The Dominican Republic is a leading film location in the Caribbean and Central American region. The country remained open for filming during the Covid-19 pandemic, strengthening its position as a film destination.
This year, a team from the DG Film Commission is in Cannes attending the Cannes Film Festival through 24 May 2023. The mission is promoting the Dominican Republic as the ideal film destination in the Caribbean and Latin American region. The DR has a stand at the Marché du Film at the Festival to promote the DR as a film destination and explain the co-production opportunities. It is also a space to encourage the international distribution of Dominican films. Dominican filmmakers are presenting their projects in development to sales agents, distributors and producers.
The Dominican delegation, headed by DGCINE Director General Marianna Vargas Gurilieva, includes 12 directors and producers. These include Sterlyn Ramirez, Gabriella Moses, Yanillys Perez, Leticia Tonos, Leticia Brea, Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada, Wendy Espinal, Ico Abreu, Mariel Aponte, Yatna Montilla and Karlina Veras.
Six Dominican filmmakers were selected through a call launched by #DGCINE and the Producers Network. They will be able to participate in all activities organized by both entities.
The director of DGCINE, Marianna Vargas Gurilieva explains: “One of our objectives is to support the internationalization of Dominican talent and cinema and that is why we will be signing agreements with international festivals. It is to achieve a cinema that travels and expands beyond its borders. Through the most important market in the world, we strengthen this commitment and continue to focus on positioning the Dominican Republic as the film hub of the region.”
Dominican filmmakers Ico Abreu and Wendy Espinal are part of the Marché du Film’s “Producers Under the Spotlight,” selected by the DEENTAL in the Caribbean program, which was carried out for the first time in the Caribbean region by the Centre National du Cinéma et l’Image Animée (CNC of France) with the financial cooperation of the European Union and DGCINE in January 2023.
There will also be a co-production event for the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Italy, Uruguay and Paraguay, as well as a Meet & Greet with the international film industry.
The Marché du Film is the largest international gathering of film industry professionals, bringing together around 12,500 participants from 121 countries from 16-24 May 2023.
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DGCine
17 May 2023