ATLANTA and NEW ORLEANS and SAMANÁ, Dominican Republic, July 4, 2023 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Every summer the elite of black entertainment gather in New Orleans to share, to experience, to learn from one another and to engage with the community at the widely successful conference, Essence Festival of Culture. This year Essence Fest debuted their 1^st Film Festival during the conference and invited Atlanta’s very own uber professional Dr. Diana Lynch, CEO & Founder of Alma de Samaná to lead a discussion on the film industry in the Dominican Republic as they aim to be the new “Hollywood in the Caribbean”, sought after film destination and announce that The Alma de Samaná International Film Festival will debut in 2026.

A few popular block buster movies that were shot in the Dominican Republic were The Godfather 2, Jurassic Park and Fast & the Furious 4 & 7 and we are sure you remember the TV show Survivor when it was in the Dominican Republic. But the movies that were filmed in the Samaná area were:

• XXX: Return of Xander Cage- in Samaná Bay
• Shotgun Wedding- at Samaná Peninsula
• Lost City- at Samaná Peninsula

Alma de Samaná and her luxury brand intend to have her own film festival called The Alma de Samaná International Film Festival in 2026 at our chic resort that will break the mold and create a festival that will put the audience in charge and connect you with the unique location. Alma de Samaná is the first Black-owned international luxury resort that will feature top-of-the-line amenities such as signature golf, professional sports training, rehabilitation, and medical campus.

The forethought of The Alma de Samaná International Film Festival is to collect film submissions from creators within the Dominican Republic and the rest of the Caribbean, the United States and Canada and showcase new movie releases that were created in the Dominican Republic.

The Alma de Samaná International Film Festival will provide unique opportunities for content creators to connect intimately with key stakeholders and a unique platform to connect with world audiences. Alma de Samaná is all about embracing real authentic connections both in its resort and in its film festival.

Film Producers that want to know more about The Alma de Samaná International Film Festival? Visit AlmadeSamana.com.