Not One but Four Gala Inaugurations

The III Dominican Global Film Festival will officially open in style in four different Dominican cities at the same time. Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Santiago and Nagua will each be holding their own inauguration ceremony and premiering a different film in each of the four venues.

The opening in Santo Domingo will take place on November 18 at 7:00 pm in the main hall of the National Theater…

The opening in Santo Domingo will take place on November 18 at 7:00 pm in the main hall of the National Theater with the screening of “Touched” by Director Dan Neira. “Touched” is the story of Monique who vacillates between calling her daughter “My Sunshine” and a “Useless Paralytic.” Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Monique’s 16-year-old daughter Nilsa is intelligent, sensitive and very pretty but, because of her mother’s manipulation and abuse, Nilsa has become submissive and painfully shy. Monique has taught her daughter to fear the world. She’s rejected the essence of a mother-daughter relationship and uses her lover Jimmy to avoid facing reality. In this atmosphere, according to her, frustration and betrayal are always lurking. Nilsa is all Monique has and she is not prepared to let her go. The film comes to us from the United States.

Chilean-Mexican film “La Nana” (“The Maid”) by Sebastián Silva will be the festival opener in Puerto Plata, on November 17 at 7:00 pm. Actress Andrea García, part of the cast, will walk the red carpet at the opening then, after the screening, will take part in a discussion about the film.

“The Maid” is a story about Raquel (Catalina Saavedra) who has worked for the wealthy Valdés family since she was 18 years old. Over the years Raquel became the babysitter for five children as well as the tireless housekeeper which kept her busy from morning until night.  Apart from recurring migraines and the illusion that she is part of the family, her life is rather empty. Raquel’s bitterness, added to a growing conflict with the oldest Valdés daughter, leads Mrs. Valdés to conclude that her “all purpose” maid is overworked. But, surprisingly, Mrs. Valdés’ decision to hire another maid to help out does not sit well with Raquel. Does the exhausted maid not need any help? Or does she want to maintain her exclusive, albeit dubious, position in the bosom of the Valdés family, for better or for worse? Raquel clings to the hope that the family will help her to discover herself and the meaning of her own life.

In the intersection between social and human pressures, director Silva carefully uses comical moments to portray modern day servitude which still exists in many Latin American homes.  “The Maid” won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

In Santiago, the opening ceremony will also take place on November 17th at 7:00 pm with “La Soga” (“The Rope”), directed by Josh Crook.

The film’s stars, Manny Pérez, Denise Quiñones, Juan Fernández, Paúl Calderón and Fantino Fernández will all file down the red carpet prior to the public screening of the film. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the actors following the movie.

Recently arrived from its world premiere at the International Film Festival of Toronto, “The Rope,” which takes place between Santiago, the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights, New York, is many things: a crime story, a love story, a cold look at the price of revenge.

After witnessing the murder of his father, a butcher from Santiago, at the hands of Rafa, a known criminal from New York, young Luisito (Fantino Fernández) meets General Colón (Juan Fernández), Chief of the Dominican Secret Police.  Colón takes advantage of Luisito’s unbridled desire for revenge and turns him into a ruthless killer. Twenty years later, Luisito (Manny Pérez as the grown Luisito) is Colón’s number one hit man. Colón keeps Luisito under his total control, always with the promise that he will one day hand over his father’s killer, who by now has fled to New York.  

But things change when Luisito meets Jenny (Denise Quiñones), his first love. Jenny’s tenderness makes him see the corruption that surrounds him. Full of raw energy and unparalleled beauty, this incisive portrait of an assassin in search of redemption is Josh Crook’s feature film debut as well as Dominican Manny Pérez who is the film’s main actor, scriptwriter and producer. 

Meanwhile in Nagua, the opening ceremony, also on November 17th,  will feature Cary Joji Fukunaga’s, “Sin Nombre.”  Director Fukunaga’s new film skillfully blends various genres including suspense, the social drama of illegal immigration, a love story and a western in his first feature film. This film is considered to be the most moving and best told story about Latin American immigrants to the United States since “El Norte” came out in 1983.

The movie weaves together two stories. One involves Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), a young Honduran woman who, along with her father and uncle, make the long odyssey from Honduras through Guatemala and Mexico with the eventual goal of reaching New Jersey where they have relatives. The other story is about Willy (Edgar Flores), nicknamed Casper, who is a member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang from Southern Mexico. Willy, along with the gang leader and a new 12-year-old recruit, are planning to rob all the immigrants they find traveling on the roofs of the cargo trains. His and Sayra’s paths cross.

Beautifully filmed with a little-know but talented cast, this award-winning movie is a portrait of hope and desperation that will surely launch the career of this new and extraordinarily talented filmmaker. The movie was honored with the Excellence in Directing Award and Excellence in Cinematography Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Another scenario with a splendid event will take place in Cap Cana where two films will be show at the Film under the Stars series. One of them will be “Sol Caribe” (“Caribbean Sun”), a documentary on the history of Dominican music and culture. This will take place on Friday November 20. 

The film that inaugurated the DRGFF in Santo Domingo will also be shown in Cap Cana on Saturday November 21 with the participation of the entire crew present at the Festival. 

Throughout the six days of this world class film extravaganza taking place in five different places around the Dominican Republic, a total of 30 films – documentaries and features – will be shown. There will also be nine panels, workshops and masters classes going on all throughout the Festival.

SPONSORS

The III Dominican Global Film Festival is made possible with the generous support of CapCana, Abastos & Services, SERIGRAF, Digital 15, Punta Perla, Radio Cadena Comercial, Ruíz Centro Stereo, Telemicro, Telemicro Internacional, La 91, Zol, Radio Disney, Odebrecht, CTN, Hotel Santo Domingo, New World Films,  Ram Engineering, WindTelecom, Tech Films Solutions 3, Thrifty, Amhsa Marina, Aquí y Allá, Tiendas Corripio, Dominicana Radio Dispacher, Induban, Cinema Palace  and MADE.