The 13th Annual Dominican Film Festival

1p: MANGU AQUí 2 / MANGU IS HERE 2

Dir. Luke Bond / USA / Comedy / World Premier / Spanish-English with subtitles

Cast: Christopher Amarante, Kevin Bencosme, Jared Mario, Haydee Rosario, Stephanie Bethancourt, Jonathan Abreu Sosa.

We follow Roberto during his teen years in New York City where faces different obstacles.

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3:30p: 1.5 MILLION

Dir. Gregory Hernandez / USA / English

Documentary highlighting the literacy crisis within the poorest congressional district of the nation that resides in the South Bronx.

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5:30p: AQUÍ ESTAMOS / HERE WE ARE

Dir.Violeta Lockhart / Dominican Republic / Documentary /70 mins / International Premiere / Spanish with English subtitles

A group of young activists challenge the status quo through a citizen candidacy and win a deputation with less than 10% of what their opponents invest. Now, from inside and outside Congress, they will try to replicate the strategy to involve more people in the defense of democracy, human rights and the environment, and thus occupy the spaces of power where they face a conservative majority.

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7:40p: DANNY 45

Dir. Gilbert De La Rosa / Dominican Republic / Fiction / Northeast Premiere /Spanish with English subtitles

Cast: Ramón Emilio Candelario, Jalsen Santana, Jose Cruz, Carlos Garcia, Antonio Melenciano, Vladimir Acevedo, Raymond Moreno, William Simon, Miguel Angel Lendor, Miguel Angel Martinez, Teo Terrero.

Based on true events, the story presents a narrative about the events of a period of terror in the most dangerous prison in the Dominican Republic carried out by "DANNY 45" and the events that led him to become the most feared inmate of “La Victoria Prison” in the mid 90's, imposing terror in this penitentiary.

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11/10
1:00p: Dominican In the Diaspora Show Case 1

Dir. Various / USA-Dominican Republic / Mix Genre / World Premiere / Spanish-English with subtitles

Film makers from the Dominican Diaspora take us on a journey through the Dominican experience abroad. This showcase tells stories of the Dominican experience abroad.

1-Vasti: Easy Prey
2-In Four Year
3-A Night in the Heights
4-Dark Road
5-First Thing I'm Buying
6-The Real American Dream

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3:30p: YAQUE THE (THE YAQUE RIVER)

Dir. Oliver Olivo / Dominican Republic / Documental / World Premiere / Spanish with English Subtitles
Cast: Juan Canela

The film tells the story of the people who live along the Yaque del Norte, the longest and most important river in the Dominican Republic, and how that flow of water plays a fundamental role in their lives.

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6p: Something of Value

Dir. Yaniel Paulino Wr. Juss Thrasher Prod. Jean Carlo Santos / 2023
Cast: Sonya Smith "Brie Reyes" / Anthony Alvarez "Detective Reyes" / Adiel Torres "Manny Reyez" / Robel Luan "Saulo" / Jhoan Corcino "Tito flores" / Juanes Montoya "Marc Brown" / Anita Moreno "Amber Guzman" / Tommy Peña "Officer Mallord" / Melissa Esteves "Police Officer 1"

When the pressures of being a senior in high school gets to be too much, Manuel “Manny” Reyes, begins to rebel against his parents, consequently falling into the wrong crowd aligning himself with the neighborhood gang who are responsible for a string of robberies, selling drugs, and heavy partying.


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8:30p: INSULAR
Dir. by Hector Valdez / Dominican Republic / Drama, Suspense / International Premiere / Spanish with English Subtitles
Cast: Alexis Díaz de Villegas, James Saintil, Paloma Palacios

Insular follows the sole survivor of an illegal yola (boat) going from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. As time passes, the castaway learns to cope with his isolation by surviving with what the island provides. But his sanity is tested, and the lines of reality increasingly blur. An unexpected turn makes him question his initial reason for leaving.

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11/11
4p: LA BACHATA DE BIONICO (BIONICO’S BACHATA)

Dir Yoel Morales / Dominican Republic / Comedy, Drama, Experimental / Northeast Premier / / Spanish with English Subtitles
Cast: Manuel Raposo, Ana Minier, El Napo, Yasser Michelen, Barbara Plaza, Donis Taveras

A raw vision of love in a hostile Caribbean city, Bionico’s Bachata follows a hopeless romantic, addicted to crack, who must take control of his life if he wants to marry the woman he loves.

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6p: CUANDO TE TOCA / WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN

Dir. by René Bueno / Dominican Republic, Mexico / Romantic Comedy / International Premiere / Spanish with English Subtitles
Cast: Osvaldo de León y Daniela Luján, Evelyna Rodríguez y Danilo Reynoso

A comedy about the decision of getting married in times where love and commitment seem old-fashioned.

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8:30p: LA FIESTA DEL CHIVO / THE FEAST OF THE GOAT

Dir. Luis Llosa / Dominican Republic / Drama, Historical / Spanish with English Subtitles
Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Paul Freeman, Tomas Milian, Stephanie Leonidas, Frank Perozo

Urania Cabral (Isabella Rossellini) returns to Santo Domingo, after several years, and remembers her and her family's relationship to Rafael Leonidas Trujillo (Tomas Milian), the Dominican dictator, as well as the events surrounding his assassination.