Film enthusiasts and cinephiles in Namibia are gearing up for an exciting cinematic extravaganza as the annual Namibia Film Week 2023 commences today. 

This five-day event, organised by the Namibia Film Commission, will run until Friday at various venues around Windhoek.

It is poised to celebrate the rich and diverse world of Namibian filmmaking under the theme ‘Lights, camera, Namibia!’.

The opening night tonight will witness the screening of ‘Tjipangandjara’, a 67-minute exploration of Otjiherero culture and language through the lens of an Otjiherero poet and linguist. 

Directed and produced by Lesley Tjiueza, the film offers an authentic portrayal of Namibia’s linguistic and cultural heritage.

The venue is the Namcol Yetuyama Centre, and screening starts at 18h30. 

The second day of the Namibia Film Week starts at the same time and venue and presents a diverse lineup of films. Highlights include a film by the St. George’s Diocesan School, titled ‘The Art of Colour’, a thought-provoking 11-minute film set in a futuristic world, where love is forbidden across colour lines, and ‘Rhino Conservation’, a 7-minute documentary by Mulenga Mwelwa that sheds light on the vital work of protecting rhinos from poachers.

Also on the schedule is Tutu Mungoba’s film, ‘Veraa!’, a 35-minute exploration
of how slang shapes modern
communication in Namibia and a film by Ronald James, titled ‘Deep Connection – An Introduction to Namibia’s Sharks’, a 12-minute dive into the diversity of marine life in Namibian waters. 

The evening closes with ‘The Cobin Bok’ documentary by Coolcat Productions, which is a 38-minute portrayal of a remarkable individual, who defies societal expectations.

Day 3 takes place at The Village, where discussions centred around the success of ‘The White Line Distribution’ are scheduled.

 This offers a unique opportunity for attendees to gain insights into the distribution strategies that have made Namibian films successful on a global scale.

On Thursday, the festival relocates to Hotel Thuringerhof under the theme ‘Shots for Shots in Shorts’. The lineup includes ‘Normalise Therapy’, a 22-minute film by Martin Kapuka that advocates for the normalisation of therapy and open conversations about mental well-being, and Changa Mugwala’s ‘The Job Induction’, a 10-minute drama, highlighting the challenges of choosing between an advanced salary and a food pack during a job induction process.

Other notable films for the evening include ‘Lauf’, a 17-minute thriller by Thanky Hamutenya about an elderly man confronting his past, Leon Mubiana’s ‘Snare’, a 22-minute thriller involving a young wife targeted by organised crime, and Nandi Nastasja’s ‘Stray Flower’, a 14-minute historical drama set in 1904.

The evening concludes with ‘The Game’, a 17-minute film by Jenny Kandange, which is a mystery where four strangers must play their way out of a puzzling situation, and ‘It Has to Do with Emilia’, a 38-minute film by Luhnar Pickering exploration of forbidden desires and their consequences.

The final day of Namibia Film Week begins with a masterclass, featuring Markus Bensch at The Village. Bensch is a Locations Managers Guild International awards nominee for his contribution to Steven Spielberg’s film, ‘Bridge of Spies’. 

The closing night, held at Hotel Thuringerhof, features the film, ‘Under the Hanging Tree’. 

This 67-minute thriller, directed and produced by Perivi Katjavivi, uncovers Namibia’s colonial history and the Herero genocide as the hard-boiled police officer investigates the mysterious death of a German farmer.

For ticket information and updates,
visit the Namibia Film Commission website and join the conversation on social media, using #NamibiaFilmWeek2023.