium for the special presentation of the film in NYC and noted that “this space is open to all those who want to promote art and spread the wonders of the Dominican Republic.”

For his part, Lucien
Echavarria reiterated the commitment of the Ministry of Tourism to promote “all that exalts what’s Dominican; and this film is an obvious reflection that the Dominican Republic is not just beaches and white sands, there is important talent and the film industry is advancing by leaps and bounds. The Dominican Republic has everything,” he said.

After the screening, an excited Baéz chatted with the enthusiastic audience that peppered the film
and its script, based on Juan Bosch’s story “La nochebuena de Encarnación Mendoza,” with compliments.

“The film portrays Dominican customs and manners very well. It’s a gorgeous work, full of spectacular landscapes from the Dominican Republic,” said Lucia Fernández. “I’d like to highlight the great work from the writer in handling the Dominican-Haitian issue in the script,” added
Antonio Rubio.

About Flor de Azúcar
Flor de Azúcar is set in the Dominican Republic in the years 1948 and 1949 in the island’s sugar fields. The lives of 2 couples from the countryside, one Dominican and the other from Haiti, intertwine as we learn the story of Samuel – brilliantly played by Héctor Aníbal – a young Dominican farmer of strong principles who faces the hostility and injustice of
the Trujillo dictatorship. In the words of Báez, this is “a cry for freedom, love, and justice.” A script of more than 140 pages written by the director himself based on a story of just 7 pages, this project took 10 years and more than a million dollars to make.

About Fernando Báez
A Dominican director, producer, and writer, Báez is the founder and president of Unicorn Films and Grupo Único. With a
Master’s in Filmmaking and another in Film Direction, he has made more than 250 documentaries and has served as production director on several TV channels. He has received national and international recognitions and awards. His productions include El rey de Najayo, the first feature film made under the Dominican Republic Film Law; Lago Enriquillo: Preludio del cambio climático, whose world premiere happened during the closing ceremony of the
2014 Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF); and his latest movie, Flor de azúcar. Báez is a member of DREFF’s National Advisory Committee.