Actor, writer and filmmaker Simonee Chichester, will present her debut documentary Chichester's Choice this April at the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival. This cross-cultural drama captures Simonee's emotional journey to South America, as she searches for her absent, homeless father on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Written, directed and produced by Simonee Chichester, the film tells a very personal story, which features her father, Edgar Chichester and mother, Neusa Chichester. Chichester's Choice explores the universal issues of race, homelessness and poverty, and beautifully portrays the raw honesty associated with making life's most important decisions.

Simonee never understood what led her alcoholic father to abandon his family for a life of poverty. During the summer of 2003, Simonee receives news that Edgar may be dying, and decides to find the man she hasn't seen in 23 years. As Simonee embarks on a journey through Guyana and Brazil, she confronts some very personal demons experiences a new-found understanding of her father, as well as herself.

Simonee Chichester is a multi-disciplinary artist who acts, directs, writes, produces and curates events. A professionally trained actor, Simonee has appeared in film and television projects, including Dark Angel and The Associates. In 2004, Maclean's Magazine published her article, The Beggar of Sao Paulo, written about the search for her father and her decision to make the movie.

Above everything else, Simonee considers herself to be a storyteller. She has written several short stories and poems, and often performs her pieces for an audience. She currently curates and hosts a bi-monthly event called ProACTIVE Words, where artists can communicate their works through mediums such as poetry, spoken word and music.

In 2004, Simonee founded Outta the Box - a program which assists artists and aims to raise funds through a variety of artistic events, including ProACTIVE Words. Each year, an Outta the Box grant is awarded to an artist who demonstrates drive and passion, while continuing to produce original works.

Simonee Chichester is an only child with Guyanese and Brazilian roots. She was born and raised in Toronto by her mother, Neusa. Simonee began acting and modeling as a teenager, and later attended the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles.