Santo Domingo –\u00a0Under the theme \u201cPassion for our planet\u201d, a new edition of the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival began today. A total of 12 screenings from 6 countries- Colombia, Argentina, Belgium, U.S.A., Mexico and the Dominican Republic- will be shown over the next 4 days in 9 venues around the country in association with universities, schools, libraries, and cultural and research centers.<\/p>\n
Morning proceedings There were 2 presentations at 10 in the morning: El Libro de Lila (Lila\u2019s Book,<\/em> directed by Marcela Rinc\u00f3n Gonz\u00e1lez) was screened at the Instituto Iberia of Santiago de los Caballeros, and Programa de Cortos Intanfitles: La Tierra en Mis Manos<\/em> (directed by Nicolas Conte) was screened simultaneously at the Biblioteca Infantil y Juvenil Republica Dominicana-Santo Domingo and Colegio Bilingue New Horizons- Santo Domingo.<\/p>\n At Instituto Iberia, Reidy Moreta, in charge of film traffic, explained alongside the Instituto\u2019s director, V\u00edctor Mart\u00ednez, that following in the mottos of past editions, \u201cthis year the event will tackle themes relating to the conservation of species, of the oceans, plastic pollution, renewable energy sources, and many other aspects of sustainable development.\u201d Mart\u00ednez highlighted that the Festival is the best educational offer to instill in others a sense of care toward the environment and inspire us to live a more sustainable lifestyle.<\/p>\n Dulce Elvira de los Santos, director of the Bilblioteca Infantil y Juvenil Republica Dominicana (BIJRD), said \u201cthe children were very excited by the screening.\u201d<\/p>\n The screenings of Ghost Fleet<\/em> (directed by Shannon Service) at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) of Santo Domingo, and Pandas<\/em> (directed by Drew Fellman & David Douglas) at New Horizons, completed the morning. At UNIBE, DREFF\u2019s director of programming, Maria Victoria Abreu, thanked the university for another year of collaboration in the Festival with the same enthusiasm, and explained that DREFF continues to believe that it’s the young people that are leading and generating debate around the challenges of climate change. \u201cSustainability is no longer foreign and now we all know that a change of habits is necessary, of public policy and ways of thinking. Change is in motion and, fortunately, it is unstoppable.\u201d Sardis Medrano, UNIBE\u2019s lab coordinator, said \u201cthe screening moved the everyone in the room.\u201d<\/p>\n In the evening<\/strong> Special Presentation in Punta Cana<\/strong> \u201cFor Grupo\u00a0Puntacana<\/span>\u00a0and its\u00a0<\/span>foundation<\/span>\u00a0it is very important and also an honor to rely on allies like DREFF to bring environmental films to Punta Cana. We have been participating for 5 years and we love being part of this initiative.\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Kheel<\/span>, while Victoria Sloan Jordan commented \u201cit is a great labor that DREFF is doing bringing these types of films to the Dominican public; to bring home messages of deep reflection to the community.\u00a0<\/span>Albatross<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reflects<\/span>\u00a0who we are as individuals and how we are part of something much bigger and interconnected.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n About DREFF
\n<\/strong>Worse Than Poop!<\/em> was the starting film of the day, intended for young children and was screened at the Colegio Biling\u00fce New Horizons of Santo Domingo at 9am. Ram\u00f3n Cabrera, multimedia coordinator of DREFF, introduced the production of the American film, directed by Vanessa Warheit, and explained that \u201cthree Dominican cities- Santo Domingo, Santiago and Punta Cana- will host activities where the main objective is to welcome and involve the community in the biggest and most important debate that is happening in our planet: climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span>In the afternoon, the program continued with <\/span><\/span>Cacu<\/span><\/span>: Un <\/span><\/span>cambio<\/span><\/span>por la <\/span><\/span>vida<\/span><\/span>, from the Guatemalan based in the Dominican Republic, Marvin del Cid, at the Instituto Iberia de Santiago de los Caballeros; <\/span><\/span>Albatross<\/span><\/span>, from Chris Jordan, at <\/span><\/span>Puntacana<\/span><\/span>Village, and <\/span><\/span>Ghost Fleet<\/span><\/span>, in the Centro de <\/span><\/span>Convenciones<\/span><\/span> y <\/span><\/span>Cultura<\/span><\/span> Dominicana<\/span><\/span> UTESA (CCCD UTESA) in the same northern city.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>In front of an open air auditorium with around 200 participants in attendance, DREFF and Fundacion Grupo\u00a0Puntanaca, with support from Delta Air Lines, screened the documentary\u00a0Albatross<\/span>\u00a0and achieved an interesting session of questions and answers with the producer of the film, special guest of the seventh edition of DREFF, Victoria Sloan Jordan. The event counted on the presence of Jake\u00a0Kheel,\u00a0Vicepresident\u00a0of Fundacion Grupo\u00a0Puntanaca\u00a0and member of DREFF\u2019s National Advisory Committee, who shared a few welcoming words along with Maria Victoria Abrey, Director of Programming of DREFF.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) \u2014an initiative of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and the Fundaci\u00f3n Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode)\u2014 has been providing Dominicans with a platform of knowledge and debate on the environment and sustainable development, along with its challenges and best practices, while celebrating the unique beauty and wealth that is the Dominican Republic\u2019s natural heritage.<\/p>\n