Windhoek
Starting today (Monday) the whole of this week is dedicated to the screening of local films at the NICE Restaurant and Bar.
The weeklong screening brings together various local filmmakers to showcase some of their best work in the week preceding Independence Day celebrations.
Aimed at emphasising the “local is lekker” concept, Nice – in association with the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) – are convinced the lives of residents all over the country will be enriched by sharing the treasures of the local film industry.
Some of the films screening include, 100 Bucks, a short film by Oshosheni Hivelua, which follows Dantagob, who celebrates his first multi-million-dollar deal with friends at an upmarket club, where he recognises a pretty but feisty waitress, Tameka, and tips her 100 bucks.
Nolan is Tamekaʼs good-for-nothing boyfriend who violently tries to seize her tips, resulting in a torn N$100 note. Nolan steals the fixed up 100 bucks and passes it on to his crooked friends, two unemployed “entrepreneurs” as a business investment.
Just as business is about to kick off the two youths lose the money to a corrupt police officer. Young Maria visits the police officer and takes the money, which she uses to pay her taxi fare to school. The taxi driver refuses to join the taxi strike and meets an affluent attorney in his cab and ends up giving her the 100 bucks as change.
The attorney goes to a charming restaurant for a business appointment, where she pays with the N$100 bill.
Try, directed by Joel Haikal, is about a series of events and circumstances connecting different lives from completely different backgrounds from the one end to the other until they all end up in public hospital, where the rich guy must wait in line and the gangster meets Jesus. Try is a fast-paced, many-layered narrative drama about love, friendship, family, loyalty, revenge and the serendipity of life unfolding in the heart of Windhoek.
Tjiraa, directed by Krischka Stoffels, explores the difficulty of balancing two worlds. After completing her studies in Germany Vezuva – a modern Herero woman who returns home – finds herself between a rock and a hard place.
Upon arriving in Windhoek, Vezuva learns from her mother that she has to marry her cousin. This is a custom in the Ovaherero community that Vezuva is familiar with, but would like a compromise as she is in love with someone else.
She pleads with her mother, who is traditional, but who makes a compelling argument that convinces Vezuva to continue with the wedding. The marriage is doomed from the start. Vezuva is raped on her wedding night. She tries to reach out to her mother, but her pleas fall on deaf ears.
Vezuva’s only confidant is her sister, Tjijandjeua, who she soon realises, might soon face a similar fate as hers. In an effort to prevent Tjijandjeua from falling into the same trap, Vezuva takes in Tjijandjeua to live with her – away from her traditionalist parents’ clutches. Despite all her sincere efforts to protect her sister, Vezuva might have made things even worse for her sibling.
Directed by Marinda Stein, Coming Home follows the journey of a young woman, who is haunted by her past until she faces it. Burdened by vague but unsettling childhood memories Nia returns to her desolate hometown many years after her departure to face her stepfather. Coming Home is a young woman’s emotional journey to redemption.
The screening ends on Friday. Tickets are N$20 per screening and available from NICE Restaurant and Bar.