Spanish
Santo Domingo.– The Dominican audiovisual industry adds a new platform with the arrival of SmartFilms, the renowned film festival made with cell phones, which lands in the country with the aim of democratizing access to audiovisual creation and fostering emerging talent.
This initiative, originating in Colombia and with a consolidated presence in Mexico and Paraguay, is presented as the most inclusive film festival in the world, allowing anyone with a cell phone and a story to tell to participate, regardless of their experience or resources.
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Upon its arrival in the country, SmartFilms Dominicana will be led by actors and producers Evelyna Rodríguez and Danilo Reynoso, who are promoting the project as an opportunity to decentralize cinema and bring it closer to new audiences. "Three years ago we encountered this idea and fell in love with it. Since then, we have worked to awaken the creative spark that we all carry within us," Reynoso pointed out. One of the pillars of the festival will be "The Movie Route", an academic tour that will visit 16 provinces of the country, including the National District, Santiago, San Cristóbal, Azua, Puerto Plata, Valverde, Samaná, Santo Domingo and La Altagracia. The initiative will bring workshops and talks to students, creators and film enthusiasts, with the purpose of training on audiovisual narrative using only a mobile phone. Starting July 28th, the categories and requirements for participating in the festival will be announced, open to professionals, students, and enthusiasts, with no age restrictions. The General Director of Cinema, Marianna Vargas Gurilieva, valued the proposal as a tool for creative inclusion: "From DGCINE we celebrate this initiative that connects with the heart of cinema: telling stories that move us, identify us, and transform us," she affirmed. SmartFilms has received more than 8,000 short films in its ten years of existence, impacting more than 150,000 people in 25 Latin American cities. The festival has been awarded prizes such as the "Most creative and socially impactful SME" by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and "Brand with Purpose" by Forbes magazine. The arrival of the festival in the country is supported by Asociación Cibao, Caribbean Cinemas, M Studio, the Economic and Social Development Council of Santo Domingo, Expo Sostenibilidad, DGCINE and the Dominican Cinematheque, as well as the media support of Grupo de Medios Telemicro, Listín Diario, De Último Minuto, Front Stage and Cine Dominicano. The official presentation was held at Ágora Mall, with the accompaniment of Ron Siboney, White Claw and Rueda Cine. For more information about SmartFilms Dominicana, those interested can visit www.smartfilms.do or follow the festival's social media on @SmartFilmsDominicana.
