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Home / Hairareb premieres at Durban International Film Festival

Hairareb premieres at Durban International Film Festival

2021-07-26  Staff Reporter

Hairareb premieres at Durban International Film Festival

Ndapunikwa Investments recently announced the international premiere of ‘Hairareb’, which has been made an official selection for this year’s Durban International Film Festival 2021. 

The film has already garnered a number of accolades, including Best Narrative Film, Best Director and the Best Male Actor Award for the late veteran actor David Ndjavera at the Namibian Theatre and Film Awards. 

The international premiere of ‘Hairareb’ enables international audiences to experience the best that Namibian cinema has to offer, and is a further opportunity to celebrate the great legacy of one of Namibia’s most talented and prolific performers, with the recently departed Ndjavera playing the lead character in one of his last feature film appearances. 

“‘Hairareb’ is a love letter to all Namibians, and we appreciate the opportunity to offer it as a gift to be enjoyed by all during the Durban International Film Festival 2021,” said Dantagos Jimmy-Melani, executive producer of ‘Hairareb’.

‘Hairareb’ is based on a book by August C. Bikeur, and was developed into a script by Aina Ligola Kwedhi. The film is produced by Ellen Ernst, with award-winner Oshoveli Shipoh as director. 

The film represents a unique and beautiful portrayal of a truly Namibian story, along with an intimate depiction of its culture, while also presenting themes with universal appeal. 

A tribute to Namibian cinematography and storytelling, the tale is told through the eyes of one of Namibia’s oldest and most deeply-rooted tribes, capturing love during a time of devastating drought, and hence a fitting representation of Namibian cinema for both local and international audiences. 

‘Hairareb’ is the first in a series of cultural feature films to be produced by Ndapunikwa Investments for its Namib Cultural Film Project. 

“This project will be shot all over Namibia by local storytellers to cover a critical mass of precious local stories, and to share them with equally diverse audiences across the nation and around the world. This mission is the first of its kind, and a key component to add to our cultural archives for future generations to access a piece of our proud history and heritage for ages to come,” said Jimmy-Melani.

The Durban International Film Festival is one of five festivals presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, and fulfils a facilitative function as a promoter of the film industry, creating networking and cultural exchange platforms. 

The programme is a global showcase that centres on films from the continent, those made by Africans in the diaspora, and of African descent.

The Durban International Film Festival runs from 23 July to 1 August 2021. 

The Namibian cinematic gem will be screened alongside an array of other official selections spanning feature films, short films and documentaries from around the world. The festival officially opened on 22 July, and was streamed live on Facebook. All films will be screened till 1 August, or until sold out. 

Tickets are free and available for bookings on the festival’s special booking website. 

The films are also geo-blocked to South Africa only.


2021-07-26  Staff Reporter

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