The Curtain Goes Up at The Dominican Global Film Festival to Celebrate Its Tenth Anniversary

Dr. Leonel Fernández and GFDD and DREFF Director, Natasha Despotovic, received special recognitions

The inauguration of the tenth edition of the Dominican Global Film Festival (FCGD, for its acronym in Spanish), in the National Theater, became a great celebration of the seventh art, in which outstanding national and international figures in the field received tribute before the screening of the opening film, Luis by
Dominican director Archie López. During the event, the president of Funglode / GFDD and the executive director of GFDD and DREFF, Natasha Despotovic received awards.

During the evening, the president of the organization steering the festival, the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo(Funglode), Leonel Fernández, said that "positive changes are coming in this event," which has been held annually since 2006. "In the next ten years, we are
thinking about an International Film Festival, and for this purpose we are already in communication with the San Sebastian Festival and the Tribeca Festival, which would eventually be allies of the Dominican Global Film Festival, so that we can raise the quality of the Festival and support the film industry of our country, "said Fernández.

The former Dominican president was recognized for his work in the development of the film industry in the country by the
committee of the FCGD and members of the national film industry, represented by the native filmmakers Archie López, Juan Basanta and Alfonso Rodríguez.

Dr. Leonel Fernández was the main promoter of the Law 108-8 Cinema and founder of the most important event of the Seventh Art in the Dominican Republic, the FCGD, which in its 2017 edition will be held in the Dominican Republic from January 25 to February 1.

Acknowledgment to
Despotovic
Natasha Despotovic also received recognition as founder of this festival and director of the same during the first four editions. Despotovic thanked the current director of the Festival, Omar de la Cruz, as well as Dr. Fernández for having placed in her the confidence to begin this festival 11 years ago, "I am very proud of this team. You have outgrown the teachers and founders. Thank you".

The stage was also attended by
businessman Manuel Corripio, president of the Festival’s Advisory Committee, who highlighted the benefits of the Cinema Law, by ensuring that it has driven the constant growth of films in the country and the professional training of dozens of people abroad.

"We cannot imagine our cinema without a Cinema Law. It is impossible", said Corripio. However, he criticized that 40% of the Dominican population does not have access to cinema and
understands that "it is a challenge to be solved".

Guest Country and Honorees
The FCGD honors the guest country, Italy, with the screenings of four films, including Paolo VirzÌ’s Like Crazy and Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty.

Among the guests who visit the Festival in its tenth edition are the British Arnold Schwartzman, winner of an Oscar for
best documentary for Genocide (1982), and designer of the Oscar´s advertisement, to which the Festival paid a tribute, with the Global Award for his career in the seventh art.

Veteran Dominican film critic Armando Almánzar received the Camilo Carrau Award for his effort, trajectory and support to the film industry; and the Italian-French producer Sergio Gobbi was awarded the Global Award.

Also recognized was the American director,
producer and writer Andrew Davis, recognized for the film The Fugitive (1993), with Harrison Ford, or The Guardian (2006).

Davis received the Global Award for his rich and extensive film career. CNN Colombian journalist and commentator, Juan Carlos Arciniegas received the Arturo Rodríguez Award, Hispanic Pride in the Seventh Art.

Opening Film
Luis (2016), the first
Drama by director Archie López, starring Alfonso Rodríguez and Axel Mancilla, was in charge of opening this 10th Edition of the FCGD. The film is inspired by the relationship of teenagers with their parents.

"This movie belongs to everyone, and to no one. It is based on the experience of many friends. Don Manuel Corripio, for example, when he learned that he was going to shoot a film that deals with the relationship between parents and children, he told me that I
could not shoot that film without talking to him. We met and he told me so many experiences ", said producer, Archie López.

In its tenth anniversary, the Festival offers about 15 educational meetings and lectures, and will screen more than 100 films with different themes.

The FCGD honors the guest country, Italy, with the screening of four films and updates with new sections to suit all tastes, such as "Mirada Deportiva"
(Sports), "Mirada de la Comedia" (Comedy), "Mirada a la Mujer" (Women), and "Mirada Documental" (Documentary).

Sponsors
With the support of Grupo Corripio and Palacio del Cine.

Diamond: Distribuidora Corripio, Cap Cana, Colorín, Lantica Media, Palacio del Cine, Palmera Pictures, Procomunicaciones, Sigma Petroleum Corporation and Claro.

Platinum:
Telesistema, EGEDA, Plaza Lama, Premios Platino, Serigraf, Telemicro, DGCINE.

Gold: Burger King, Jet Set Club, Digital 15, IGLOBAL, 91.3fm, Panamericana Producciones, Ruiz Centro Stereo, Telemicro Internacional, Zol 106.5fm.

With the support of: Bocatips, IL Cappuccino, Club Mauricio Báez, Caribbean Traveling, Diario Libre, Dominican Film Festival in New York, Eventival, El Nacional, Ibermedia, Instituto Técnico Superior Comunitario (ITSC), Fuegos
Artificiales Jupiter, Krispy Kreme, Listín Diario, Ministerio de Cultura, Ministerio de Educación, MESCYT, Mira Vista Rentals, Movibeta, Hoy Dígital, Papa John’s, Revista Global, Sala de Espera, Teatro Nacional, Unapec, UASD, Duende Films, Jorge Mochón Academy.

Friends of the Festival: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Santo Domingo, British Embassy in Santo Domingo, Embassy of Spain in Santo Domingo, United States of America Embassy, and Embassy of
Mexico.