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The 18th edition of the Belize International Film Festival opens this Saturday November 8 at the Umaya Resort on the Placencia peninsula in partnership with the Belize Collection. The night features a double header; the first film is “Looking Through Water,” starring Michael Douglas and David Morse is an international production that was filmed almost entirely on San Pedro and Caye Caulker in 2023. The closer is “Tropical Hostage”, a recently released Belizean production that stars home grown actors Wani Arzu and Gildon Rowland. The two films will give viewers an insight into the potential and range of Belize’s film industry—from international collaborations to homegrown creative achievement. Belize Film Festival founder and supervising producer for Belize on Looking through Water is Suzette Zaiden.
Suzette Zaiden, Belize Film Festival Founder & Supervising Producer: “You can see it had the official Belize premiere in Placencia. On November 8th in Placencia, we will be selling the tickets starting October 1st, we believe. It will be our partner Belize Collection will be doing the marketing, and it will start at 6. We will have the two brothers that were fighting, Cameron and Michael they will definitely be here.”
Ernesto Vasquez, Host, The Morning Show: Because it’s a grandson, son and grandfather, right?
Suzette Zaiden, Belize Film Festival Founder & Supervising Producer: “Well, Michael Douglas acts as the grandfather. Well, he is actually the older version of the one who was fishing with the Governor of Montana. He’s the older version. So it’s like it goes back to time and then David Morse acts as his father. So, he’s telling the grandson I remember when I had problems with my father, too. And then the story goes back to about 1980s.”
Zaiden told LOVE NEWS that the development of the film industry in Belize makes good economic sense.
Suzette Zaiden, Belize Film Festival Founder & Supervising Producer: “This is a serious area that the government should invest in, put incentives, attract films to come to Belize. So far it seems to be falling at deaf ears. There’s been lip service. In fact, there was even an investment summit last year, maybe, where they brought in the past president of Colombia to talk about the orange economy and in particular, he spoke about the audiovisual industry and yet there’s not been anything. So, what I wanted to showcase or explain to you guys today, with “Looking through Water”, this is a film that was shot in Belize in San Pedro and Caye Caulker in 2023, two years ago. And it injected $2 million Belize into the economy in a space of two months, which other industry that you know, creative, or otherwise that can inject that much capital into the country. So you’re looking at an average if it’s harnessed, if the investment arms of the government would actually start taking audiovisual seriously. I know they’ve been talking about orange economy, orange economy, but they keep skipping over the audiovisual. Right now, the focus seems to be on music and I’m glad for all the musicians and all that stuff but a music festival, whatever money it makes, you have to invest as well. Or any festival you have to invest in as well because you have to bring in artists you’re going to pay them, money will leave the country. In a film the money comes into the country and stays and that’s it there’s no there’s no outflow.
And just in case you can’t make it to the opening night this weekend, there are plans to have the movies at your fingertips.
English (US) ·