THAT the Bermuda-inspired documentary When Voices Rise developed into such an overwhelming success, came as no surprise to the film's creator.

For Errol Williams, the story was so dynamic and what the people had done so fascinating that the tale begged to be told.

"I am really overwhelmed and gratified by the response to the film. I thought it was an exciting story when I first read it and when I discovered that many of the people were still alive to tell the tale from a first-hand point of view and when I called to get an interview with (activist) Kingsley Tweed, I felt sure it had to be done."

The documentary, which premiered at the fifth annual Bermuda International Film Festival last Saturday, details the social protest that culminated in the Theatre boycott. The most successful attempt was organised by the Progressive Group. Working in secret, they organised the boycott in 1959.

"At that point, it was the most successful protest in Bermuda," said Mr. Williams, "and succeeded in bringing down barriers. It achieved desegregation of Bermuda's restaurants, hotels, civil service, banks, restaurants and stores. It was an event that triggered mass support from the public and resulted in unprecedented change for the island."

Mr. Williams said he interviewed a total of 23 people to see the film complete. From start to completion, the process took two-and-a-half years, four months of which were spent off the island editing.

"I included 16 of the 23 people I interviewed in the film. The other interviews, the missing ones, were done when I was thinking that I would cover a larger period of history but I found the stories of those 16 people became anti-climatic (in the context of the Theatre Boycotts) as they involved another period of history. I will also be releasing When Voices Rise on DVD and intend to release a lot of material which wasn't included in the film."

While most of the people involved were located on the island, Mr. Williams said he had to travel to London for input from Mr. Tweed. The former activist left the island more than 30 years ago after receiving death threats because of his actions.

"At first he was reluctant to talk," he said, "but through the intervention of his sister, Barbara Raynor and (journalist, former Progressive Labour Party Senator and one of those featured in the film), Ira Philip, I was able to get him to talk.

"Ira was receiving his MBE in London and I went with him and talked with Kingsley Tweed from 7 p.m. through 1.30 a.m. At the end of it all, he looked me straight in the eye and said that if I could get back to London, he would give me an interview. He is a man of great conviction and true to his word.

"But the greatest part of it all for me was meeting all the people who began as early activists; people like Georgina Hill and Carol Hill, Ira Philip and Kingsley Tweed.

"I was struck by the commitment and quiet defiance of all these people involved in the movement. I'm not sure the generation which followed, if we would have had that commitment. And so I came out of it with a deep admiration for the commitment these people had toward their cause."

Mr. Williams, who has spent the last 15 years working on films, said this would not be his last. He was pleased, he added, that those he interviewed were as thrilled with the result as he was.

"None of them had seen it before. The only people who had seen it were my musicians who did the soundtrack, Michael Spencer Arscott and Richard Bassett.

"After this, I will try to rest but will take it to London to give Kingsley a look. I have so many ideas flitting around that I hope to develop after I take a break, after I come down from this adrenalin high. Bermuda is such a rich source. There are lots of excellent stories."

Three additional screenings of When Voices Rise were held to meet the public's interest - a first for the festival. As well, the documentary will be theatrically released at the Liberty Theatre for one week, beginning today.

"I encourage everyone to go out and see it," the film-maker said.