Shalim Ortiz Opens ‘Touched’ at Dominican Film Festival

‘Touched,’ the movie starred and produced by Shalim Ortiz, best known for his role as Alejandro in NBC’s Heroes, has been chosen to lead the Dominican Republic Film Festival taking place in Santo Domingo from November 18th to the 22nd.

Shalim Ortiz opens ‘Touched’ at Dominican Film Festival

The Festival will mark the worldwide premiere of Touched, a movie of faith and forgiveness inspired by the true story of its writer and producer Jackie Watson. The movie is centered on Nilsa, a young handicapped girl oppressed by her insecure mother, and her journey towards a different life with the help of two very important people. Ortiz is the male lead in the role of Jimmy, an American rocker, who is one of those two people who enter Nilsa’s life. The film took 5 years to make and was shot in Los Angeles, directed by Argentinean director Dan Neira, whom Shalim has worked with in the past.

Producers Olivier Rossman and Jackie Watson decided to come back from Cannes where they did a private screening when Ortiz was able to convince them to bring the movie to one of his islands of upbringing, the Dominican Republic, for the Festival.

The Film will premiere at the prestigious Teatro Nacional with a red carpet event and will gather worldwide media for the first time it will be shown. The producers and cast will attend the event as well as the President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, creator and unconditional supporter of the Festival.

Additionally, Ortiz has been chosen as the official Ambassador of the Festival, now in its third edition, to promote it internationally.