Haitian Hollywood star, Jimmy Jean-Louis was recently spotted amongst some heavyweights –royalty in their own rights – at the 5^th edition of the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival.  They include none other than the President of the Dominican Republic himself, Dr Leonel Fernandez, Hollywood legend, Danny Glover, and Geraldine Chaplin, daughter of legendary comedian, Charlie Chaplin.

The Dominican Global Film Festival presents a selection of the best international, dramatic and documentary films to enrich the country’s film culture and to bring the seventh art into all sectors of Dominican society. The Festival contributes to raising awareness and understanding of global issues through stories about events and people that have left a mark on our lives. It uses film as a way to promote and encourage discussion about social issues, politics and economics.

The opening film of this year’s festival was “Jaque Mate” (Checkmate), by the young Dominican, José María Cabral, whose film was shown to a full house including President Leonel Fernández and the First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández as well as invited actors including such luminaries as Geraldine Chaplin and Danny Glover.

Camera flashes mixed with smiles from the large number of international guests as well as national artists who joined this annual cultural event, now in its 5th year. This was the most spectacular part of the event with the National Theater as the host.

Throughout the week, other films continued to show at the theater. On Thursday and Friday, the 17th and 18th, films viewed here included “Being Elmo: Diary of a Puppeteer,” and “Soy Cumbio.” On Friday the 20th, “Harry Belafonte: Sing your Song” was shown. Each day, students from different schools and colleges enjoyed movies which brought them into contact with personal stories and situations of normal people and their daily lives.

The didactic function of film is reflected each year in the National Theater when the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival converts it into a film projection hall that shows high quality movies for large audiences.

“Americano”, “Miss Bala” and “Lope” were seen on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, respectively, attracting a diverse audience: people who come every year to see good films, families which enjoy the solemnity of the theater and students whose minds are awakened by the world of moving pictures.

Closing night featured “Chico and Rita” and the selection of the 3 winners of the III Dominican Short Film Competition which maintained the tone of spectacle and quality entertainment and, above all, the didactic element that characterizes the Dominican Global Film Festival.