2024 Archives - Belize International Film Festival

Paraguay, 1947. Nina is a 20 year old young woman living in Asunción at the height of the Paraguayan Civil War that ended with the Democratic Spring. She longs to be a singer, but when her revolutionary family flees abruptly she is forced to live in the house of a conservative family as a maid. She offers her services to the revolution and frees various political prisoners, including Raúl, a communist with whom she has an affair and becomes pregnant. She is later forced to flee the country herself after her lover abandons her.

Dir. Yannick Rosine
Guadeloupe, 2023 | 16 min / Social | French Créole with English Subtitles | Rated PG | Belize Premiere

Two young people are faced with a decisive life choice: whether or not to continue an accidental pregnancy.They disagree while universes parallels overlap.

Torn between love and faith, a monk goes on a pilgrimage looking for a sign.

ART: By Any Means Necessary is a groundbreaking exploration of freedom through the interconnected stories of two Caribbean art institutions. In Haiti, former graduates turned custodians of their famed film school have been entrusted with upholding the vision of the Artists Institute, established and nurtured over two decades by an American filmmaker and philanthropist before his departure.

Fito has a very ordinary life. One night, something makes him very angry. A revealing dream will make him take a different approach to life.

This film introduces Kien-On Zhang, a master craftsman, who makes Hakka lion heads. Master Zhang started learning lion dance when he was 17 years old. Now almost in his 80s, he still participates in tours and teaches classes on making Hakka lion heads and performing lion dances, hoping to pass down this culture so that more and more people will want to continue and promote it.

Part narrative performance film, part documentary, A LITTLE HOPE FOR CHICAGO is a walk through the life of a Chicago hustler, narrowly avoiding the devastating consequences of death and incarceration, as he reflects on the systemic root causes of the violence and trauma that consume youth in urban centers like Chicago.

Perry and Linda are deeply in love with each other and are content with their quiet life. They lived in a small, peaceful community until some mysterious strangers invaded their community. In pain, sorrow and disbelief, Perry found himself in a totally strange land, far away from his soulmate. Their lives were turned upside down.

Dir. Akley Olton
St. Vincent & the Grenadines, 2023 | 22 min | Social-Historical | Language w/ English Subtitles / Rated: | Central American/Belize Premiere

Madulu, The Seaman is a lyrical documentary that attempts to preserve the rich history of a dying tradition in the wake of the economic struggle at the hand of the tourism industry. Interweaving documentary footage with animated sequences of young Amari’s drawings, the film uses a touch of magical realism to explore the divide between past and present and new interpretations of old traditions.

This feature film is an eco-friendly production that focuses on dementia, culture, and Rianna’s personal journey in creating an impact in the lives of older people in Dominica after the passing of her grandfather with dementia in Dominica. Living well in a cultural context is something the film highlights. Creating a realistic as well as a positive approach to older people in the media. Rianna explores holistic treatments for dementia and engages in traditional experiences in a quest to understand the recipe for the meaning of quality of life.

An end of day on a rooftop terrace. Anissa has invited her mother to Paris to spend a weekend together. But their reunion doesn’t go quite as planned.

Dir. Derek Hyde Jr.
USA, 2024 | 14 min | Sports-Lifestyle | English | Rated PG

Oscar Quiroz is a Belizean cyclist who rides for the American professional team, Miami Blazers. He speaks on how he started his career merely with a mountain bike. He also elaborates on his joys outside of cycling, which include, but aren’t limited to, eating, traveling, spending time with his wife, and gaming. These joys are comparable to his love of cycling, but he once feared cycling being taken from him due to an injury he thankfully recovered from. Now, he promises to his fans that he will perform even better. His successes are attributed to his extraordinary cycling abilities and the sponsors and supporters who helped get him to where he is now.

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