Film Industry setting sail

The Namibian Film Commission (NFC) this week showcased four of its productions, fully-funded by the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology at an event held at Hilton Hotel Windhoek.
The two feature films, “Tjitji: The Himba Girl”, “Coming Home”and the documentary “From Waterberg to Waterberg.”
The Deputy Minister of Information Communication and Technology, Stanley Simaata said at the screening in Windhoek that funding the productions to the tune of N$1 million was a deliberate effort in growing an untapped industry.
The deputy minister said that with the migration from analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television the demand exists for NFC to further fund the production of local content on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s possible 16 television channels.
“The Namibian Film Commission will continue to invest in the making of local films, and this month an opportunity will open for newcomers to submit their stories once more for selection and development onto screen.” Simaata said.

Simaata thanked the local film fraternity teams that worked on the productions by Namibian Executive Producer Bridget Pickering in absentia, she produced the two feature films while Andrew Botelle produced the documentary.
“I am encouraged by the fact that our film-makers and script writers are coming up with themes that are relevant to our nation, especially the younger generation which makes up most of our population.”
NFC Chairperson, Obed Emvula said that NFC will hold public screening of the films throughout the country as it has previously done with the previous NFC funded short films. He encouraged Private Public Partnerships in enhancing an untapped industry.
Simaata also said that the film industry has unexplored vast potential to shape the country’s identities by exporting locally produced content.
He congratulated the three teams lead by Miranda Stein and Oshosheni Hiveluah. “I would also like to make a call to our corporate world, not to see film-making as a risk, but rather as an investment into the country’s identity.”
Simaata said that the participation of women in the production of these films is encouraged as he witnessed equal gender contribution.
Local film-maker Cecil Moller said that Television is the back-bone of any Film industry and that if millions can be contributed to digitisation, equal financial support should be given to the content producers.