Monika Amunyela 

The recently concluded Namibia Film Commission’s Film Week brought together filmmakers, students and industry professionals for an event packed with workshops, screenings and discussions aimed at strengthening the country’s film industry. 

One of the highlights was a two-day workshop on marketing and publicity, which gave creatives insight and practical tools to distribute their work better. 

The workshop, led by Khayisile Zondi from Sinema Films in South Africa, focused on strategies for building visibility, engaging audiences and navigating the competitive film landscape. 

Participants gained insight into how to effectively market film projects and share their stories with a broader audience while exchanging ideas and experiences within the industry. 

The workshop was part of a larger programme that shared the vision of Film Week. 

Emma Theofelus, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, delivered the keynote speech at the opening. She highlighted the importance of growth, collaboration and telling African stories in the right way. 

“This Film Week creates an important platform, where emerging storytellers, filmmakers and students can interact directly with professionals who are shaping the creative landscape both locally and internationally,” she stated. 

She added that the ministry will continue to champion the creative industry, aligning it with the President’s vision for national development. 

She also discussed authentic African storytelling: “African stories must continue to be told by Africans from an African perspective”. 

She emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting local narratives, ensuring they are shared and presented by their own people rather than taken out of context by the Western industry. 

Andrew Niikondo, acting vice chancellor of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), said there is no longer a need to travel out of the country to acquire filmmaking or content creation skills, as the university has now introduced courses such as digital arts, animation and film production. 

“These initiatives reflect our belief that creative talent must be supported with structured training, professional guidance and even access to industry”. 

-mamunyela@nepc.com.na