Based on the life and experiences of former President Sam Nujoma during the struggle for Independence, the film opened the 16th annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) last night at the Magic Johnson AMC Crenshaw 15 Theatres and the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles, California.

Last night's premiere is not the first time the film has been screened on the international stage.

Among others, the movie also featured at the inaugural Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival in December.

The film has been no stranger to controversy.

During production it was hit by intermittent crew strikes and cash shortages.

Initiated as a project by the Pan African Congress of Namibia (Pacon), it also regularly exceeded its N$90 million budget.

After Government allocated the last of a N$15 million bail-out, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced in May 2006 that, once completed, profits from the film would be split - with 30 per cent going to Pacon and 70 per cent to the Film Commission of Namibia.

Thereafter the film project fell under the auspices of the Film Commission, which sent six people to attend last night's function and the rest of the festival.

They included three Namibian actors; Joel Haikali, Obed Emvula and Chrisjan Appollus, as well as executive producer Uazuva Kaumbi, the Film Commission's Edwin Kanguatjivi and Commission board member Vickson Hangula.

Despite repeated promises from executive producer Kaumbi that the now re-named film would be shown in Namibia, Namibians have yet to watch the film which was bankrolled from mostly public funds.

In 2007 he expressed the hope that the international screening would be at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France but producers could not complete the film before the March cut-off date.

Then Namibians were informed that the roll-out would happen towards the end of May or June 2007 providing an opportunity for small and medium enterprises to get involved as projectors and screening sites would have to be secured all over Namibia.

Kaumbi also expected the film to be transferred to DVD and video format for worldwide distribution by the middle of last year.

Last week Edwin Kanguatjivi, Administrative Secretary of the Film Commission could not confirm a date for a local screening of the film.

He said no decision had been taken yet, but hoped that it would be this year.

He and the other five representatives who flew to Los Angeles will only return to the country after the festival ends on February 18.

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