FUNGLODE and GFDD Announce 2008 Prize Winners

(Santo Domingo, December 17, 2008)
The Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) held a press conference on Wednesday December 17 at 10:00 a.m. in which they announced the prize winners in the following categories: Photography, Short Films, Documentary, Novel, Short Story, Poetry, Essay and Journalism.

The event´s organizers received a total of 446 entries: 109 of poetry, 230 shorts stories, 18 short films, 28 journalists´ reports, 21 photography choices, 5 documentaries, 13 novels and 22 essays.

Minister of Culture, José Rafael Lantigua, attended the ceremony as a special guest. Members of several different juries were also present. The envelopes containing the winners´ names were opened in the presence of lawyer and notary, Hildegarde Suárez. Yamile Eusebio, Coordinator of Training Activities, was in charge of reading the decisions while Iban Campo, Director of Communication, filled the role of moderator.

The event´s organizers received a total of 446 entries: 109 of poetry, 230 shorts stories, 18 short films, 28 journalists´ reports, 21 photography choices, 5 documentaries, 13 novels and 22 essays.

The winners of the first three places of each category will receive cash prizes between RD$50,000.00 and RD$100,000.00 according to the category. The prize money will be handed out in January in a ceremony that will take place in the FUNGLODE auditorium.

The “Rafael Herrera” Journalism Prize

First Place: Series on Human Development by Riamny Méndez and Linda Valdez, published in Clave.

Second Place: “Children Selling Flowers at Recreation Centers at the Break of Day,” by Arlene Reyes, published in Listín Diario.

Third Place: “Domestic Violence Knows No Social Class,” by Grisbel Medina, published in Listín Diario.

Honorable Mention:

• 1. “The Nation Groups,” by Lery Laura Piña, published in Clave.
  
• 2. “People Continue to Die Mysteriously in the Country Towns,” by Lery Laura Piña, published in Clave.
  
• 3. “University Students: The Everyday Heroes,” by Rainier Maldonado, published in Listín Diario. The “Juan Bosch” Short Story Award

First Place: “Menu For Two,” by Gerhard Sehmid, Pseudonym X2Y3.

Second Place: “I Know it Doesn´t Make Sense But That´s Okay,” by Danilo A. Rodríguez, Pseudonym Martín Romaña.

Third Place: “Listen with Nothing to Say, One Morning,” by Alexis Gómez Rosa, Pseudonym Leviatán Mediterráneo Serie 54.

Honorable Mention:

• 1. “Three and Four,” by Willy Suriel, Pseudonym Edipo.
  
• 2. “Six Bullet in the Drum,” José Carlos Nazario, Pseudonym Rojo.
  
• 3. “Proud,” by Gladys Francisca Martínez Alvarez, Pseudonym Askenaz. “Abelardo Rodríguez Urdaneta” Photography Award

Black and White Category: “Evidence,” by Fausto Ortiz

Color Category: “Crucifixion,” by Miguel Cruz.

Digital Category: “Vernacular Sunrise,” Guadalupe Casanova

Experimental Category: DESERT

Honorable Mention:

Black and White Category: “El Relevo,” by Ricardo Hernández

Color Category: Group of 3/5 Photographs of “Light after the Rain,” by Orlando Barría.

Color Category: “A Happy Woman,” by Herminio Alberty.

Color Category: Groups of 4/5 Photos of “Predetermined Destiny,” by José Manuel Antuñano.

Digital Category: “Lincoln with 27,” by Ariadna Canaán. “Pedro Francisco Bonó” Essay Award

First Place: “Distant and Different, Communication Professor-Students in the Dominican University,” by José Fernàndez Pequeño and Jorge Ulloa, with Pseudonym J.J.

Second Place: “Sancocho Dominicano. Persistence and Symbolism on a Plate,” by Bismar Galán, Pseudonym Wilson Melanio

Third Place: “Poetry and Experience of God. Three Dominican Poets,” by Roque Diómedes Santos, Pseudonym Flavio Contreras.

Honorable Mention

1. “Consolidation of the Constitutional State, Laws and Their Consequences in the Justice Administration,” by Jorge Antonio López Hilario, Pseudonym El Sembrador.

2. “Notes for the Revaluation of Political Thought and Vision for Dominican Society,” by Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez Martínez, Pseudonym Montesinos Jr.

3. “Thinking Against the Current. The End of Unilateralism,” by Félix Díaz Tejada, Pseudonym Francis Tomás. “María Montez” Short Film Award

First Place: “The Bet,” by María José Ripoll.

Second Place: “A Good Friend,” by Iván Bordas

Third Place: “Prenda,” by Vladimir Abud. “Max Pou” Documentary Award

Only Prize: “The Suffragettes,” by Martha Checo

  “Pedro Mir” Poetry Prize

First Place: “En la piel de la mirada,” by Bismar Galán, Pseudonym Camino de luz.

Second Prize: DESERT

Third Prize: DESERT

Honorable Mention:

• 1. “Cuerpo de goce,” by César Sánchez Veras, Pseudonym René.
  
• 2. “The Dark Rites of Summer,” by Daniel Barue Espinal Rivera, Pseudonym Noah Gordon.
  
• 3. “Errant Sleep”, de Daniela Cruz, Pseudonym Errante.
  
• 4. “Fourteen Days and Other Poems,” by Danilo A. Rodríguez, Pseudonym Horacio Oliveira.
  
• 5. “The Aloof Light,” by Alejandro González, Pseudonym Eugenio de Perpignan

  “Federico García Godoy” Prize for Best Novel  

First Prize: “The Sea,” by Máximo Vega, Pseudonym Bioy.

Second Prize: “Raquel,” by Carmen Dinorah Coronado, Pseudonym El Mantel.

Third Place: “The Kiss of the Hummingbird,” by Jorge Luis Núñez Pascual, Pseudonym Némesis.

 “Vote for Your Favorite Photograph” Award

“The Happy Years,” by Antonio Muñoz Contreras

  Judges for the various categories:

• · “Pedro Mir” Poetry Award: Pedro Josè Gris, Basilio Belliard and Bruno Rosario Candelier.
  
• · “Juan Bosch” Short Story Prize: René Rodríguez Soriano, Manuel Llibre Otero and Rafael García Romero.
  
• · “Pedro Francisco Bonó” Essay Award: Franklin Gutierrez, Juan José Jiménez Sabater (León David) and José Del Castillo.
  
• · “Abelardo Rodríguez Urdaneta” Photography Award: Freddy Ginebra, Domingo Batista and Jeannette Miller.
  
• · “Max Pou” Documentary Award: Félix Manuel Lora, Luis Rafael González, Armando Almánzar.
  
• ·  “María Montez” Short Film Award: Marión Soto, Juan Lasanta and Rubén Lamarche
  
• · “Rafael Herrera” Journalism Award: Rafael Molina Morillo, Mario Rivadulla and José Báez Guerrero.
  
• · “Federico García Godoy” Prize for Best Novel: Manuel Mora Serrano, Roberto Marcallé Abreu and Ángela Hernández.