For a long time, Namibian films have been crippled by issues of funding and exposure in terms of coverage but things are slowly shifting, and changemakers like Multichoice are uplifting and capacitating local films by investing in authentic African stories.
The major satellite television services’ commitment is not only to tell authentic African stories but to also invest in them.
“It’s important that we bring authentic Namibian stories, made available via our video-on-demand service, as this will help us realise the vision, of taking African, stories to the world. With our “hyperlocal” approach, we can provide relevant content within the respective regions of our continent which, in turn, benefits the local film industry,” Multichoice corporate affairs manager Levana Cloete told VIBEZ!.
Cloete stated that as an anchor in ICT, everything is done with the core intention of enriching the lives of viewers through entertainment.
Cloete added: “Our dedication to bringing our customers truly Namibian stories they can relate to is what drives us in our commitment to providing the best in local entertainment on innovative platforms such as Showmax”.
Locally-produced film #LANDoftheBRAVE is currently showing on Showmax, providing greater exposure for local filmmakers and showcases the nation’s advancements in film to a wider base.
“What sets Showmax apart is a unique combination of hit African content, first and exclusive international series, movies, the best kids’ shows and live sport from SuperSport. It is also important to note that Showmax provides a wider reach of content across the African continent and beyond,” expressed Cloete.
She added: “The great thing about Showmax is that it provides streaming services to sub-Saharan Africa and selected diaspora markets worldwide. This provides local Namibian actors from the #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm exposure to a global captive audience”.
The producer of #LANDoftheBRAVE, David Benade said the motion picture was a rich experience of passion, dedication, trial and error – and above all, commitment to authentic Namibian storytelling.
“Tim Huebschle and I are the owners of Collective Productions Namibia, so when Tim decided to go for this project after many years of development, I took up the challenge with him because I believe in his passion and talent,” stated Benade.
“Being on stage and in front of the camera is in my blood. It started at primary school in northern Namibia when I took part in a school play. It remained a hobby until I moved to Windhoek in 1994 – and I fell in love with the acting world, particularly the idea of using theatre for educational purposes. I could see how my actions made a difference to the youngsters I was performing for,” stated Armas Shivute, who plays the part of Shivute in the thrilling flick.
Elize de Wee, who plays Meisie Willemse, recalled: “From the time that Tim Huebschle started writing this story 10 years ago, he kept telling me that I should play this part when the time is ready. I didn’t really take him seriously but when he later contacted me to say the time has come, I read the script and immediately had serious butterflies in my stomach! I was excited because I could see how the part was perfect for me, but I also thought I had put this part of my life behind me! But David and Tim convinced me, so I put my doubts aside and committed to the process.”
-psiririka@nepc.com.na