In the coming weeks, I will share my wish list for every sector within the arts and entertainment industry. A wish list that I hope will reach the powers that be. Hope? Maybe we should add prayers as well. This week, we will start with a wish list for the film industry.
My wish list for the film industry in Namibia is very simple… that the Namibian government uses the film industry as a vehicle to catalyse both direct and indirect employment of people from different sectors of the economy. According to the Trading Economics global macro models and analysts’ expectations, Namibia’s youth unemployment rate was expected to reach 50.3% by the end of 2021.
I know for a fact there are professionals in very strategic positions in the office of the President, youth ministry, National Planning Commission and Namibia Statistics Agency who know this. But still, we see no urgency from the powers that be to purposely address this epidemic. However, in the words of John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”, my advice as per this week’s wish list is for the powers that be to take the film industry seriously.
The film industry economy all around the world has proven that it can contribute immensely to the economic and political wellbeing of a country.
Case in point – our influential neighbours, South Ah! The South African film and television industry contributes around R3.5 billion a year to the country’s economy, as per 2013 figures provided by their National Film and Video Foundation.
History teaches us that in 1995, when South Africa first became a viable location for movie and television productions, the industry employed around 4 000 people. Today, that figure has swelled to over 25 000 people. My goodness! If this is not motivation enough for the Namibian government to rethink their approach to the film industry, then I really do not know what will break the donkey’s back. The South African film and television industry did not magically reach these dizzy heights.
The South African film and television industry is the economic success story today because its people and the government made a conscious and deliberate effort to use arts to drive a South African agenda, and to create direct and indirect jobs. And you wonder why as a country we struggle with identity. You wonder why as Namibians we cannot seem to be proudly Namibian in all spheres.
“Ons spaza net”, but we all lowkey worship all things Mzansi! Last year, as revealed by information minister, Abuti Peya Mushelenga, the Namibian Film Commission was allocated N$3 million kamma to promote Namibia as a preferred filming destination ,and to promote the local film industry. Three million, ouens?!
The minister did recognise that the budgets allocated may not be sufficient, and that more resources are needed for the development of film studios to attract large films being shot in Namibia. It’s just not enough. It’s not enough. Words are not enough. Three million is not enough.
The film industry needs more.
The film industry deserves more. The film industry has the potential to alleviate a national headache that may explode in all of our faces very soon. Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM *Need an MC? I do not post naked pictures or have 100k followers, but after 10 years of MCeeing, I think I can do the job. Contact me for a quote at naobebsekind@gmail.com