Namibia celebrates locally produced films
The cast and crew of the highly anticipated 13 locally produced feature films were out in full force at the glamorous Namibian-inspired premiere in the capital on Wednesday night. With the movies launching on Kyknet & Kie and Showmax, the event to celebrate their arrival attracted a gathering of Namibia’s biggest stars.Befitting the scale of the productions, the largest local investment by MultiChoice Namibia (MCN), the premiere was a dazzling night. From the décor that transformed the National Theatre of Namibia into a showcase of iconic Namibian landscape elements, to the stylish line-up of celebrity guests walking the Odelela carpet, this was one of the entertainment highlights of the year.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director of MultiChoice Namibia Roger Gertze, said he was passionate about the creation and intention of the local films.
“At MultiChoice Namibia, we believe in telling African stories that touch lives, celebrate our continent and have the happy consequence of building great futures. This is why we have made growing Namibia’s local content industry a priority. To bring authentically Namibian stories to the silver screen, in a distinctively Namibian way, and within the context of our unique languages, landscapes, people and culture.”
Launching careers
He added that by investing in original productions of authentic Namibian stories and talent, MultiChoice is launching careers, both locally and internationally, and contributing to the Namibian economy. “With content designed to cater for diverse audiences, we want to continue supporting local production houses as well as talented actors, writers and filmmakers.”
Deputy Minister of ICT, Hon. Emma Theofelus said during her keynote address, “I want to reiterate our appreciation to MultiChoice Namibia for their generous support and commitment to nurturing the talent within our borders. Project Mukorob is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing film industry in Namibia. Let us unite, collaborate, and continue to strive for excellence as we embark on this remarkable journey together”.
“As filmmakers, we have the best jobs in the world,” said Lucia Meyer-Marais, Commissioning Editor for M-Net channels. “We make something out of nothing. An idea becomes a PowerPoint, becomes a script, becomes a session where production designers, wardrobe departments, and cinematographers help a director create a magical story – which in turn becomes a tangible product, with marketing, press releases, posters, a premiere, and then lives in millions of homes.”
Watch the locally produced Afrikaans movies on Kyknet & Kie (DStv Channel 145 and GOtv channel 4) every Sunday at 20:00. All movies are also available on Showmax under the Namibia to the World row.