WINDHOEK – Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa has encouraged filmmakers and script writers to tell local stories.
“A nation that cannot tell its own stories will have others tell it to them, and this is a very scary prospect,” he said.
Simataa was speaking at the official launch of two Namibia Film Commission (NFC) short films and a documentary film last week Wednesday.
“Deliberate efforts must be made to make resources available to local filmmakers, film bodies, broadcasters and entrepreneurs to empower them to provide local content to the nation,” he stressed.
He said DTT (digital terrestrial television) is making it possible to have multiple platforms, so it’s up to different channels and “it’s up to us to grab these opportunities to fill our channels with our own content before we see ourselves through the lenses of others”.
“I would like to make a call on our corporate world not to see filmmaking as a risk, but rather as an investment in the country’s identity,” he said.
“We don’t want to be asked one day, who are Namibians? What defines them as people,” he added.
He said at the same time “we must protect our identity, our pride”.
“We must all support and grow this industry, and create much needed jobs for our people,” he said.
Three Namibian films premiered.
The documentary ‘Waterberg to Waterberg – in the footsteps of Samuel Maharero’ documents the Ovaherero trek out of Namibia between 1904-1905, to South Africa, through Botswana and back again to Namibia in 1923.
‘Ttjtji: The Himba Girl’ was written by Toucy Tjiombo and is about a young and ambitious matric student who has secret dreams of being the next show queen. Feeling trapped in traditional family life and its values, she must make difficult decisions to follow her dreams.
‘Coming Home’ was written by Songa Simasiku and tells the story of a journey of a young girl, who is haunted by her past until she faces it.
The films were fully funded by NFC to the tune of N$600 000.