Tsotsi was in town, the lauded leading ladies were dressed to the nines and anyone who is a cinematic anyone was at the end of the red carpet that led to the National Theatre of Namibia’s cinema where seven Namibian films written by seven Namibian screenwriters produced by seven Namibian teams were about to make their debut.
Funded by the Namibia Film Commission (NFC), coordinated by the Filmmakers Association of Namibia (FAN) and hosted by the charming Esi Chase, the premieres of the products of the NFC Short Film Project 2011/2012, held last Thursday and Friday, were nothing short of exhilarating. Drawing wolf whistles, drunken dances and thunderous applause after every roll of the credits, it is safe to say that the NFC Short Film Project is well on its way to being the initiative that launches the Namibian film industry into the cinematic stratosphere. ‘I want to go to the cinema and see posters of Namibian films alongside ‘Men in Black’ and ‘The Avengers’,’ said NFC Chairperson Rosalia Penda to the keyed up crowd in her opening speech. ‘This is dream that can become a reality.’ Though primarily concerned with fictitious reflections of Namibian life, the reality of the future of Namibian film was stated by Chase who, though appreciative of the government’s investment in the industry, believes that the next step towards a competitive and assiduous industry is investment from the private sector. ‘You do get credit for social investment and it’s tax deductible,’ said Chase smiling winningly at potential investors in the packed theatre.With feminine charm and tax breaks chipping away at the private sector’s reservations, Namibia Film Week’s technical and public relations co-coordinator, Tim Huebschle, added paper to the plea in his presentation of a file expounding on the way forward to budding director and vice-chairperson of the NFC, Vickson Hangula. Summarising and distilling core problems and proposed solutions presented during a series of panel discussions held as part of Namibia Film Week, the file is a valuable document that hopes to engender both understanding and greater investment in the Namibian film industry.Founded just two years ago, the NFC Short Film Project, which is currently in its second cycle of production, has already increased production from three to seven films, augmented the budget from half a million to N$1,8 million and, in a move that is sure to have all seven production teams in a state of elation, has announced its intention to fund two feature films next year.Speaking reflectively about a golden age of Namibian cinema, executive producer of the NFC Short Film Project, Cecil Moller, believes that sixteen years after films like ‘Village Square’, we are finally entering a new wave of Namibian cinema spurred by the questions of whether filmmakers can do more, who can help them to do more and how they can help themselves. Happily, and if the wild reception to the films is anything to go by, the new of wave of Namibian filmmakers are stepping into a society that is eager to see themselves represented on screen, though it remains to be seen whether they will pay for the pleasure.With national roll-outs still unconfirmed yet slated to be soon to capitalize on the movie premieres’ momentum, audiences eager to see the films are advised to watch the press for details and come out in numbers to support the historical concurrent release of seven individual additions to Namibia’s artistic identity. For more on the NFC Short Film Project 2011/2012 in terms of red carpet and review be sure to pick up a copy of this week’s The Weekender.
