Berne Velasquez is Belize's most famous deportee – and he isn't ashamed to say it. In fact last year he made a name for himself when he released the CD-DVD combo "Life After Deportation" -a musical and video diary about his journey to America. Well now Belize's most famous deportee Berne is back – he has a new DVD out and it is called "evolution." It will be world premiered red carpet style at the Princess Hotel and Casino on Saturday night. Today Berne told us that it will be a first for Belize.
Berne, Premiering New Movie on Friday
"It is a first of its kind for Belize where anyone is launching and premiering their project red carpet Hollywood style from Belize and a lot of people are saying Belize is not ready for this but I think Belize is going to prove them wrong. We are ready for the world."
Keith Swift,
Why are you launching it this way?
Berne,
"I am launching it this way because I feel like it is not only a great opportunity for me and other Belizean artists but as well it is an opportunity for Belize as a whole to say that yes, we have had world premiere world carpet launches from Belize.
This one is so much more better. It is so much more detailed and it shows so much more. It shows from me being across the borders in America to being in detention with my video camera videotaping that and coming back to Belize and living the reality of life after deportation and evolving into the Evolution.
To me world premiere is everything and that is just where all my focus is on right now. It is on this world premiere and trying to get the public to come out and see our own inside the Princess. See one of our inside the big theatre. It is showing on a big screen inside the Princess and I want to give Belize a chance to embrace that and be proud of us. There is a lot of killing in the street, a lot of crime and a lot of violence, and in the midst of all that there is something changing on the bottom. Something to make us smile about, be proud about, feel good again, to be Belizean again.
I don't know what to say to encourage. It sells itself: it is world premiere red carpet. Belizean people, this is a chance fi mek we come out – unu hear about breggin – this dah unu chance to dress up no puss back foot like they would say, come out on the red carpet and enjoy this thing Hollywood style. Enough respect and love and I appreciate the support."
The entrance fee for Saturday's red carpet affair at the Princess is $20. Tickets are available at the Princess box office or directly from Berne at 610-2376 or at bernemusic@gmail.com.
