Mahmud Abbas and Leonel Fernández in documentary on the Arab World

Mahmud Abbas and Leonel Fernández in documentary on the Arab World
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 07/14/13

S anto Domingo, Dominican Republic – Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, and Leonel Fernández, former President of the Dominican Republic, are the main characters of the documentary “The Arabs in the Hispaniola and the Palestinian Question,” by Dominican filmmaker Jimmy Sierra, which is to be released at a private showing on Wednesday, July 17th.

The premiere, which will start at 8 pm at the Silver Sun movie theater, is being sponsored by the Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian Club, and will be attended by numerous personalities of Arab origin, political figures and special guests.

According to Sierra, the audiovisual work sought the roots of these citizens in cities across the Middle East, including Tripoli, Byblos, Tyre, Sidon and Beirut in Lebanon, as well as in Amman, Jerash, Citadelle and Petra in Jordan.

The latter city was selected as one of the seven modern wonders of the world. Bsharri, in Lebanon, the birthplace of writer Khalil Gibran, author of “The Prophet,” was also included. In addition, the film journey included Jerusalem and Bethlehem in Israel, and Ramallah in Palestine; Port-au-Prince and Port de Paix in Haiti; and Santiago, Puerto Plata, Barahona, San Pedro de Macoris, La Romana, San Francisco de Macoris and other cities in the Dominican Republic.

The documentary is treated objectively since there is no narrator but the history and the facts are being narrated by more than 40 personalities, including, in addition to Mahmoud Abbas and Leonel Fernández, Mustafa Abud Naba (Jordan); Ivón Nader, Elvis Alam, Viviane Boulos (Haiti); Hasam Raman (Jordan), José Hazim Frapier and Julio Hazim, Sami Nair (Tunis- France), Luis Scheker Ortíz, William Jana, Pedro Justo Castellanos, Eduardo Selman, Nathalie Saoud (Haiti) and José Rafael Abinader.

Also, Antonio Isa Conde, Kalil Haché, José Antonio Najri, Antonio (Papía) Najri, Alejandro Asmar Sánchez, Antonio Alma, and others.

The last interview for this documentary was conducted with the renowned physician from Santiago, Solomón Jorge, who died last year at 98 years of age.

“The Arabs in the Hispaniola and the Palestinian Question” was produced and directed by Jimmy Sierra, of Oasis Audio Visual. It was edited by Romig González and the Director of Photography was Ramón Abreu.