The journalist and documentary filmmaker presented her short film “In Search of The Blue Heart”
“This is the beginning of a new stage and I hope it is the starting point to make my first feature film”
Santo Domingo. – The short documentary film “In Search of the Blue Heart” by Amelia Deschamps won in its category at the third edition of the Fine Arts Film Festival “Made in DR”.
The film tells the story of Daniel, a father of 11 children, who immerses himself every day in the dangerous and rustic tunnels of an artisanal mine in search of LARIMAR, a “sea-blue” semi-precious stone exclusive to the Dominican Republic. After 32 years working as a pikeman, Daniel seeks to make the last extraction of it, to retire.
“You can’t imagine how happy I am! “This is the beginning of a new stage and I hope it is the starting point to make my first feature film,” said Amelia, director and producer of the documentary.
Amelia explained the risk of entering the mines to do the film and the value that this recognition in her country, has for her: “It was risky. Everything around us screamed danger. And to think that I went into a cave with a camera in hand, heavy, large, and that I dared to edit this project myself to present it to you, the most important audience, is what made these days of the festival seem more challenging. Because I know that here, in the Dominican Republic, is where this story makes the most sense. So, I am very grateful for the support of the public and the recognition of the jury of this festival,” she expressed.
The Fine Arts Film Festival “Made in DR” successfully concluded its third edition. This time held simultaneously in Santo Domingo and Santiago with the screening of 100% Dominican films, documentaries, and pannels.
The official jury this year was made up of film critics and filmmakers Ariel Feliciano, Víctor Piñeiro, Marc Mejía, Alfonso Quiñones, José Rafael Sosa, chaired by Félix Manuel Lora, who evaluated all the films and short films presented during the festival.
In Search of the Blue Heart made its premiere at DOC NYC in New York (the largest documentary film festival in the US) and has won some awards, including “Best Short Documentary” at the Florence Film Awards. The film is the first short documentary by journalist and documentary filmmaker Amelia Deschamps. It’s her thesis work in the specialty of Documentary Filmmaking that she recently did at the New York Film Academy, in New York.
