Choices, the first Belizean film, premiered yesterday afternoon at the
Princess Cinema. Actors for the Belizean film came from high schools
including Pallotti, St. Catherine's Academy, Edward P. Yorke, St. John's
College and Gwen Lizarraga high schools. Parents, students and
supporters came out to see the film that was co-sponsored by the Rotary
Club of Belize and the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman. President of the
Rotary Club of Belize Kay Menzies gives us her thoughts about the
premiere of the film.

KAY MENZIES:" I have to say that I am very impressed with the whole
thing, I've seen the whole thing and I am very impressed by all that was
done. Everything that was done, the writing, the music, the acting
these guys did an awesome job we're pretty proud of them."

Writer/Director of the movie, Kimberly Vasquez tells us more about the
film.

KIMBERLY VASQUEZ:" In the beginning I drew upon my own experiences, my
own recollections as my teen years as a young woman and from the very
onset I knew I wanted to write about two young girls because all the
time young people share the same experiences but for some reason or the
other we end up coming out of those experiences different way and so
from the very beginning I knew I was going to juxtapose two very similar
young women and show how they came about two separate choices."

Executive Producer of the film, Sandra McKay says the success of the
film was the direct result of the hard work the producer, actors and
technicians put into the final product.

SANDRA McKAY:" Well I couldn't agree more. The thing about it is the
kind of hours that these people put into the entire project in terms of
the writer/director Kimberly, in terms of the camera operator Javier and
the soundtrack person who is really like behind the scenes Sean Tewes.
Up to now, for this week they have not gotten much sleep, if they have
gotten five hours they have probably gotten a lot of sleep and I am
saying that the outcome, the end result is really gratifying for me as a
Rotarian because it is a Rotary sponsored project and a Rotary
production and also because I know the kind of hard work and dedication
that was put into it; into something that is a first for Belize and
something that probably we thought we couldn't do, we have done it."

Love FM spoke with Andy Palacio, Director of the Institute of Creative
Arts who expressed his hopes to have more Belizeans writers and film
producers become involved.

ANDY PALACIO:" We know that we have actors and there is no shortage of
stories in Belize so I would like to encourage our writers to take up
the challenge and put the pen to paper and put our stories on celluloid.
I give the movie two thumbs up, I think it is very inspiring and they
get the message across and I think it is very encouraging to see the
youth of Belize have made it this far and have taken the lead in this
particular area of the dramatic arts."

According to the organizers of the film, most of the funds were donated
to produce the movie and they hope the film will pay for itself.
Choices can be seen at the Princess Cinema at discounted prices of
$10.00 for general admission and $5.00 for students.