‘Momeya’ Launch a Success

Saturday night’s movie premiere of ‘Momeya’ was a success.

Written and directed by Ndakalako Shilongo, ‘Momeya’ is a no-dialogue short film inspired by Namibian folklore and African mythology.

In an interview with unWrap.online this week, Shilongo shared that her love for storytelling started early.

“My love for storytelling started when I was very young, I grew up sitting around the fire with my family, exchanging scary stories.

“This story presents a diverse catalogue for the Namibian film industry. It’s an opportunity for us to show the world that we can tell whatever story we desire to share with the world,” she says.

She describes ‘Momeya’ as a beautiful story with a visually driven narrative.

People gathered in numbers at The Village in Windhoek to witness the premiere of the film, with Shilongo expressing her gratitude.

“Last Saturday was a very humbling day for me as a creative. It was gratifying to see people come out in numbers to watch our film. The support and reception were warm, and we are indeed very grateful to everyone who was able to join us in celebrating this Namibian story.

“The appearance of the water goddess on the screen had the audience gasping. This was a fulfilling moment for us because we worked so hard on the look of the water goddess. From the costumes, to the make-up and visual effects. Getting a reaction for that is indeed rewarding,” she says.

Shilongo, however, also recalled some of the challenges the team faced in the making of the film.

“’Momeya’ started as a passion project; this presented interesting monetary and logistical challenges. One thing I love about us is our undying passion, determination and perseverance.

“Together as a team, we tackled all the issues and this is how we were able to create this beautiful masterpiece.
“We are indeed thankful for the support we received from the Namibia Film Commission. That support enabled us to properly execute the post-production of ‘Momeya’,” she says.

It was particularly exciting to hear the audience’s interpretation of ‘Momeya’, she says of her main highlight of the premiere.

“’Momeya’ is an old Namibian-inspired story. The majority of us have grown up hearing different stories being passed across the generations from our grandparents. This is a story that is similar to a story that you might have heard. It’s our story.”