TESTIMONIALS

"I think the DR Environmental Film Festival is very positive initiative. Using all means that are available to communicate knowledge and film is very powerful, whether you are telling a story that conveys truth or a documentary film, what this fosters is knowing, and with knowing there is caring. If you don't know you can't care.  It's only now that we are beginning to know enough about the natural world and our place in it, that we are beginning to truly care about caring for nature."

Sylvia Earle
World Recognized Oceanographer and Founder of Sylvia Earle Alliance

It was a real pleasure to be a part of the launch of this wonderful film festival and educational initiative.

I think it was a great success and has laid the foundation for a very empowering event.  Your dedication to the environment, to education and to the greater good is to be commended.

Plus the gracious hospitality shown to me and all the guests was most appreciated. I really look forward to working with the entire team again soon on furthering our common goals.

Deborah L. Kinder  
CEO/Executive Director
BLUE Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit

It was a great treat to spend time with the GFDD staff in DR, and I am watching all the videos on your website with fond memories!  I have already shared links with so many individuals and organizations, including many film industry leaders.  Everyone is impressed!

Thank you for documenting what was not only an incredible opportunity to exchange ideas, but also the birth of many friendships for life.

Lisa Kaas Boyle, Esq.
Legislative Policy Director and Co-founder Plastic Pollution Coalition

Thank you so much for the wonderful few days I had in Dominican Republic . It was a privilege to meet you and your colleagues, your President and his ministers. I also enjoyed meeting the other filmmakers.

Although I have been to the Dominican Republic a few times, I have always flown into Puerto Plata, taken a taxi to the marina, embarked on a boat, spent six days on Silver Bank to film the whales and then returned home with little insight into your country. Thanks to you, your organization and your colleagues, I have a much better idea of what the Dominican Republic is all about, besides whales! Who can say they have met the President of a country, and his top ministers!!! It was very impressive, you treated us like royalty and very generously. I feel like I have made some new Dominican Republic friends, not only within your foundation but in some of the people I met during the many functions we attended.

I would also like to say that I have screened "Where the Whales Sing" to many schools but the students I met in Dominican Republic were the most impressive I have yet to come across. They were involved, interested, asked fantastic questions and seemed very self-confident.

I hope we will stay in touch and if there is anything I can do to help the foundation, the Dominican Republic and its people, please let me know.

Andrew Stevenson
Director and producer of "Where the Whales Sing"

Dear Friends
 
I thank you wholeheartedly for your invitation to this environmental film festival. At the same time I congratulate all those who contributed voluntarily and tenaciously to the success of this activity, which can be seen in these images.

Thank you

Oswaldo Vasquez
Marine consulting and technology at ATEMAR

You did an amazing job with the DR Environmental Film festival and Encyclopedia launch. Thank you for letting me join and be apart of it. Sylvia was really honored to be there, meet with the President and receive the generous award with Dr. Idelisa.

Thank you and your team for everything.

All the best,

Jenifer Austin Folkes
Buisiness Project Manager at Google Ocean

Thank you so much for inviting Vanishing of the Bees  to your lovely festival. It was truly an honor. It was so lovely to connect with Dominican beekeepers and to meet talented and inspirational filmmakers.

Maryam Henein
Co-Director/Producer of "Vanishing of the Bees"

"I've been to several environmental film festivals around the world with Bag it, as it is an environmental film, and I think it is especially important and fantastic that the Dominican Republic is celebrating its own environmental film festival! As an island it's so much more important to deal with the issues of pollution and plastic, as there is no where to put the garbage it is of particular importance not only culturally but for tourism and overall economic health, to keep the place where you live beautiful and pristine. In my opinion celebrating this festival in the Dominican Republic in particular is a fantastic idea"

Suzan Beraza
Director of "Bag It!"

"This morning I gave a speech before 200 students and I screened my film. It was a wonderful experience for me; the children were very interested, asked fantastic questions and, honestly, I felt the connection. Thank you for your hospitality. It is an honor to be here!"

David Guggenheim
Marine scientist and ocean explorer

The choice of films does a great job at explaining what the problems are and they also offer solutions. I think it's important that films like this be seen and having a festival like this is a great forum for that. Having the filmmakers and other scientists and professors who are very close to these problems attend the festival is an added bonus as well because that provides a new dimension to finding the solutions we're looking for.

Mark Terry
Director of The Polar Explorer

I am very happy to have this opportunity as I am turning 80 tomorrow and to enjoy this recognition which I have to share with my supporters.

Dr. Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi
President Fernández conferred the Order of Merit Duarte, Sánchez y Mella Award

"This event was very organized and timely. In the Dominican Republic and the world, we need to know how we are affecting the environment and it affects us and how we must protect it. And this agency is helping people understand and learn more and understand our obligation in the world.

Francisco Medrano
Winner of the books of the Dominican Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Environment, speaking at the book launch

I came to the launch of the Dominican Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Environment because the situation today with the environment doesn't just affect the Dominican Republic but also the whole world and this book is going to contribute to reducing the pollution as more people gain awareness about the situation and what they should and must do to stop polluting the environment here and in the world. We need to have more forums and conferences like the way the world gathers at the G8 and the G20 meetings and talk about globalization. So this event has been very important and I thank the President of the Dominican Republic, his Excellency, Leonel Fernandez, Founder of FUNGLODE, for taking the initiative and always creatively supporting this Foundation and the advancement of the Dominican Republic.

Salvador Ramírez
Journalist and Speaker, speaking at the book launch (Dominican Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Environment)

"You always learn something new when you attend conferences with experts like these because you can't always trust what you read in the press."

Cicero Nunez
Book Launch: Dominican Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Environment

"I thought the event was interesting. I learned a lot, for example, that there is blue amber; I thought amber was only yellow. I learned about the landscape, about our birds, many interesting things."

Sonia Guerrero
Teacher and winner of one of the Dominican Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Environment