Third International Children’s Film Festival Opens

The Third International Children’s Film Festival in Santo Domingo is opening with fun workshops, interesting movies and a visit from an international film expert. The 2008 Festival is being organized for the third year in a row by the Office of the First Lady directed by Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

One of the main objectives of the film festival is to promote healthy and fun entertainment among the Dominican family…

Starting on Thursday August 7 until Wednesday August 13, the screens of the Film Palace in Bella Vista Mall will be showing 28 films that will be part of the week of Dominican children’s film, of which 12 will enter into competition under the title “Best Children’s Film.”  

Among the candidates are:  Chocolate Rap from Taiwan; Daniel and the Super Dogs from Canada; Imaginum, from Mexico; The Fable of the Shoes (Renyu Duoduo) from Taiwan; The History of Nahuala, Mexico; Magicians and Giants, Mexico; Papelucho and the Martian from Chile; Fishing Luck from Taiwan; Tainá 2, The Adventure Continues from Brazil; A Little Mouse Close to Heaven from Argentina and A Vampire from Seville from Spain.

In addition, viewers will also be able to enjoy other films such as: Bee Movie, The Shark Child, Charmed, Ice Age 2, My Pet is a Monster (Waterhorse Legend), Are We Done Yet, A Night at the Museum, Family of the Future, The 4 Fantastics, Ratatouille, Shrek  3 and Danger, Kids on the Loose, all of which are from the USA. Also showing will be Harry Potter 5 and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from the United Kingdom and Happy Feet from Australia.

As last year, children make up the jury and will include Erika de la Oz, Raymond Derian Alonzo de Jesús, Marilenny Rosario de Óleo, Piero Silverio and Angélica María Salazar. These children have taken a film appreciation workshop given by festival director and film critic Arturo Rodríguez Fernández.

The expert also offered details about the workshop that will be given this year to a group of children who are interested in the seventh art. This workshop will be called “That’s the Way Film Is.” The workshop will be given for several hours a day to a group of 20 boys and girls, ages 8 to 12.

The films are scheduled to show at 4:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon in the Film Palace of Bella Vista Mall. The general admission is 50 pesos.

One of the main objectives of the film festival is to promote healthy and fun entertainment among the Dominican family, especially for the children during this period of school vacations, and to create an appreciation of film.