Dominican Republic Film Commission Approves 100% Tax Break for Documentary

by Kiki Melendez

The documentary is entitled NIÑOS DEL CIELO to bring awareness about homeless and orphaned children in Latin American countries.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY –  January, 10th 2024 – Latin Hollywood Films Inc. / Los Angeles Film and Television RD, owned by Dominican producer Kiki Melendez, received a fiscal incentive of 100% Tax Break from the Dominican Republic Film Commission. Corporations in the Dominican Republic can donate up to 25% of their annual tax bill to the movie, and multiple corporations could participate. This tax incentive will be used for the production of the documentary Niños del Cielo which will share the stories of homeless and orphaned children in the Dominican Republic, as well as in the top 5 Latin American countries with the highest number of orphaned children today. In the Dominican Republic, 20.4% of minors under 19 years old become mothers, and one in five children is homeless. Every 17 hours, the State Government Office for Children and Adolescence Council provides refuge to an abandoned child.

This project was inspired by the president of the Niñas y Niños De Cristo Foundation, Manuel De La Cruz Silvestre, who believed that the best help for our children is to tell their stories. Executive producers Meiling Macias-Toro, a significant contributor to orphanages in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, and many others, is part of this great creative team, including executive producers Julia Carias-Linares, Alfonso Rodriguez, Luis Beauchamp Sr., Luis Beauchamp Jr., Efren Garcia, Laura Peiter, Giancarlo Bonnelly. The legal team of OMMA DOMINICANA, S.R.L. will oversee the delivery of the film. Venezuelan/Dominican actress Emily Tosta (Mayan MC, Willy’s Wonderland, and the upcoming How The Gringo Stole Christmas) will narrate the film. Some of the celebrities who have contributed thus far to this film are Rene Rosado, Marta Gonzalez, Solly Duran, Jessica Camacho, Douglas Santiago, and Juan Fernandez.

“This is our passion project. All proceeds from the movie will be donated to the orphanages,” said Kiki Melendez. “These stories need to be shared globally; they will bring awareness and inspire action,” said Meiling Macias-Toro. “We want to bring attention to this issue in the hope that their stories can bring positive change for the future of our children,” said executive producer Julia Carias-Linares.

At this time, DGCine has approved $500,000 US Dollars for the production and execution of this film, which will bring the project to worldwide audiences. Approximately 80% of the film Niños Del Cielo will be filmed in the Dominican Republic.  The CPND provided by DGCine will allow any corporation that helps finance the film to pay this amount in taxes in the Dominican Republic.

Corporations that participate in funding this movie in exchange for a tax break will be helping this cause and encouraging a better future for our children. They will also be included in the film as main contributors. It is a win-win for any brand that wants to bring awareness and impact change to this significant cause.

We are looking for great partners who have the desire to help children in need.

For interviews with our producers, contact: Leandro Sanchez/ LSanchez@curado.do

For more information: LHFTV8@Gmail.com

About Latin Hollywood Films

Latin Hollywood Films was founded in April 2000. It is a full-service production company for television and film. One of its projects qualified for an Oscar in 2015, “Journey Of A Female Comic.” The company has put many projects on the air with Univision/Galavision, FYI Networks, Showtime Networks, Estrella TV, Peacock NBC, Glewed TV, Tubi, Amazon Prime, BBC, and many more. Los Angeles Film and TV is the Caribbean subsidiary.

About DGCINE

The Dirección General de Cine (DGCINE) is a decentralized institution of the Dominican State, with legal personality, administrative, financial, and technical autonomy, attached to the Ministry of Culture. DGCINE was created following the promulgation of Law No. 108-10. DGCINE was instituted to promote and encourage the development of a national film industry, administering the fiscal incentives created by Law No. 108-10, and positioning the country as a destination for locations for foreign productions.

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