A LA DERIVA
In the Dominican Republic, sex education is almost non-existent, teenage pregnancy rates are staggeringly high, and abortion is illegal under all circumstances. Disrespect for women’s rights, toxic masculinities, domestic violence, and a political system coerced by religion are some of the issues these teenagers face. But even in the face of adversity, expectant mothers as young as 14 reveal fierce determination and a collective hope for a better future.
DIRECTOR Paula Cury Melo PRODUCTION COMPANIES Cristal Cine (RD), Atomic Clock (EEUU) PRODUCERS Paula Cury Melo, Gabriel Long, Rebecca Atwood CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alejandro Cortés EDITING Gabriel Long, Paul Mounsey, Paula Cury Melo MUSIC Luis Miguel Pérez
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival 2020 / Mejor Corto Documental / Nominación para ser considerado a los Academy Awards
Miami Film Festival 2020 / HBO Iberoamerican Short Film Award (finalists)
HBO Latino New York Film Festival 2020
Boston Latino International Film Festival 2020 / Mejor Corto Documental
Festival de Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de la Habana
Paris International Feminist Film Festival
Madrid Human Right’s Film Festival
Festival de Cine Global Dominicano / 1er lugar Cortometrajes
Dusty Film Festival / Special Jury Award for Social Documentary
American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) / Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography
Cine Fem 8 Competencia Oficial de Cortometrajes
Paula Cury Melo
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York in 2018. There she received an Outstanding Achievement in Film award, as well as the Special Jury Prize for Social Documentary at the university’s Dusty Film Festival for the short documentary “A la deriva.” This work, which was also selected at the Dominican Global Film Festival, Miami and Havana, portrays the experiences of young pregnant women in the Dominican Republic, where abortion is illegal under any circumstances. She is currently in the research and development stage for a feature-length documentary exploring similar themes.
