To celebrate Namibia’s 25th Independence AfricAvenir in partnership with the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) and HISA is this month showing two Namibian short movies for children: Eembwiti and Tuuli.
The movies will screen on Friday, March 27, at 14h30 at HISA Community Centre: Erf 3316, Omuvapu Street, Okuruyangava (opposite Dr Frans Aupa Indongo Primary School) and on Saturday, March 28 at 10h00 at the Cinema of the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC). The filmmakers, Perivi John Katjavivi (Eembwiti) and Virginia Witts (Tuuli), will attend the screenings and have a Q & A with the children afterwards.
Eembwiti, directed by Katjavivi in 2011 is 18 minutes longs and in English and Oshiwambo. It is about a Namibian family from the busy city of Windhoek who travel up north to the village to visit their Granny. The children are especially snobby and seem more interested in their ipods and cell phones than their new rural surroundings. On what seems like a boring holiday, the spoilt kids upset their Granny when they break village customs and norms. Just when it seems their new environment is impossible, they find fun and adventure in the culture they fought so hard to resist.
Tuuli dirtected by Virginia Witts, in 2003 is five minutes long and in Oshiwambo with English subtitles. Tuuli is a curious young girl in Northern Namibia trying to learn and grow up as her surrounding demands. One day, a mishap happens to her, and Tuuli finds a way to solve the problem. The film Tuuli forms part of the TV series ‘Open a door”, produced by Ragdoll. The significance of the movie is that the story is told throughout without any dialogue.