The Namibia Film Commission (NFC) has welcomed the rare opportunity Namibia has been granted to be part of the Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, saying it would open “untold doors” for local film-makers.
NFC spokesperson Hosea Idipo says this gives Namibian film-makers the opportunity to realise their dreams of winning an Academy Award, and to take part in the glamorous global event hosted in Hollywood.
He says the NFC is committed to supporting local film-makers and creatives to allow them to be able to compete with world-class film-makers.
“The Namibia Film Commission has been at the forefront of the creative sector in terms of giving diverse support to various creative players within the industry.
For instance, training support, transport, and project funding. This support goes a long way in ensuring our film-makers produce the best quality content to enable them to compete with other films at global film events and win awards,” Idipo says.
He encourages artists and film-makers to do their best in the creative space to be recognised globally.
Idipo says the funding the commission disburses to film-makers is not sufficient.
“Hence we urge artists and film-makers to come up with bankable projects that can lure corporates to invest in and fund their projects. The world is waiting to do business with us. It’s up to us to be creative enough to penetrate the global film market,” he says.
A seven-member committee of Namibian creatives and film-makers was last week announced ahead of the 2022 Academy Awards.
The committee includes Obed Emvula, who heads the Namibian Oscars selection committee as chairperson, Bridget Pickering, Tim Huebschle, Marinda Stein, Abius Akwaake, Richard Pakleppa and Linda de Jager.
Emvula is an actor and producer, known for the film ‘Katutura’, which was produced in 2015, as well as ‘Orange Juice’, made in 2010.
Pickering is a film-maker and producer and has worked on a number of projects, including being an executive producer of renowned international film ‘Hotel Rwanda’ (2004), in which American actor Donald Frank Cheadle Jr starred.
Tim Huebschle is a Namibian film director and screenwriter who premiered his debut full-length feature, titled ‘Land of the Brave’, in October 2019.
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