Belize is a country we are passionate about. It is one of the world’s best kept secrets and it is under threat. Our goal is to create a mission critical movie that highlights the beauty and the dangers to this unique environment. The movie will be shown worldwide used to educate enlighten and motivate people to get involved and join in protecting this wonderful place for future generations to enjoy. The movie will also be edited and broken down in to “shorts” that will be a help in to educating the younger generation of Belizean’s about the beauty on their doorstep and how it can lead to their future prosperity if it is protected.
We are partnering with National Geographic and a world renowned production company based in the UK to make this film a reality. NTOTA has pledged $100,000 to make this film into a reality, however we are $200,000 short of our $400,000 budget.
We are looking for corporate sponsors, or and a couple of private donors to step up and help us close the gap. Contact us directly if you think you can help, mark@ntota.org.
Below is brief description and introduction to the film.
Belize – a tropical paradise in peril. We follow Belize’s eco-heroes on their quest to save their country’s extraordinary wildlife and precious ecosystems. In Central America, between Guatemala, Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, lies one of the most biodiverse places on earth: Belize. Wild worlds dominate the land and the sea. Belize has the largest unbroken coral reef complex in the Western hemisphere and a vast expanse of jungle covers over 60% of the land. In fact, in 1996 the Belize Barrier Reef was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Being part of the tri-national Maya Forest bioregion, Belize is a central component of the second largest forest system on Earth and hidden amongst the trees lie ancient Mayan temples and countless rare and wonderful animal species. Among them the mighty jaguar, choruses of howler monkeys performing a collective jungle concert, and the highest density of scarlet macaws found anywhere on earth – hundreds of them form flocks of dancing vibrant colors. It is a birdwatchers’s exotic paradise.
But, in around forty years the forest will be gone, the corals will be dead and the ecosystem destroyed. Belize could be but a legend. The country is heavily exploited, with illegal logging, over-fishing, wildlife poaching and coastal development destroying the ecosystems at a staggering rate.
Yet, all is not lost. True eco-heroes exist here in Belize, and are working tirelessly to save their country. Fearless scientists, conservationists and locals have joined forces to save species, ecosytems and heritage, with a chance to set the example for the rest of the world. Through the film, we follow the adventures of selected personalities that have made it their life’s mission to protect Belize’s natural treasures: missionary Belizean fishermen that change their traditional fishing habits to help battle the lionfish invasion; ground-breaking jaguar research in the field to ensure that humans and jaguars can peacefully live side-by-side, with never-before-seen footage of jaguars in Mayan caves. And, we will visit a camp in the middle of the jungle where a group of young Belizeans live for many months to guard the precious scarlet macaw nests in mating season and protect them from poachers.
Human stories full of passion and excitement are intertwined with wildlife sequences, combining blue-chip natural history with character-led human storytelling. Breathtaking landscapes and heartwarming animal stories remind the audience of the great loss Belize, and the world, would be facing if these heroes do not continue to fight.
This film serves as an eye-opener to the realities and importance of wildlife conservation: daily struggles, critical missions and then the unforgettable accomplishments: Jaguar hunters that become conservationists, fishermen learning revolutionary fishing techniques, and successfully protected scarlet macaw chicks hatching.
