Ambergris Caye will once again be represented in the international arena, thanks to the acting talents of two well-known San Pedranos. Featured in the pilot episode of La Isla Bonita Telenovela (Soap Opera), Horacio Louis Guerrero and Shelley Huber will now appear on the big screen in Christopher Coppola’s film ‘Torch,’ set to premiere on Sunday, October 8th at the Mill Valley Film Festival in San Francisco, California USA. A good portion of the film was shot in the jungles of southern Belize during the summer of 2015, where the islanders, among other talented Belizeans, landed several supporting roles.
The film, produced by Christopher R. Coppola Productions , follows the life of Clara, who after the tragic death of bot h parents was sent away by her grandfather. Clara grows up to fall in love with Gabriel Coronado and returns to the jungles of Belize. Little did Clara know that returning to the place she loved meant confronting her fears and past with events of supernatural occurrences. She ultimately overcomes new and old demons to regain control of her life.
While the production also features an international cast, such as Debra Cara Ungar, Vincent Spano and John Savage among others, Belizean actors were given the opportunity to fill in supporting roles. For Huber, of San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, it was a monumental achievement and a great privilege to represent her hometown and Belize in this prestigious production. She shared with The San Pedro Sun that she loves acting, and will continue working hard to do what she loves to do. Huber plays the role of Eleuia, a Maya lady very close to Clara.
For Guerrero, who plays the role of Maya detective Manauia ‘Mannie’ Molina, it was a dream come true. He says that acting with seasoned actors such as Spano, Savage, and Unger was very rewarding and a great learning experience. “Coppola was a great director to work with, and the entire cast and crew were like family . It was an experience I will forever cherish,” said Guerrero.
Both island actors indicated that their participation in La Isla Bonita Telenovela helped them a lot. According to Guerrero, when the Belizean cast was in the process of being selected, he was required to send a clip showing his acting skills. Guerrero says he sent one of the scenes from the novela featuring him. This was followed by the submission of an online audition, which secured him the role. It was a similar case with Huber, who provided Coppola with clips of her performance in La Isla Bonita in order to land her role in the film.
La Isla Bonita’s pilot episode was filmed on the island in the summer of 2014, and premiered in September of that same year. The story-line of the dramatic series featured life on the island, focusing on the different scenarios lived day by day on La Isla Bonita. The cast comprised mainly of San Pedro residents and was written by The San Pedro Sun Reporter Dion Vansen.
The La Isla Bonita Telenovela production was done under Make Belize Films and directed by the late Canadian producer Matthiew Klinck. The completion of the series is ongoing, with the possibility to complete the production to 13 episodes.
The San Pedro Sun joins the island community in congratulating our Belizean actors for their hard work and dedication.
