GFDD Facilitates Exchange at DFFNY 2017

From its opening to the closing ceremony, the Global Foundation for Democracy & Development (GFDD) was proud to be an integral part of the 6th annual Dominican Film Festival in New York (DFFNY 2017). During the festival, Yamile Eusebio, Acting Co-Executive Director of GFDD, moderated three discussions with important members of the Dominican filmmaking community.

During the “Film Production with a Caribbean Identity: a Master
Class” workshop, Dominican producer Elsa Turull sat down with Eusebio to discuss her experiences since her entry into the Dominican film industry at Larimar Films SRL in 2010. Her entry coinciding with the passing of Law 108-10, which provided incentives for the promotion of local film activity, Turull has been behind the production of award-winning films and local box office hits. During the discussion, Turull underlined that Larimar Films has managed to produce seven films in
the past six years.

To further highlight the success of Law 108-10, Yvette Marichal, Executive Director of the Film Commission (DGCINE) of the Dominican Republic, spoke with Eusebio during the discussion “The New Dominican Film Law Six Years Later.” This event provided a forum for Marichal to give examples of the opportunities which the law has led to through its provision of local and international incentives for film production.

Transitioning from filmmaking to marketing and distribution, Eusebio moderated a discussion titled “Dominican Film Distribution in Latin America” with Zumaya Cordero, Director General of Caribbean Cinemas and the Fine Arts Film Festival. Cordero explained that Caribbean Films Distribution prefers to get involved from the beginning stages of production in order to better position the final product.

For more than six years, GFDD has
coordinated film festivals through its creation of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), which aims to create, promote, and use Dominican film to raise the level of public awareness and bring about environmental and socio-economic sustainability. In implementing timely programs around the Dominican Republic at no cost to participants, GFDD and DREFF continue to be important members of the Dominican filmmaking community and environmental thought leadership.

For Further Information:

www.dominicanfilmfestival.com
www.globalfoundationdd.org
www.dreff.org