The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic

377

titled

Voodoo Sexy

(1975), starring Chris Avram, Karin

Schubert, and Diogenes Castillo, and

La ragazza dalla

pelle di corallo

(1976), starring Gabriele Tinti, Norma

Jordan, Rosanna Schiaffino, Eduardo Fajardo, Hugo

Blanco, and Aliro Paulino, Jr.

Italian scriptwriter, photographer, and critic Al-

berto Lattuada chose the town of Las Terrenas, with

its beautiful beaches, as the setting for the miniseries

Christopher Columbus

(1985), a reenactment of the

conquistador’s landing, starring Gabriel Byrne, Ross-

ano Brazzi, Virna Lisi, and Oliver Reed.

Some other examples of Italian productions

filmed in the Dominican Republic are

Cave of the

Sharks

(1978),

Raiders of the Magic Ivory

(1988), and

Night of the Sharks

(1988) by Tonino Ricci;

Zombie

(1979) by Lucio Fulci;

The Overthrow

(1987) and

Broth-

ers in Blood

(1987) by Tonino Valerii;

Savana - Sesso e diamanti

(1978) by Guido Leoni;

Cobra Mission 2

(1988) by

Camillo Teti;

Tough to Kill

(1979) by Joe D’Amato; and

The Fishmen and Their Queen

(1995) by Sergio Martino.

Actor, director, screenwriter, singer, and comedian Jerry Calà also filmed scenes from

Chicken Park

(1994) in

the Dominican Republic, and numerous television productions—such as

Mean Tricks

(1992) by Umberto Len-

zi,

Vacanze ai Caraibi

(2015) by Neri Parenti,

The Fishmen and Their Queen

(1995) by Sergio Martino, and

L’isola

dei famosi

(2003) by Egidio Romio—have been filmed on the island as well.

The exchange of technology, resources, and industry dynamics that has resulted from these Italian pro-

ductions, filmed fully or partially in the country, has led to advances and pushed many Dominican technicians,

some of whom are already working in the field and others of whom are advertising students, to higher levels

of professionalism, which has been reflected in local advertising and television.

In 2019, the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) signed a cooperation agreement with the Ital-

ian government, linking their cultural industries. The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Italian

Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MiBAC, by its Italian acronym) and attended by the

Dominican Republic Film Commission (DGCINE, by its Spanish acronym).

This new cultural alliance has enabled the Dominican Republic and Italy to continue to strengthen cultural

ties and elevate the visibility of both countries through the exceptional channel of communication that film

provides.

ENDNOTES

Jose Luis Saez,

Historia de un sueno importado: ensayos sobre el

cine en Santo Domingo

(Santo Domingo: Siboney, 1982), 25.

The Curiel Theater in

Puerto Plata, where

Francesco Grecco

held the first film

screenings in the

Dominican Republic.

THE DOMINICAN AUDIOVISUAL APPROACH TO THE ITALIAN FILM EXPERIENCE

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Corales Golf Club and

Course at Punta Cana

Resort & Club.