NAMIBIAN film-makers are being called to submit their best international works for consideration for the 94th Annual Academy Awards, better known the Oscars.
Once entries are received, Namibia’s International Feature Film Awards Selection Committee will have the difficult task of selecting one film to be entered into the international feature film or documentary feature award.
Director Philippe Talavera says he’s yet to make up his mind about entering the award-winning film ‘Kapana’.
“I have the feeling everything is geared towards ‘The White Line’ being selected for the Oscars. I am not entirely sure it is worth entering although I do believe ‘Kapana’ could stand a chance if marketed properly, as the first LGBTQI+ love story from a country where sodomy is still a crime,” he says.
Another of the country’s biggest film offerings, #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm does not qualify for entry because it had its cinema run in 2019, the film’s director Tim Huebschle, told unWrap. He added that the film is showing on Showmax, a VOD platform which, according to academy regulations, is another disqualifier.
“This opportunity opens a new door for Namibian films, inspiring all filmmakers to reach for excellence and compete within the international film community to have their work and artistry acknowledged,” says the Namibia Film Commission’s Nicola Muranda. “We are no longer just making films for our local and continental community, there is a possibility to tell stories for the global stage. The Oscars are not just a symbol of excellence but are recognised by the global film community as the highest level of film-making,” Muranda says.
Requirements for entry include the film being released between 1 January and 31 December 2021.
It should also have been publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theatre, and submitted in 35mm or 70mm film or DCP.
Such films should be advertised and exploited during their qualifying theatrical release in a manner considered normal and customary to theatrical feature distribution practices.
Films that have received a non-theatrical public exhibition or distribution before their first qualifying theatrical release will not be eligible for consideration. Non-theatrical public exhibition or distribution includes broadcast and cable television, inflight airline distribution and internet transmission.
The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in languages other than English, with accurate and legible English subtitles.
