‘Captain Kalola’ is a bag of laughs

Somewhere in the heart of Oshikango, a modern-day tale begins. Briefly exploring the informal town, it is hard not to be struck by the images of the informal markets and dusty gravel roads that make up the border town, especially as kwasa-kwasa music ties it all together.

Just when you’re excited, enthusiastic and chewing popcorn hastily after telling your family members to zip it so that you can watch in silence, the ‘Namibianness’ hits you. Trust us, you will know when it happens.

Besides a couple of mistakes in the subtitles, the personality of each character, dangerous or not, is still captured within the 144-minute long film. From gun-wielding drug dealers to corrupt cops who utter, “a question does not answer another question; a question can only be questioned once!” you can’t help but adore Namibian humour, whether you are Afrikaans-speaking, Oshiwambo-speaking or even fluent in Portuguese. A mix of languages promises that you will not be left out. But what is ‘Captain Kalola’ really about?

Who is Captain Kalola the title speaks of? Within five minutes of the movie, you find out although you wouldn’t necessarily expect it.

To sum it up, the movie is all about a corrupt (but hilariously funny) captain whose presence is not always seen, but felt, and despite his dubious agenda, he is surprisingly determined to catch criminals and throw them in jail. We’d like to think it’s for the thrill.

The traditional lifestyle is scoped out now and then, not only targeting those who have never seen a typical homestead in the North before, but those who live in the city hundreds of kilometres away and who feel nostalgic for the burn of the scorching sun on the skin.

Other than the main plot, one can notice a couple of sub-themes, such as gender roles in the household, cultural ideals and of course, the distinctness between a traditional and modern setting in our times.

Indeed, the ‘Namibianness’ is fairly captured, featuring men and women who aim to make it in life and be someone – but it will not be an easy feat.

Looking at the technicalities, camera quality will not bother you too much, however, the transitioning from one scene to another will have you racking your brain quite a bit.

Thanks to the narrator’s guidance (we love the local voice by the way), viewers get a gist of what is going on, but laughing your belly off could distract from some of the confusion now and then.

Created by Omalaeti Films in collaboration with Basement Films Productions, expect an appearance by Tate Buti, Monica Morocky, Glo and PDK.

Watch it with the whole family!

For more information, visit omalaeti.com or contact 0811273622 to get yourself a copy.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.