Kapewasha Writes, Directs and Stars in Upcoming ‘Iitandu’

Screenwriter and director Lavinia Kapewasha looks a little magic in the late afternoon light. It bathes her in warmth, is held captive in her short afro and seems to settle in her eyes, which shine with the excitement of having just wrapped ‘Iitandu’ (2019), her first short film.

Two days prior, the young film-maker was on set at Spreetshoogte. One of the post-apocalyptic backdrops for her dystopian science-fiction film in which the heroine, a traditional healer named Mwadhinomo, survives a deadly viral outbreak that divides Namibia along a literal red line separating the heavily stricken south from the north.

“’Iitandu’ is a post-apocalyptic film about a brave survivor living in a barren landscape, finding a way to survive until she meets another survivor who offers her a way out. But at a price,” says Kapewasha who wrote the screenplay alongside producer Mpingana Dax.

“The aim of the entire narrative and one of the themes of this film is that we really want to showcase Namibia. The idea stems from road trips I took up north and south and on the way seeing our beautiful, varied landscape. It changes in a mere kilometre and I just thought we have the perfect landscape for dystopian films.”

Starring Charl Botha, Jennifer Timbo and Kapewasha as Mwadhinomo, the Namibia Film Commission-funded film is an antidote and response to the actress’ particular experience in the local film industry.

“I specifically wrote this role for myself because I’m an actress,” says Kapewasha, who previously directed last year’s ‘Untitled’ web series but has struggled to get cast after returning from her theatre studies in the UK.

“Coming back to Namibia from England, not many people liked me as an actor. I felt like I wasn’t Namibian enough, particularly because I didn’t grow up here. I’m a diplomat’s child so that’s also complex and there’s definitely some identity crisis there.”

Auditioning whenever she could but knowing deep down that she wasn’t meant for the role, Kapewasha decided to write something for herself.

“It’s something Issa Rae did and she is an inspiration to me,” says Kapewasha. “I feel like we are similar because we’re both these awkward black girls trying to explore different types of themes and shows and music even though that actually makes you normal but as human beings we must always be in boxes.”

Inspired by screenwriters who direct and star such as Rae and Donald Glover as well Zambian film-maker Rungano Nyoni and Kenya’s Wanuri Kahiu, Kapewasha sees her writing, directing and starring in her own film as a contribution to the expansion of the spectrum of roles for black women.

“Black women have been waiting for these roles,” she says. “This is not just an opportunity to prove myself but also to showcase that black women can take the lead and tell interesting stories.”

While she admits simultaneously donning the hats of writer, director and actress was gruelling, but made less so by her amazing crew, ultimately, Kapewasha believes they have managed to make something special.

“It was a beautiful experience. I was so enriched, so enlightened,” she says, sharing the hope that her universal story may be picked up as series and eventually enrich the local industry in ways we are yet to imagine.

“This story transcends a lot of things and it touches on so many topics,” she says. “It’s a story about survival, natural versus scientific, the future versus the old. It’s a science-fiction film with mythical tones and accents and I hope it provides an opportunity for others to be inspired.”

Asked what her plans are for the future as her first film hits post-production teasing an April release alongside Senga Brockerhoff’s ‘Encore’, Kapewasha breaks into a grin that belies the sincerity of her promise.

“I’m gonna write more great roles for black women.”

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