A new film, produced in Guyana by Guyanese, is set to be released before the end of the month and its producers promise that it will be something that Guyanese can talk about.
The film, Right Choices is in its final stages of filming and it is being produced by Bunny Alves and Charmaine Blackman of SSignal Productions in association the non-governmental organisation, ECHO.
Alves wrote the script and is also directing the film. He tells The Scene it has an all Guyanese cast, all Guyanese crew, “everything about it is Guyanese.” Not giving away too much of the plot, Alves reveals that the film is about an advertising executive who is caught in dilemma of hiring an HIV positive person against strong opposition from his staff. Alves tells us that the executive, played by newcomer Paul Blackman, manages to come up with a compromise and hires the woman but finds his decision means he is stigmatised and discriminated against. However, by the end of the film he is vindicated in his decision because the woman turned out to be the best staff member. “There is another twist to the plot, but I can’t reveal it all because people would not want to come and see it if they know everything about it,” Alves said.
According to Alves, he has always been fascinated by film making ever since he was a small boy since it is the epitome of entertainment and encompasses all forms of the entertainment world. He said he would like to see Guyana move in the direction of producing more local films and he is of the opinion that he can contribute to this happening. This is not his first attempt. In 1995, he released a film called The Will to Live but it was not a success because it was released in January 1995 when the country was reeling from the Great Flood.
Even as the filming of Right Choices winds down, Alves already has two other scripts for films he hopes to release and is working on a third. He is not sure where the funds would come from to produce them, but an optimistic Alves tells The Scene that he has a philosophy that money should not be a reason “why I can’t produce.”
Filming of Right Choices commenced on July 17 and it is all being done in Georgetown with some of the most known sights in the city being used. The budget for the film was set at between $2.5 million to $3 million and Alves said that after its release it will be taken around the country for viewing and persons will have to pay an entrance fee. The film will be on DVD.
They have not yet chosen a venue for the premier, but it would most definitely be in Georgetown.
The cast includes Joann “DJ Madonna” Goodluck, Delma Lynch, Beverley Evelyn, Lois Moseley, Henry Rodney, Linden ‘Jumbie’ Jones, Simone Dowding, Beverley Hinds and Anastasia Richards among others. It features songs from John ‘Slinghot’ Drepaul and the Yoruba Singers, just to name a few.
