By Frederick Philander
WINDHOEK
The NDF Aids feature film, Remember Eliphas Part 2, on Wednesday scooped the best film award as well as four other major ones in the Windhoek International Film Festival.
The film won the best film, best cinematography, best script, best actor and best actress awards.
Nghidipo Nangolo’s film, Skymaster, also won two awards in the categories of best editing and best director.
The best music video award, introduced for the first time, was won by filmmaker Tim Hubschle for the tune Ti Mama.
“We were impressed with the diversity of entered productions, the broad spectrum of themes and approaches as well as the variety of styles of filmmaking,” said judge, Robin Tyson on behalf of the panel of five judges before the winners were announced at the National Theatre of Namibia.
In Tyson’s view there is always areas for improvement.
“Filmmaking is a highly specialised profession with many unique individuals, which include script writers, actors, lighting technicians, sound editors, etc.
needed to make a professional product. However, with a small film industry as we have in Namibia there will always be times when a director becomes a jack of all trades,” he said.
In Tyson’s view professional filmmakers need to be empowered to empower fellow filmmakers and be encouraged to develop those specific skills they posses.
“I am constantly amazed and impressed by the output and quality of Namibian filmmakers. I am also equally amazed that most Namibians have no idea that such films exist. That is why a film festival such as this is so important to give our budding filmmakers a platform to showcase their hard work,” the media lecturer at the University of Namibia said.
Tyson pleaded with the national broadcaster and its counterpart One Africa Television to sponsor and nourish local film talent.
“These two entities should follow the initiatives of broadcasters in our neighboring countries such as the SABC or Multichoice by providing not only a time slot for Namibian film productions to be shown, but by paying filmmakers fair compensation for such showings as is standard from television stations the world over,” he urged.
Tyson suggested that the two television stations encourage local filmmakers come up with story outlines and programme ideas for time allocated time slots.
“Let us start to treat local filmmakers with the same respect we show their international counterparts and let us begin at home by showing our local films to ever-wider audiences. Thinking about how one could make a film is one thing – actually going out and doing it is quite another,” he said.
The director of the Windhoek International Film Festival, Imgard Schreiber, at the same occasion announced that her organisation with the financial assistance of the Berlin/Windhoek cultural exchange programme will avail N$200??????’??