The Listin Diario highlights today how a booming movie-making industry has taken hold of the Dominican Republic, providing hundreds of new jobs to Dominican technicians, actors, extras and many others.
Film producer Agliberto Melendez says that times have changed from the days when he filmed Pasaje de ida, which became the first Dominican film that went on to win awards at international festivals. Pasaje de ida opens this week again in Dominican theaters.
Despite the current boom, Melendez said that the authorities have not yet realized the benefits that filmmaking can bring for Dominicans. If they were more aware, he said, they would be begging Dominicans to make films and points out that the industry generates a windfall in tax revenue and permit payments needed to close off city areas, in addition to employing thousands of citizens. He said that while there is no law that obliges international producers to hire locally, they usually prefer a home-grown staff because of cost savings.
Agustin Cortes, the director of the film school at the UASD, says his students have actively participated in the local movie production boom.
The government recently appointed a movie commission made up by Arturo Rodriguez, Felix Manuel Lora, Carlos Francisco Elias, Peyi Guzman, Humberto Castellanos, Luisito Marti, Rene Fortunato, Angel Muniz and the legal advisor of the Ministry of Culture to work on a law that would increase incentives for filming here. The new regulation would expedite the pre-production process. The plan is for a central department to serve as a liaison for all other departments and assist in obtaining the corresponding permits.
At present, a law already in place enables international companies to bring in their equipment, as long as this equipment is exported once the filming is completed.
The movie industry in the Dominican Republic has been especially active in the past 12 months with the release of films such as Perico ripiao, La Carcel La Victoria and Los locos tambien piensan. International films made here have included The Feast of the Goat, starring Isabella Rossellini; The Lost City, starring Dustin Hoffman and produced by Andy Garcia; La maldicion del padre Cardona, starring Zoe Saldana; and Lovewrecked, starring Amanda Bynes, filmed in Puerto Plata.