Dominican Diaspora Filmmakers Honored in National Contest

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Institute for Dominicans Abroad (Index), an arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently celebrated the fourth annual "Huellas de mi Quisqueya" (Footprints of My Quisqueya) short film competition, recognizing the creative talent of Dominicans living overseas.

The awards ceremony, held at Caribbean Cinemas Downtown Center, was led by Ambassador Celinés Toribio, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Dominican Communities Abroad and executive director of Index. Toribio emphasized the cultural and emotional significance of the initiative, which fosters audiovisual creativity among the diaspora.

"These short films prove that our Dominican identity travels with us," Toribio stated. "Our diaspora narrates, feels, and creates from their love for their homeland, and this competition serves as a platform to celebrate those voices that continue to make their mark on the world."

Other notable attendees included Marianna Vargas, general director of DGCINE; Josefina Navarro, senior vice president of Communications and Social Responsibility at Banco BHD; and Gilda Vásquez, corporate vice president of Altice Dominicana. The judging panel for this year's edition comprised Zumaya Cordero, general director of Caribbean Cinemas, alongside filmmakers Tabaré Blanchard, Tuto Guerrero, and Pedro Urrutia. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, film industry professionals, Unibe film students, and Dominicans abroad connected virtually also attended.

Yasmara Mejía, head of Index’s Department of Cultural, Sports, Social, and Educational Promotion, announced the winners. The competition featured two categories, Amateur and Filmmaker, with entries inspired by the question: "What connects me to Quisqueya even while living abroad?" The submitted works explored themes of nostalgia, identity, and Dominican pride.

Winning short films are slated for upcoming screenings at Caribbean Cinemas, aiming to expand their reach to a broader audience.

Amateur Category

In the Amateur category, Jonas Estrella of New Jersey secured first place for "Mi huella, mi Quisqueya, mi República Dominicana" (My Footprint, My Quisqueya, My Dominican Republic). Alexis Fernández, from North Carolina, earned second place with "Nostalgia," while Melissa Cedeño, based in South Korea, took third for "Dominicana en Corea" (Dominican in Korea).

Special mentions in this category were awarded to Laura Lithgow (United States) for "Todo tiene sentido" (Everything Makes Sense), Sharlene Tavárez (United States) for "Dominicanyork," and María Eugenia Pelletier (Canada) for "Toma aire" (Take a Breath).

Filmmaker Category

The Filmmaker category saw Arantza Cruz of New Jersey claim first place for "Domicanina." Charlie Rafael Gómez of New York received second place for "Al ritmo de Quisqueya" (To the Rhythm of Quisqueya), and Yuniris Ramírez, from Madrid, earned third place for "Plátano" (Plantain).

Special mentions in this category went to Eduard Peña (Dominican Republic) for "El dominicano conoce su gente" (The Dominican Knows Their People), Patricia Pérez Quezada (United States) for "Soy Quisqueya (Correcto)" (I Am Quisqueya (Correct)), and Lisaly Belcastro (Spain) for "Al otro lado del océano" (On the Other Side of the Ocean).

Through this competition, Index reaffirms its commitment to promoting the cultural identity of Dominicans worldwide.