GBM’s Rick Romero Earns BelizeIFF Screenwriting Recognition

Greater Belize Media’s Rick Romero has tied for second place in the Belize International Film Festival’s Short Screenplay Competition for his script, Along Came a Canoe.

Romero’s screenplay was one of 16 entries submitted to this year’s competition. Six were selected as finalists before three scripts were chosen for the final stage, with Rasheed H. Palacio’s Wanaragua taking first place and Romero’s Along Came a Canoe tying with Chelsea Vernon’s Checkout for second.

The screenplay follows a newlywed couple on their honeymoon who encounter a canoe drifting along the Sibun River with a seemingly unconscious man inside. Romero said the story explores themes including greed, tolerance and forgiveness within a relationship.

The idea came while Romero was on a two-week break from work. During his break, he decided to use some of his free time to write a screenplay.

Although Romero has spent more than 35 years working in the broadcast and production industry, including videography, editing and live productions, dramatic writing has largely been a personal pursuit.

“My passion is filmmaking, movies, and everything about movies, from cinematography, to editing, to directing, to screenwriting,” Romero said.

He said he has written roughly nine to 10 short-film scripts over the years.

Romero said he sees short films and anthologies as possible steps towards larger productions.

“I’ve been doing it for quite a number of years, and hopefully one day I get to do a feature-length film. That’s my ultimate goal,” he said.