Two Caribbean Environmental Film Festivals Joined Efforts for Regional Sustainability

The Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), a Global Foundation for Democracy and Developmen (GFDD) initiative, joined the environmental film festival of Trinidad and Tobago, Green Screen T&T, an annual event which brings environmental and sustainability focused films, panels, workshops and other activities to the city of Port of Spain.

On Thursday, November 2, DREFF was part of Green Screen T&T’s opening night where the
Dominican/American film “Death by a Thousand Cuts”. After the screening, the audience had an interesting discussion on the sustainability of the charcoal industry with Jake Kheel, co-director of the film, a member of DREFF’s National Advisory Committee. This inaugural showing, held at the IMAX DIGICEL Theatre, was followed by a reception where local authorities and special guests celebrated the accomplishments of the festival in recent years.

The evening of Friday, November 3^rd was the date selected for the Caribbean premiere of the film “Hadwin’s Judgement”, on a special screening hosted by the High Commission of Canada in Trinidad and Tobago.

In
addition, on Saturday, November 4^th, DREFF was also part of a panel discussion on “Women and EcoFeminism” following the screening of two short films, “The First Place, The Last Place”, and “Feed the Green”. María Victoria Abreu, DREFF’s Programming Director, joined a panel of international experts in discussing women’s role in environmental activism, rural development, and sustainability. “Vulnerability has no borders, no race, no gender, no boundaries”, expressed
Abreu. Other panelists included Adeline Gregoire, Founder and Director of Women.Everywhere; Gia Gaspard Taylor, President, Network of Rural Women Producers Trinidad; and John Stollmeyer, Multimedia conceptual artist & Ecologist.

Lastly, DREFF also co-hosted the screening of “Cycles” (Ciclos), winner of the 2016 Globo Verde Dominicano Award, as part of the closing night films of the Green Screen T&T festival.   

DREFF and Green Screen T&T are partners and work together to promote sustainability and environmental awareness in the Caribbean.