Our Mission

We are a team of award-winning filmmakers and ocean advocates joining forces to bring to you an uplifting feature documentary on marine conservation efforts in beautiful Belize. Our mission is to showcase the efforts of a multigenerational group of inspiring women leaders in Belize who have taken up the daunting task of protecting the planet’s second largest coral reef system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We wish to share their remarkable stories as a beacon of hope in our global challenge to coexist and thrive with the natural environment.

Your Support

We need your help to start filming in Belize in early 2022! There are two ways to help:

1. Financial Backing: we need to raise USD $54,000 for our first round of filming in Belize. These funds will enable us to film enough original footage to create a rough-cut sample to apply to documentary grants and philanthropic foundations that can greenlight our entire film budget. To show our appreciation for your financial support, we are offering unique perks that give you exclusive behind-the-scenes access to our movie production process. We want you to experience the excitement of our filmmaking journey!
2. Spread the Word: we are looking to you to become our audience and champions for this inspiring film. Please help us spread the word about our project to your family, friends, and colleagues. Share freely and follow us on social media (links at the bottom). The more followers we have, the greater the likelihood of convincing grant institutions to back our film. Thanks in advance for your support!

Great Cause

With regards to marine conservation, Belize has the unique distinction that virtually all its local and international NGOs are led by women, as are key government departments associated with the protection of marine resources. It appears to be a multigenerational phenomenon where a group of women pioneers opened the door for the next generation of female conservation leaders, who are in turn boosting a newer generation to begin making their voices heard.

These Belizean leaders include among others, Janet Gibson, a driving force in gaining the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System; Beverly Wade, managing development of sustainable small-scale fisheries; Nadia Bood, protecting mangrove forests to increase carbon sequestration; Lisa Carne, training local communities to restore critically endangered corals; Janellle Chanona, leading the campaign to sign into law a moratorium on offshore oil exploration and drilling in all Belizean waters, a first for any country in the world; and Jen Chapman, fighting invasive lionfish species by creating business opportunities for talented jewelry artists like Kaj Assales and Palovi Baezar.

The world’s sustainability is at stake and apathy is a major obstacle for sustainable coexistence with the environment. People become desensitized about environmental conservation due to incessant negative news. We wish to break this hopeless track by shining light onto positive, constructive examples of communities working together and taking charge to effect behavioral changes in support of the environment. It is imperative to motivate people of all ages to become actively involved in the preservation of our natural resources for generations to come.

The Team

The Eclectic Aspirations core team behind UNBELIZEABLUE consists of:

• Eladio Arvelo, Director/Producer. Eladio is a professional filmmaker and passionate ambassador for the sea, certified as a PADI Master Scuba Diver. He excels at blending his creative vision and technical expertise to produce modern, uplifting documentaries that inspire audiences to strive for a better world. [Website]
• Shareef Haq, Producer. Shareef is a filmmaker and environmental advocate who has traveled the world to volunteer for conservation causes in countries like Belize, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Laos, Namibia, and Thailand. He appreciates that all living beings are interconnected as one system on planet Earth. [Website]
• Phil Karp, Producer. Phil is an independent citizen scientist and ocean advocate, formerly with the World Bank, who has visited Belize annually since 2013 to support management of invasive lionfish, build relationships with Belizean conservation leaders, and participate in the country’s efforts to protect its marine resources. [Twitter]

Eclectic Aspirations is known for creating uplifting documentaries that explore local themes with a global appeal. Our previous films include VIETNAM: FAST FORWARD (2021), winner of the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 17th Annual Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival, currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video; and JEWEL OF THE PACIFIC (2019), winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Documentary at the 7th Annual Marina del Rey Film Festival, currently streaming on PBS.

Follow Us

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous financial backing and moral support. Please follow our progress on social media and share our inspiring campaign with family, friends, and colleagues. Every contribution counts!

• Official Website: http://www.unbelizeablue.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unbelizeablue
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unbelizeablue
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/unbelizeablue

Help Us Love and Protect Our Ocean!