It’s official, PDK’s song titled ‘Saka’ featuring Top Cheri, King Elegant and Athawise has been voted the Song of the Year, making it the biggest song according to the fans.
PDK however had to work their socks off as this category was hugely contested by the likes of Adora ft Jayden, DJ Spuzza ft Chester, Don Kamati, Mega & Chakie with their hit song Soek Soek, King Tee Dee and Y Cliff.
A new NAMA record was set with the votes for the Song of the Year totalling over 210,000 votes.
“We are very pleased with the manner in which the public took part to declare this year’s biggest song of the year,” said Tim Ekandjo.
Many will agree that the 7th NAMA mini premier show was perhaps the most exciting so far, producing world-class 14 back to back live performances from R&B, Rap/Hip Hop and the biggest songs of 2019/20.
Lize Ehlers painted the NAMA stage red to send a powerful message against Gender Based Violence and the presenters and artist brought their part to theme this series with countless messages against GBV. Adora was sultry on stage as usual and delivered a well thought out performance with her song ‘Sim Di A’.
Newcomer Antany Knows who surprised many by winning the Best Afrikaans last weekend delivered a sleek phone call performance that will be remembered for a very long time. Alta Ouses did her part in announcing her arrival on the NAMA stage with her song ‘Believe in Love’ ft Dee Jay.
It was Cassidy Karon who walked away with his first solo award in the category of Best Rap Hip Hop with his song ‘Chains’ ft Romi to declare himself Namibia’s Best Rap/Hip Hop artist.
Ethnix was crowned Best R&B artist with their soul-searching soul titled ‘Composure’ after delivering a performance that deserves nothing than a standing ovation.
Lioness brought a different dimension to the stage with a well-choreographed performance to show why she is one of Rap/Hip Hops most lethal artist.
In the Best Pan African category, DJ Zinhle won her very first award with her hit song ‘Umlilo’ also in a category with Africa’s heavyweights with the likes of Burna Boy, Davido, Skorpion Kings and Sho Madjozi.
Namibian feature film, #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm just participated in its first international film festival and took home the best Narrative Feature award.
After the crime-thriller won the award at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, the cast and crew shared their excitement saying that this is a great time for Namibian cinema.
The 11th edition of the annual Silicon Valley African Film Festival took place online from October 9 – 11, 2020.
Director Tim Huebschle said the win is huge honour and a boost of confidence, especially coming at a time when the world is turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The entire team behind the movie is beaming with joy and as you can imagine that is priceless in a time where we’re still navigating the uncertainty of a global pandemic,” Huebschle said.
Armas Shivute and Elize de Wee in #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm (#LANDoftheBRAVEfilm/CollectiveProductions)
Armas Shivute, who plays sidekick detective Shivute in the film, said being part of a film of its caliber was a notable experience in itself, adding that he was not surprised that the film won an international award because it was well written, produced, directed and appeals to everyone.
He adds Huebschle and producer David Benade put a massive team of professionals together to put flesh on the skeleton they sketched.
“I am excited for everyone who was part of the magic,” Shivute said.
Film editor Haiko Boldt said they had a lot of fun making the movie, which is reflected through the appreciation of others.
“I am looking forward to more magnificent Namibian films to come” Boldt said.
Reacting to the win, Pieter Greeff, who took on his first acting role as #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm‘s sadistic Piet Potgieter said the win is beyond his wildest expectations.
Pieter Greeff in #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm (LANDoftheBRAVEfilm/CollectiveProductions)
“It seems if you keep dreaming and work hard by putting yourself out there dreams do come true. I want to thank Tim Huebschle for giving this fresh green wannabe actor the opportunity and the role of a lifetime,” Greeff said.
Huebschle applauded Joel Haikali’s film Invisibles which won award for best Short Narrative at the same festival, saying that this shows “stories from our land matter to audiences around the world. It’s a great time for Namibian cinema.”
#LANDoftheBRAVEfilm premiered at Namibian cinemas in October 2019.
The star of the Namibian feature film The White Line (2019), Girley Jazama was nominated at the Sotigui Awards 2020 in the Best Actor Southern Africa category.
She shares the nomination with South Africa’s Bongile Mantsai (Knuckle City, 2019) and Malawi’s Tapiwa Gwaza (The Road To Sunrise, 2017).
Jazama’s performance in the apartheid-themed film impressed audiences and festival curators alike earning her acclaim and the Best Female Actress nomination the 2019 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards.
“I am honoured to be nominated alongside the other two brilliant actors in my category. The nomination is a win for The White Line and Namibia because we as an industry are being recognised by our peers in the industry,” Jazama says on the nomination.
Girley Jazama (Image: Experienced Photography)
Last year, actor Adriano Visagie won the Best Actor Southern Africa award at the Sotigui Awards, becoming the first Namibian to be nominated and win at the award show.
The fifth edition of the Sotigui Awards will take place from November 12 to 14, 2020 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The Second weekend of the 2020 Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) saw two artists who were nominated for the first time walk away winners.
Centrepiece (Images: NAMAs/Provided)
Centerpiece from Rehoboth won the Best Single award while Ou Billem scooped the Best Traditional award in a rather tightly contested category with the likes of Teqla and Erna Chimu.
Maranatha who is no stranger to the NAMA stage had to fence off rather stiff competition from the likes of Effy and Joharetha to scoop the Best Gospel award with the song for the 2nd time in the NAMA history with her soulful song Yahweh.
Dennis Eiseb was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the music industry and for having mentored so many successful artists.
Erna Chimu
The NAMA weekend was once again filled with soulful and exciting performances with all artists bringing their best performing live for a TV audience only.
“We would like to congratulate all the nominees and especially Centerpiece, Ou Billem and Maranatha for winning in extremely tough categories. We would also like to announce that from next weekend the NAMAs will only take place on Saturdays and the Friday events will be removed from the calendar and combined with the Saturday shows to give the audience more entertainment value,” NAMA Executive Tim Ekandjo said.
This now means that the NAMAs will award 4 categories per Saturday. The nominees for Best House, Best Producer, Best Kwaito and Best Reggae will battle it out next weekend.
Teqla
The new schedule is as follows:
Sat, 12th September
Best House Best Producer Best Kwaito Best Reggae
Sat, 26th Sept
Best Music Video Best Group/Duo Special NAMA Award
Sat, 10th Oct
Best Soukous Kwasa Best Afrikaans Best Damara Punch Best Oviritje Sat,17th Oct
Best Rap/Hip Hop Best R&B Best Pan African Artist of the Year Song of the Year
Sat,24th Oct
Best Album of the Year Best Male Artist of the Year Best Female Artist of the Year Artist of the Year
Sat,31st Oct
Best Newcomer Artist of the Decade Namibian Legends Performances
Desiree Kahikopo’s feature film, The White Line (2019) continues taking Namibian cinema to new heights, having just recently scooped the Kilimandjaro Award for Best Feature Film at the 7th edition of the Africlap Festival held in France from 23 to 30 August 2020.
The Kilimandjaro Award for Best Feature Film is one of the two main prizes the festival has, alongside the Kilimanjaro for Best feature documentary and various other prizes. Festival Africlap is organized by Africlap, a non-profit association whose objective is to expose African cinema in Toulouse, France and surrounding territories.
Kahikopo says awards add certain credibility to the film and helps push the film further with the potential buyers and draws attention to her as Director/Producer, her future projects and the hard work of the entire cast and crew.
Desiree Kahikopo bts of The White Line (Images: provided)
“Seeing our story having touched somebody enough for it to receive an award especially knowing what we went through telling it- all the blood, sweat and tears- is amazing and I thank Jesus for it,” she says.
Kahikopo says she hopes the international recognition earned by The White Line as a Namibian film will continue to create a shift in the quality of Namibian cinema and draw interest to private investors and corporations, not just in Namibia but internationally and equally build audiences.
“I hope this will continue to lay the new ground for building this industry to a space that we can all be proud off and the industry becoming self-sustaining,” Kahikopo says.
The White Line has screened at various international festivals and consequently earned accolades locally and internationally. The film is yet to have a Namibian premiere.
Florian Schott’s Baxu and the Giants is the first Namibian film to soon start showing on the popular streaming service, Netflix.
The 29-minute long film will be available on the streaming service from 30 September 2020.
According to Scott, the Netflix deal came about through one of the Film Festivals Baxu and the Giants took part in. Particularly the RapidLion International Film Festival hosted in March in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Apart from earning the Best Humanitarian Film nomination at the festival, Baxu and the Giants impressed one particular sales agent as well.
“I attended the festival with my wife and Production Coordinator Cherlien Schott and Karl Ehlers, one of our composers. At the festival, I had a meeting with a South African Sales Agent who watched Baxu and the Giants and as we stayed in touch they heard that Netflix was looking for African Shorts and that they were apparently interested in Baxu and the Giants,” Schott says.
Schott says while delivering the film to Netflix’s technical specs took a bit of time, they are “super happy that it all came together and our film will be available on Netflix soon.”
“Of course, it’s a huge honour to be the director of the first Namibian film on Netflix but the congratulations really need to go out to the whole Crew, especially Girley Jazama and Andrew Botelle, and of course our star Camilla Jo-Ann Daries,” Schott says.
A scene from Baxu and the Giants (2019) (Images: baxuandthegiants.com)
Jo-Ann Daries won the Best Female Actress Award for depicting the 10-year old Baxu at the Namibian Theatre and Film Awards 2019. Equally, the film itself is loved by local and international audiences, having received numerous accolades here and overseas.
“I am confident that this is just the first of many Namibian productions on Netflix,” Schott adds. “And a huge opportunity for Namibian filmmakers to showcase their films around the world.”
On 27 August 2020, the first official soundtrack of Baxu and the Giants was released to the public. The beautiful single ‘Sada Di Tama Hâ’ by Lize Ehlers, Cherlien Schott, Karl Ehlers (LOFT) and Imms Nicolau feat. Camilla Jo-Ann Daries comes with an awesome video that was directed by Girley Jazama, who co-wrote the script of Baxu and the Giants. ‘Sada Di Tama Hâ’ directly translates to ‘not ours’ in Khoekhoegowab.
“As we got multiple requests to release the music from the film we’ll do that in the coming days as well,” the director says.
The much anticipated 10th Namibian Annual Music Awards will take place over an 8-full weekend period starting from the Saturday, 15 August 2020 ending Saturday, 14 November 2020.
The ceremony presented by MTC and NBC will award four categories over a full weekend, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. All the mini shows will start at 16h00 CAT.
NAMA Executive Chairperson Tim Ekandjo said all the nominees in the categories will have an opportunity to perform their nominated song which essentially unlike previous years gives every nominee an opportunity to perform this year. Winners of the music genres will be announced immediately after the shows and pay out prize monies to the winners.
“This year we will also give every nominee a flat participation fee of N$3 000 taking into consideration that COVID19 has resulted in a loss of income for so many artists. In addition, all proceeds from ticket sales will go to a Covid-19 relief fund in support of Namibian artists and the live music entertainment industry that have lost all their income during the Pandemic restrictions,” Ekandjo explained.
The NAMA Premium Livestream Concerts will be exclusively available to view to people who bought a ticket to the show.
Once a ticket has been purchased, viewers will receive a message containing their secure unique logon details to stream the show live. The ticket gives access to the live show in addition the ability to view the NAMA concert again within 48 hours afterwards. All of the concerts will be re-broadcast again to everyone else, on NBC Television as well in 3 days after the live concert happened.
“No guest will be allowed at the event except the sponsors who will still have an opportunity to present their awards to the winners, and the rest of the country can enjoy an exciting 8 weekend mini shows online at a very minimal fee that will be used to raise funds for the music industry as a relief package,” Ekandjo said.
The public vote for Best Pan African Artist of the Year has already closed in May but the voting for the Song of the Year will continue until 14h00 Saturday, 24 October.
Throughout the weekends, fans will be allowed to vote for the 5 artists that they want to see perform again and the artist with the highest SMS votes will perform on Sunday, 8 November in the All Fan Favourite slot to officially close the NAMAs 2020 and to bid farewell to this 10 year-long magnificent event that has transformed the Namibian music scene.
Musical Icons: Gazza and King Tee Dee (formerly The Dogg), performed on stage during the 2013 edition of the NAMA’s. (Image: NAMA Archive)
The event is co-sponsored by the National Arts Council of Namibia, Air Namibia, Standard Bank, Namibia Diamond Trading Company, Namibia Statistics Agency, NASCAM, Namibia Film Commission, Namibia Sports Commission, MTC Nestor Sunshine Promotions, Namibia Wildlife Resorts, NAMCOR, Mikel Jes, Windhoek Airport Transfer & Tours, Trip Travel, Simply You Magazine & Lifestyle Awards and MTC Windhoek Fashion Week.
A total of N$1.2 million will be paid out in prize monies with the all categories receiving N$30,000 except for Best Album and Song of the Year each to receive N$50,000, Best Male and Best Female Artist receiving N$100,000, while the Artist of the Year will walk away with N$200,000. The Artist of the Decade will walk away with a cool N$150,000 and a one-year DSTV Explora subscription from Multichoice Namibia.
Tickets to the NAMA Premium Livestream Concerts will be available online at Webtickets Namibia and nationwide at Pick n Pay stores.
Full weekend NAMA schedule
Weekend One: Sat, 15th August: Afrop Pop & Best Collaboration
Weekend Two: Sat, 22nd August: Best Single & Best Traditional Sun, 23rd August: Best Gospel & Lifetime Achievement Award
Weekend Three: Sat, 12th Sept: Best House & Best Producer Sun, 13th Sept: Best Kwaito & Best Reggae
Weekend Four: Sat, 26th Sept: Best Music Video & Best Group/Duo Sun, 27th Sept Special NAMA Award
Weekend Five: Fri, 9th Oct: Best Soukous Kwasa & Best Afrikaans Sat, 10th Oct: Best Damara Punch & Best Oviritje Sun, 11th Oct: Best Rap/Hip Hop & Best R&B
Weekend Six: Sat, 24th Oct: Best Pan African & Song of the Year Sun, 25th Oct: Best Album of the Year
Weekend Seven: Sat, 7th Nov: Best Male, Best Female Artist & Artist of the Year Sun, 8th Nov: Best Newcomer & Artist of the Decade
Weekend Eight: Sat, 14th Nov: All Time Fan Favourite
THE NOMINEES
AFRIKAANS ● ANTANY KNOWS FOR “HOUVAS” ● BERTHOLD MBINDA FOR “MYNE” ● JOHARETHA FOR “ATTATA” ● MS FABBY FOR “MET MY HART” ● PRISCILLA THE NAMIBIAN DESSERT QUEEN FOR “EK IS VET”
AFROPOP INCLUSIVE OF TOWNSHIP DISCO ● BLOSSOM QUEEN FOR “UVANDJE” ● KP ILLEST FOR “ENERGY” FEAT ICE PRINCE ● MONIQUE ENGLISH FOR “RED” FEAT ESB ● ROSE BLVC FOR “SHADOW” ● SALLY BOSS MADAM FOR “CENTER” FEAT DON KAMATI
COLLABORATION ● ADORA FOR “SIM DI A” FEAT JAYDEN ● KP ILLEST FOR “ENERGY” FEAT ICE PRINCE ● PDK FOR “SAKA” FEAT TOP CHERI, KING ELEGANT AND ATHAWISE ● BERTHOLD MBINDA FOR “SOFIA” FEAT KALUX ● KALUX FOR “TI KHOE” FEAT TATE BUTI
DAMARA PUNCH ● ADORA FOR “TOUCH” FEAT KALUX ● DIXON FOR “/GUI-!NAS” ● KAPTEIN TSWAZI FOR “XAWEM KO A #KHAI !NA” FEAT O C BULAN ● LETTIE FOR “HAM-E A /HON-KHOE” ● OU STAKES FOR “/USEN TA TIDE”
GOSPEL ● EFFY FOR “MUHONA” FEAT HEALING VOICES CHOIR ● JOHARETHA FOR “VEERTIG DAE” ● KAPTEIN TSWAZI FOR “ALPHA & OMEGA” FEAT KK ● MARANATHA FOR “YAWEH” ● MS FABBY FOR “NGO TJIPANDU”
HOUSE ● COOL UNDER PRESSURE FOR “SOPHIA” ● DJ CASTRO FOR “SHINNING STAR” FEAT SLICKARTIE ● HOUSE GURU GANG FOR “BAD NEIGHBORS” FEAT EES ● JONA FULLFORCE FOR “MBWANGULA” ● TAYLOR JAYE FOR “CASHE” FEAT PATORANKING & DJ CHIN CHILLA
KWAITO ● BIG JAY-2 FOR “MY LIFE” FEAT YAMUKONGO (TKB) ● CASSIDY KARON FOR “AWE” ● EXIT FOR “KONDJIFA” ● SUNNY BOY FOR “BAD NEIGHBORS” FEAT KOTOKENI ● TULISAN FOR “IYAALO AANO” FEAT HAINO
MUSIC VIDEO ● DIXON FOR “SHE HAS A MAN” ● JOHARETHA FOR “ATTATA” ● KALUX FOR “KAKASEN” ● LIONESS FOR “TALA” ● PDK FOR “SAKA” FEAT TOP CHERI, KING ELEGANT AND ATHAWISE
OVIRITJE ● DIOP FOR “BANYANA BA TRICKY” ● KUKU NKANDANGA FOR “AMI MEI” FEAT DIOP ● MULBERRY FOR “KUMAA” ● OC BULAN FOR “/GAI GORO !NANS DI A” FEAT P-FLAT ● OTJINATE FOR “MBAKAVIRA”
R&B ● ALTA OUSES FOR “BELIEVE IN LOVE PART 2” FEAT DJAY ● BERTHOLD MBINDA FOR “P.P (GIGALOW’S ANTHEM)” ● ETHNIX FOR “COMPOSURE” ● LIZE EHLERS FOR “ALWAYS” ● MR ANDREW FOR “SPECIAL FEELINGS” FEAT TEQLA & PAGE
RAP / HIP-HOP ● ANTANY KNOWS FOR “NIGHTSHIFT” ● CASSIDY KARON FOR “CHAINS” FEAT ROMI ● GHETTO BALLERINA FOR “GRIND” ● LIONESS FOR “SAUCE” FEAT KENNY K, KP ILLEST & SKRYPT ● LIZZ FOR “WAIT”
REGGAE ● ERNA CHIMU FOR “AFRICAN WOMAN” ● GERRY DREAD FOR “CONQUERER” ● HEDEK FOR “BABYLON” FEAT KUKU SACKY & EDDIE ● OU BILLEM FOR “AMA-/NAMI” FEAT ADORA ● ROSE BLVC FOR “RIGHTEOUS”
SINGLE ● CENTERPIECE FOR “TONIGHT” FEAT RUSH ● DEE’A FOR “DINGILILANGE” FEAT SINNY ● TEQLA FOR “MAGIC” ● WILLIAM JACOBS FOR “MORAL SURVIVAL” ● Y’CLIFF FOR “NAMIBIAN QUEEN”
SOUKOUS KWASA ● ALLEN JONATHAN FOR “UFUKU” FEAT SAVINDJELE ● BLOSSOM QUEEN FOR “MY AFRIKA” FEAT SERGIO ● DIOP FOR “CHARLOTTE” ● ONE BLOOD FOR “INDEE” ● PDK FOR “INDA”
TRADITIONAL ● DNA FOR “ALI TI TI TI TI” FEAT KAMATI EKANDA ● ERNA CHIMU FOR “AISE MAMASE” FEAT SAMUEL KATENGE ● OU BILLEM FOR “TI-E” ● TORSHLAM FOR “ITEYIKO” FEAT BUJU KATYOKO ● YASHE TATI PII FOR “OMUPEMBE” FEAT WAPOTA
PAN AFRICAN ARTIST OF THE YEAR ● BURNA BOY FOR “AFRICAN GIANT” ● DAVIDO, CHRIS BROWN FOR “BLOW MY MIND” ● SKORPION KINGS FOR “LORCH” FEAT SEMI TEE, MIANO, KAMMU DEE ● DJ ZINHLE FOR “UMLILO” FEAT MVZZLE AND RETHABILE ● SHO MADJOZI FOR “JOHN CENA” ● WIZKID FOR “JORO”
SONG OF THE YEAR ● ADORA FT. JAYDEN FOR “SIM DI A” ● DJ SPUZZA FT. CHESTER , DON KAMATI, MEGA & CHAKIE FOR “SOEK SOEK” ● KING TEE DEE FOR “ONE I LOVE” FEAT DIAMOND PLATNUMZ ● PDK FT TOP CHERI, KING ELEGANT & ATHAWISE FOR “SAKA” ● TSWAZIS FOR “PRAY”
BEST PRODUCER ● ANDREW MASIPA FOR “MADE IN NAMIBIA” BY ETHNIX ● DJ KBOZ FOR “LUCKY GIRL” BY SALLY BOSS MADAM ● HOPPY MWIYA FOR “FORBIDDEN FRUIT” BY ROSE BLVC ● SAM NIIGUNGO FOR “FAITH & FAVOUR” BY KP ILLEST ● SOLANI ZULU FOR “GRATEFUL” BY PDK
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR ● CASSIDY KARON FOR THE ALBUM “80’S MERCEDEZ” ● DJ CASTRO FOR THE ALBUM “EVOLUTION” ● ETHNIX FOR THE ALBUM “MADE IN NAMIBIA (MIN)” ● JOHARETHA FOR THE ALBUM “ATTATA” ● ROSE BLVC FOR THE ALBUM “FORBIDDEN FRUIT”
GROUP / DUO OF THE YEAR ● COOL UNDER PRESSURE FOR THE ALBUM “ECONOMY” ● ETHNIX FOR THE ALBUM “MADE IN NAMIBIA (MIN)” ● HOUSE GURU GANG FOR THE ALBUM “BAD NEIGHBORS” ● ONE BLOOD FOR THE ALBUM “ONE BLOOD VOLUME 23” ● PDK FOR THE ALBUM “GRATEFUL”
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR ● CASSIDY KARON FOR THE ALBUM “80’S MERCEDEZ” ● DIXON FOR THE ALBUM “SHOW ME YOUR HEART” ● DJ CASTRO FOR THE ALBUM “EVOLUTION” ● KP ILLEST FOR THE ALBUM “FAITH & FAVOUR” ● SUNNY BOY FOR THE ALBUM “UUYELELE”
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR ● ADORA FOR THE ALBUM “RISE” ● LIZE EHLERS FOR THE ALBUM “LIZE LIVE” ● MONIQUE ENGLISH FOR THE ALBUM “RED” ● ROSE BLVC FOR THE ALBUM “FORBIDDEN FRUIT” ● SALLY BOSS MADAM FOR THE ALBUM “LUCKY GIRL”
ALBUM OF THE YEAR ● ETHNIX FOR THE ALBUM “MADE IN NAMIBIA (MIN)” ● KP ILLEST FOR THE ALBUM “FAITH & FAVOUR” ● PDK FOR THE ALBUM “GRATEFUL” ● ROSE BLVC FOR THE ALBUM “FORBIDDEN FRUIT” ● SALLY BOSS MADAM FOR THE ALBUM “LUCKY GIRL”
ARTIST OF THE DECADE ● BLOSSOM ● EXIT ● GAZZA ● LIZE EHLERS ● KING TEE DEE ● OTEYA ● MUSHE
The Emmy nominations were announced last night, with HBO’s Watchmen leading the way with 26 nominations. Insecure and What We Do In The Shadows earned their first Best Comedy nominations; Ramy Youssef nabbed his first Best Actor and Best Director in a Comedy nominations for Ramy; Zendaya earned her first ever Emmy nomination, as Best Actress in a Drama, for Euphoria; and Jeremy Strong and Brian Cox are up for Best Actor in a Drama for the first time, for Succession. Other first time Supporting Actor nominees include Succession stars Nicholas Braun, Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Snook, as well as Nigeria’s Yvonne Orji (Insecure).
“Despite the unprecedented challenges facing the entertainment industry, it has been an extraordinary year for television,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma. “Television has inspired, united and comforted a global audience this season. We are honoured to be recognizing so many of the talented programs, producers, directors and craftspeople behind the remarkable storytelling that has brought us together while we remain apart.”
Content currently available on Showmax has a whopping 113 nominations, with more nominees coming soon. This includes:
HBO’s Watchmen is the most nominated show overall at this year’s Emmys, with 26 nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series, Writing, Cinematography, Lead Actor (Jeremy Irons as Ozymandias), Lead Actress (Regina King as Sister Night), Supporting Actress (Jean Smart as Agent Laurie Blake) and three Supporting Actor nominees (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Cal Abar, Jovan Adepo as Hooded Justice and Louis Gossett Jr. as William Reeves), not to mention three Directing and three Editing nominations.
Inspired by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ iconic DC graphic novel, Watchmen was the best reviewed new TV show of 2019 on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 95% critics rating. Created by Damon Lindelof (Lost,The Leftovers), the nine-part series was the#1 show of last year for the likes of Empire, Mashable, Vox, and Washington Post, where Hank Stuever said the show takes “my breath away with its bracing vision of racism, mask-wearing vigilantism and super-heroic qualms in a skewed-reality America.”
SUCCESSION S2
Having won Best Writing and Best Original Main Title Theme Music at last year’s Emmys, Succession is tied with Ozark as the most-nominated drama this year, with 18 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. Having been snubbed last year, the show’s cast dominate this year’s nominees in all the categories, including Lead Actor (both 2020 Golden Globe winner Brian Cox as Logan Roy and Jeremy Strong as his son Kendall), Supporting Actor (Nicholas Braun as Cousin Greg, Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy, and Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans), Supporting Actress (Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy), Guest Actor (James Cromwell as Ewan Roy) and Guest Actress (Harriet Walter as Lady Caroline Collingwood and Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce).
In Succession, four very rich siblings behave very badly as they try to win their father’s approval – and control of his company, a global media empire. In Season 2, the Roys meet their liberal counterparts as Logan attempts to orchestrate his biggest acquisition yet.
Succession, which won Best TV drama at the 2020 Golden Globes, topped numerous Best of 2019 lists, from AV Club to The Guardian to Uproxx. As The Guardian said: “2019 was the year HBO threw millions upon millions of dollars at the final season of Game of Thrones, only to have another of its shows blow it out of the water entirely. That show was Succession, Jesse Armstrong’s dizzyingly seductive drama about a billionaire media family, which became a runaway hit with its second series. A veritable powerhouse, Succession contained all the things that had once drawn us to Westeros: power, wealth, loyalty and sheer nastiness.”
THE HANDMAID’S TALE S3
The Handmaid’s Tale is up for 10 Emmys this year, including Best Drama, Supporting Actor (Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence), Supporting Actress (2018 Emmy winner Samira Wiley as Moira), and Guest Actress (2017 Emmy winner Alexis Bledel as Emily). Elisabeth Moss was snubbed this year as June, a role that earned her Best Actress awards at the 2017 Emmys and 2018 Golden Globes.
Season 1 was based on Margaret Atwood’s classic novel of the same name, which won the first Arthur C. Clarke Award for its depiction of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly the United States, which has returned to ‘traditional values,’ with women treated as property of the state.
Season 3 has a 81% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics consensus says, “The Handmaid’s Tale‘s third season reigns in its horrors and inspires hope that revolution really is possible.”
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS S2
What We Do In The Shadows is having its best Emmys year yet, with eight nominations, including its first for Best Comedy and three Best Writing nominations.
From Jemaine Clement (Flight Of The Conchords) and 2020 Oscar winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok), the hit mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows is a look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of three vampires who’ve lived together in New York for over 100 years – plenty of time to get on each other’s nerves.
Season 2 is #9 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the Best TV Shows of 2020 So far, with a 100% critics rating. As the Season 1 critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes put it, What We Do In The Shadows is “delightfully absurd and ridiculously fun… A mockumentary worth sinking your teeth into.”
Season 2 of What We Do In The Shadows releases on Showmax this Saturday, 1 August 2020.
INSECURE S4
Insecure had its best ever year at the Emmys, earning eight nominations, including first-time nods for Best Comedy and Best Supporting Actress for Nigerian comedian Yvonne Orji as Molly. Co-creator Issa Rae received her second Best Actress nomination as Issa, with the show also picking up Casting, Editing, Music Supervision and two Cinematography nominations.
Insecure centres on friends Issa and Molly in what the Rotten Tomatoes critic consensus hails as “an insightful, raunchy, and hilarious journey through the life of a twentysomething black woman that cuts through stereotypes with sharp wit and an effusive spirit.”
As The Peabody Awards put it, “Rae delivers a ground-breaking series that captures the lives of everyday young black people in Los Angeles with a fresh and authentic take. Breaking away from tired and familiar representations of ‘diversity’ on television, this series offers a fun and intimate portrayal of work, relationships, and the ordinary experiences of the two young black women at its center.”
Insecure is the most nominated show, with Watchmen, at the 2020 Black Reel Awards and was named TV Program of the Year at the 2018 American Film Institute Awards.
EUPHORIA S1
Euphoria is up for six Emmys, including Zendaya’s first-ever Emmy nomination, for Best Actress in a Drama as 17-year-old Rue, who returns home from rehab with no plans to stay clean, and falls for the new girl in town, Jules (played by trans superstar Hunter Schafer).
Zendaya won the 2019 People’s Choice Award for Favourite Drama TV Star for her role in this adults-only high school drama series, as well as a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series. She was also nominated for a Critics Choice Award. The series also won the Camerimage TV Pilots competition and Best Music Supervision from The Guild of Music Supervisor Awards, and earned a 2020 GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, a Queerty nomination for Best Series, and a BAFTA nomination for Best International Series.
Euphoria has an 8.3/10 rating on IMDb and a 82% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus says, “Euphoria balances its brutal honesty with an empathetic – and visually gorgeous – eye to create a uniquely challenging and illuminating series, held together by a powerfully understated performance from Zendaya.”
MCMILLION$
McMillion$ is up for five Emmys this year, including Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series, Writing, and Editing.
The six-part HBO documentary investigates the biggest scam in the history of fast food: the rigged McDonald’s Monopoly competition that offered its US customers in the ‘90s the chance to go out for a burger and come home with $1 million. The scam ran for over a decade, had links to organised crime and netted $24 million worth of illegal profits.
McMillion$ has an 89% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter saying, “McMillion$ tells a quirky and frequently hilarious tale filled with enough twists and turns that you’ll swear it came from the keyboard of a Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard.”
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
Little Fires Everywhere is up for five Emmys, including Best Limited Series, Directing, and Lead Actress (Kerry Washington as Mia).
Based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 bestselling book, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined fates of the Richardsons – a picture-perfect, privileged white American family – and enigmatic African-American mother and daughter Mia and Pearl Warren.
Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies, Walk the Line, Wild) and Teen Choice winner Joshua Jackson (The Affair, Dawson’s Creek) co-star, with Lexi Underwood earning a 2020 Black Reel nomination as Pearl.
Little Fires Everywhere has an 80% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian calls it “moreish, searing, excellent”, while CNN says it’s “one of those rare multi-generational dramas where the arcs involving the kids are every bit as good as the adults’.”
RAMY S2
Ramy is up for three Emmys: Best Actor in a Comedy and Best Director for creator Ramy Youssef, as well as Best Supporting Actor for two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight,True Detective) as Sheikh Malik.
Ramy stars 2020 Golden Globe winner and stand-up comedian Ramy Youssef as Ramy Hassan, a first generation Egyptian-American in politically divided New Jersey, where he’s caught between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that thinks life has no consequences.
Ramy won the Audience Award at SXSW 2019 and S2 is currently at #25 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the Best TV of 2020 So Far, with a 96% critics rating. As Rolling Stone put it, “There is no other show quite like Ramy, because there is no other character quite like Ramy… Superb.”
The Emmy-nominated Season 2 comes first to Showmax on 1 November 2020; in the meantime, binge Season 1 now.
A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW S1
HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show is one of three nominees in the Outstanding Variety Sketch Series category at the Emmys, where it’s also up for Directing and Guest Actress (Angela Bassett).
Creator Robin Thede (host of BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede and head-writer for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore) executive produces, writes and stars, with Issa Rae (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee for HBO’s Insecure) producing and guest starring.
The core cast includes Emmy winner Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), Gabrielle Dennis (Insecure, S.W.A.T.) and Quinta Brunson (Quinta vs. Everything), while other guest stars include Emmy winners Lena Waithe, Emmy nominee Laverne Cox, Imagen Award winner Gina Torres, Nailed It! star Nicole Byer, Grammy winner Kelly Rowland and Grammy hall-of-famer Patti LaBelle.
Hollywood Reporter hailed the show as “energetic, funny and wonderfully distinctive” and PopBuzz as “sharp, entertaining and seriously overdue.”
BAD EDUCATION
Bad Education, nominated for Outstanding TV Movie, is based on the real-life scandal that went down at writer Mike Makowsky’s high school, where a student journalist uncovered the single largest public school embezzlement scheme in America’s history.
The movie follows Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman, who is up for Best Actor for the role) and Pam Gluckin (Oscar winner Allison Janney), whose reign over a prestigious school district is threatened by the embezzlement scandal, forcing Frank to take drastic steps to maintain order and secrecy.
The cast includes MTV Movie + TV Awards nominee Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Kathrine Narducci (The Irishman, Godfather of Harlem) and Golden Globe nominee Ray Romano (The Irishman, Everybody Loves Raymond).
Bad Education has a 93% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics consensus is, “Anchored by an outstanding Hugh Jackman, Bad Education finds absurd laughs – and a worthy message – in the aftermath of a real-life scandal.”
RICK AND MORTY S4
Rick and Morty is nominated for Best Animated Program, where it’s competing against Big Mouth, Bob’s Burgers, BoJack Horseman, and The Simpsons.
Rick Sanchez is a sociopathic genius scientist who lives with his daughter Beth’s family, constantly bringing her, his son-in-law Jerry, granddaughter Summer, and inherently timid grandson Morty on insanely dangerous adventures across the multiverse.
Adult Swim’s half-hour animated comedy is the highest-rated animated series of all time on IMDb, with a 9.2/10 rating, and has won an Emmy, two Annie Awards and a Critics Choice Award, among other honours. Season 4 has a 94% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which praises the season as “both an exciting progression and a delightful return to form that proves more than worth the two-year wait.”
ROBOT CHICKEN S10
Robot Chicken is one of three nominees for Best Short Animated Program, for its Christmas special, Santa’s Dead (Spoiler Alert) Holiday Murder Thing Special – think Murder of the North Pole Express, with Inspector Jesus on the case and a train full of fairytale suspects.
Robot Chicken uses stop-motion animation to bring pop-culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format. In its decade of existence, the show has attracted A-list pop culture voiceover talent, from George Lucas and Scarlett Johansson to South Africa’s very own Charlize Theron. The show includes both original characters and hundreds of parody characters from pop-culture franchises like Star Wars, DC Comics Universe, and now, The Walking Dead.
Having just aired its 200th episode, the six-time Emmy-winning series remains among the top-rated original series on Adult Swim.
I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE S1 | Thursdays at 23:00; binge from 6 August 2020
It’s no surprise that three-time Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight, Avengers) is up for Best Actor in a Limited Series for his dual role in I Know This Much is True as identical twin brothers, one of whom is a paranoid schizophrenic.
As The Los Angeles Times predicted, “In a transformative feat that seems all but guaranteed to earn him an Emmy nomination, Ruffalo plays both the Birdsey brothers. He lost 20 pounds before production began, then spent 16 weeks filming his scenes as the aggressive Dominick. Then he took six weeks off, gained 30 pounds by subsisting on oatmeal and mashed potatoes, and returned as the more vulnerable Thomas.”
Based on the 1998 bestselling novel by Wally Lamb, I Know this Much is True’s phenomenal cast includes Oscar winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Emmy winner Rosie O’Donnell (SMILF), Emmy nominees Kathryn Hahn (Mrs Fletcher, Transparent) and Rob Huebel (Transparent), Golden Globe nominee Archie Panjabi (Run, The Good Wife), and Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers).
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL, FOLKS Other 2020 Emmy nominees on Showmax include:
• HBO’s AI sci-fi series Westworld, which is up for 11 Emmys, including Best Supporting Actor (Jeffrey Wright as Bernard) and Supporting Actress (2018 Emmy winner Thandie Newton as Maeve)
• HBO’s prestige drama Big Little Lies, which is up for five Emmys, including Supporting Actress (2017 Emmy winner Laura Dern as Renata Klein and three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep as Mary Louise Wright)
• NBC’s cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is up for two Emmys, including Supporting Actor (Andre Braugher as Captain Raymond Holt). Seasons 1-6 are available to binge now on Showmax; Season 7 comes to Showmax 1 January 2021
• The Discovery Channel documentary series Why We Hate, which is up for Theme Music and Music Composition
• HBO’s Stephen King crime series The Outsider, which is up for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Jason Bateman as Terry Maitland
The reality TV singing competition, The Masked Singer S2, which is up for two Emmys, including Outstanding Competition Programme, is coming to Showmax on 1 October 2020, while HBO’s classic comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is up forfour Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy,has nine seasons available to binge, with its most recent Emmy-nominated season coming first to Showmax in January 2021.
The 72nd Emmy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on Sunday, 20 September 2020, with the Creative Arts Awards airing the night before. Check out the full list of nominees here.
Philippe Talavera’s Kukuri has been selected as part of the Garden Route International Film Festival (GRIFF) 2020 in South Africa. Kukuri was previously nominated as in the Best Film: Southern Africa category at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award 2020.
GRIFF is an independent International Film Festival offering quality films across a number of genres and offering pure entertainment for filmgoers. It is a permanent feature on the Knysna events calendar for visiting professionals, amateurs, local, national and international film enthusiasts and makers.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival converted to a two-part festival: Virtual Online Festival 21st September 2020 to 11th October 2020 and physical screenings in towns in the Garden Route as Drive In Cinemas to adhere to social distancing measures. Town visited are Calitzdorp George, Knysna, Ladismith, mosel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay, Riversdale and Sedgefield. The festival still aims at allowing networking, events and activities to maximise selected films exposure on a virtual platform.
Kukuri follows a young girl from the Kavango region who dreams of becoming a lawyer. Her dreams get shattered when her grand-mother starts plotting to get her married to the local brick-layer.
A wedding scene in ‘Kukuri’ (Image: provided)
The film, shot on location in the Kavango region, is in the local languages, with English subtitles. It stars George Antonio (Salute!) and a local cast led by Hanty Kashongo as Kukuri, Nangana Mushavanga, Diyanni Longwani, Renah Xuesom and Mbango Munyima.
It was produced and directed by Philippe Talavera, with Bernd Curshmann as director of photography, Kauna Hoabeb as sound, Nyandee Mbarandongo as first assistant director and rehearsals director and Una Hoebel as make up and special effects. Award winner Haiko Boldt did the editing and Pondi Dikuua produced the sound track.
Talavera said he is thrilled that his film which tackles the issue of child marriages will now be presented at this prestigious festival in neighboring South Africa.
“I hope Kukuri will keep giving hope to girls who find themselves trapped in such situations,” he says.
On 30 November, Adriano Visagie won the Sotigui Award for Best Actor: Southern Africa for his stellar deliverance of ‘Carlito’ in Philippe Talavera’s Salute!
Visagie was nominated alongside South Africa-born, Canadian-based actress Kandyse McClure, for her performance in Sew The Winter To My Skin and Emmanuel Mbirimi from Zimbabwe for The letter.
A first for Namibia, Visagie shares the title with Munya Chidzonga from Zimbabwe (winner 2018) and Fulu Mugovhani from South Africa (winner 2017). Visagie shares the cinema is huge in West Africa, adding he felt like he belonged to a greater part of African cinema.
“The people there believe that they are responsible for creating their own industry and I feel like that is such an important narrative Namibian and the rest of SADC needs to incorporate in order for us to effectively share our collective skills in a collaborative manner. This is what West Africa is doing and that’s why their film industry is booming,” Visagie said.
Feeling honoured for scooping his first international award, Visagie urged fellow actors to look into collaboration and always work hard to fine-tune their craft. Visagie further said based on the attention to detail the organisers put into the award show, they are striving at building a strong film academy.
While accepting the award, the actor exposed Namibia’s growing film industry by talking up recent films such as The White Line, Baxu and the Giants, and #LANDoftheBRAVE who have been making waves locally and internationally.
“Namibia and the rest of Africa should invest in the arts as it does not only create jobs but also exposes African culture to the world. Personally, as an actor, this award means a lot to me, it is a true honour,” Visagie said.
The Sotigui Awards are organised by the Sotigui Academy to promote cinema from Africa and the Diaspora, in partnership with the FESPACO. The award aim at celebrating the work of actors from Africa and the Diaspora.
PICTURES: See Adriano at the 2019 Sotigui Awards held at Canal Olympia Ouaga 2000, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. (Images: Experienced_Portraits)
Namibian feature film, The White Line has been nominated for Best Sound and Best Cinematography at the 7th African Emerging Filmmakers Awards, slated to take place on 16 November 2019 at the Greyville Race Course, Durban, South Africa.
In the Best Sound category, The White Line is pitted against Ibala, Imvelaphi and Verloop, while being up against Verloop and Ibala in the Best Cinematography category. The film is directed by Desiree Kahikopo, with a screenplay by Micheal Pulse.
Jan-Barend Scheepers and Girley Jazama in The White Line (Images: thewhitelinefilm.com)
Starring Girley Jazarama, Jan-Barend Scheepers, Sunet van Wyk and Mervin Uahupirapi, The White Line won Best Film Script, Best Director and Audience Choice Award at the 2019 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards in October.
Set in 1963, after the Old Location uprising which shook South West Africa, the film follows a black domestic worker, Sylvia (Jazama), whose life is changed when she encounters an Afrikaner police officer, Pieter (Scheepers) on a routine passbook check. Their illicit love for each other grows over time through the letters they write to each other, as they encounter obstacles brought forth by the pigment of their skin.
Mervin Uahupirapi in The White Line.
Sunet van Wyk in the White Line.
Joalette de Villers and Scheepers in The White Line.
The African Emerging Filmmakers Awards are hosted by Ethekwini Filmmakers Association, with the assistance of the Durban Film Office, Kwazulu Natal Film Commission, and KZN EDTEA.
Update: 17 November- The White Line won Best Feature Film and Best Cinematographer at the Awards.
Director Florian Schott’s short film, Baxu and the Giants, had its world premiere in September 2019 and has already won awards for Best Foreign Narrative in San Francisco, 3 Namibian Theatre & Film Awards (Best Female Actor, Best Editing, Best Production Design), 2 monthly international Cinematography Awards (at the Canadian Cinematography Awards and the European Cinematography Awards) and 2 Awards at the Knysna Film Festival for Best Cinematography for a Short Film and Best Supporting Actor for a Short Film.
The film is proving to be favourite with international film festivals having already screened at the San Francisco Independent Short Film Festival in the United States, the Wallachia International Film Festival in Romania, and the Knysna Film Festival in neighbouring South Africa.
Next week, the film will screen at the 2019 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Nigeria. According to Schott, Baxu and the Giants has confirmed screenings at the AfryKamera African Film Festival in Poland in December 2019, at the Barbados Independent Film Festival in January 2020, at the Cape Town International Film Market & Festival in October 2020 as well as screenings in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley in the USA sometime in 2020 and still awaiting a number of decisions from various film festivals around the globe.
Schott talks more about the international success of the film:
Baxu and the Giants is doing really well internationally, with three international wins so far. Why do you think the film is performing so well?
I had the privilege to watch the film with audiences in three different countries so far and everywhere we go our story really seems to connect emotionally with the people watching it. I think that no matter where you come from you can easily understand Baxu’s motivations and connect with her moral dilemma.
The film has screened at a number of festivals and is scheduled to screen at more festivals over the next few months. What is the importance of film festivals, for you as a filmmaker and for Baxu and the Giants as an anti-rhino poaching activism piece?
Our strategy for this film was always two-fold. First, bring the film to Namibian audiences, especially children and teenagers. We are busy planning this right now. Bringing the film to schools, do more public screenings all around the country and show the film villages that are most affected by Rhino poaching. Secondly, we want to raise awareness on the issue of rhino poaching of Namibia. In travelling with the film to festivals we chat to audiences about the importance of conservation and the urgency of this issue. Next to this – for me as a filmmaker – these film festivals are great places to showcase Namibian film, to network, to watch independent cinema from around the world and to chat to potential partners when it comes to distribution but also potential future projects.
You have done a number of films, where would you place Baxu and the Giants in terms of success compared to your other films?
This is such a difficult question. I think all of my films had very different goals, so it’s almost impossible to compare them. For Everything Happens for a Reason I was just glad that people were interested in the film, and I had a bit of financial success with it, winning the Afrinolly Short Film Competition in Nigeria. Katutura probably had the biggest impact when it comes to expectations for a Namibian film. I think our biggest success with that was proving clearly that Namibian audiences are interested in watching well-made Namibian stories if you give them the chance to. Baxu and the Giants is really well received, both in Namibia and internationally, and I hope that this film can be a part in making a real difference in the fight against rhino poaching. And it hopefully inspires other filmmakers to think of the youth and children as potential audiences for their stories. But as I mentioned, it’s almost impossible to compare. I am very happy with the reception of all of my films.
“It’s very comforting that you share the experience of being an independent filmmaker with so many other filmmakers from around the world.” – Florian Schott
Overall, has the response to Baxu and the Giants stacked up to your expectations?
Yes, it actually went way beyond my expectations. We did foresee a positive response from a Namibian audience but the international response, especially from children and teenagers both in Namibia and outside of the country, the way people identify with Baxu and her story, is really beautiful.
Cherlien Schott, Jo-Ann Daries, Florian Schott, Girley Jazama and Andrew Botelle (producer) receiving awards at Knysna Film Festival. (Image: Facebook)
You have travelled to a number of countries with the film. Is there something you’ve learned about films you’d like to share?
As a filmmaker, you learn a bit with every film you watch, every conversation you have with fellow filmmakers and I am privileged to be able to watch a lot of films that are not available in cinemas or online at these festivals. It’s very comforting that you share the experience of being an independent filmmaker, with all its struggles – especially in terms of development, budget and distribution – with so many other filmmakers from around the world.
So, Baxu and the Giants is enjoying international attention now, coming back to Namibia, are there any plans to show the film in other towns other than Windhoek?
Yes. We have two more public screenings in Windhoek planned, optimally this year still.
The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) already brought the film to various schools around the country and we are busy putting a plan together to bring the film to all corners of Namibia in 2020.
Baxu and the Giants follows Baxu (Jo-Ann Daries), a 9-year old girl who is in touch with nature and tradition but toughened by life in poverty, lives with her older brother Khata (Wafeeq /Narimab) and their alcoholic grandmother (Anna Louw) in a village in Damaraland, Namibia. Schott co-wrote the film with Girley Jazama.
Namibian actor, Adriano Visagie, has been nominated in the Best Actor Southern Africa category at the 2019 Sotigui Awards for his performance in Salute!, a film produced and directed by Philippe Talavera.
The Academy of Sotigui works to recognise and valorise the profession of actors in African cinema and the diaspora. In partnership with the Pan-African festival of cinema and Television of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), the 4th Sotigui Awards is held under the theme ‘Co-productions: Major challenges for the development of African cinema’.
“This is an incredible honour for us all!” said Talavera.
“The FESPACO and the Sotigui Awards are much-acclaimed institutions. Adriano Visagie, together with the rest of the cast, did a fantastic work with Salute! and deserves such international recognition. It will open doors not only for him but for other actors in Namibia, as this is the first time a Namibian actor is nominated by the Academy,” Talavera said.
Adriano Visagie, Dawie Engelbrecht and Philippe Talavera behind-the-scenes of Salute!. (Image: Provided)
Salute!, which didn’t receive any nomination at the recently held 5th Namibian Theatre and Film Awards, has already received international recognition when it was nominated as Best Film: Southern Africa at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in Nigeria. The film deals with living in a correctional facility as an inmate, tackling issues on sex, condoms, violence and family.
Visagie, who upon receiving the news of the nomination said he was in awe and very much humbled, is nominated alongside South Africa-born, Canadian-based actress Kandyse McClure, for her performance in Sew The Winter To My Skin and Emmanuel Mbirimi from Zimbabwe for The letter.
The Sotigui Awards will take place on Saturday, November 30, 2019, at canal Olympia Yennenga in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Update: 30 November- Visagie won the Best Actor Southern Africa Award. SEE MORE.
All roads led to the National Theatre of Namibia’s Auditorium on 5 October 2019 as Namibia celebrated the best in local film and theatre at the 5th Namibian Film and Theatre Awards in Windhoek.
The most important event in Namibia’s film and theatre industry took place on 5 October at the National Theatre of Namibia’s Auditorium in Windhoek.
The 5th instalment of the biannual Namibian Theatre and Film Awards (NTFA) themed ‘Creating Tomorrow Today’, hosted by the Namibia Film Commission and the National Theatre of Namibia, saw a great mix of new and old film and theatre industry players recognised for their craftsmanship and outstanding talent.
Winners from 14 film and 11 theatre categories were revealed. The biggest winners of the night from the theatre are Senga Brockerhoff who scooped 4 awards for her musical, Every Woman and Lloyd Winini, who won 2 awards for his play, The Nuthouse.
On the film front, there was a three-way tie as The White Line, Baxu and the Giants and Hairareb took home the biggest awards of the night.
The awards also saw its youngest winner 10-year-old Camilla Jo-Ann Daries winning the Best Female Actor award in film for her outstanding performance in Baxu and the Giants, while Tapiwa Makaza won the Best Student Film award, a new addition to the categories.
South African actress, Leleti Khumalo was the Guest of Honour at the 2019 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards. (Image: Opas Onucheyo)
Three-lifetime achievement awards were bestowed to !Nxau #Toma from the world-renowned The God’s Must Be Crazy, Banana Shekupe and Hans Struppie Reinhardt as well as a special recognition award to Brian Ford.
Two corporate companies, Olthaver & List and B2Gold Namibia were recognised for their unwavering support towards the creative arts, also a new category to the NTFA.
Leading up to the 2019 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards (NTFA) and in an effort to promote Namibian films while affording members of the public an opportunity to vote for their favourite film or music video, the Namibia Film Commission is hosting a film week from 21 to 28 September at various locations in Windhoek.
Throughout the 8-day period, the Film Commission will screen all films submitted into the 2019 Film and Theatre Awards, to give every entry a fair chance and be judged by the public, whether it was nominated for the 2019 NTFA or not.
“The main reason really is to allow for a public voice in their choice of film to take that category (Audience Choice Award) on the night of the awards. The Namibia Film Commission feels this allows members of the public to watch all their films of interest as well as to understand how and why films were judged by an independent film jury,” Nicola Muranda from the Film Commission said.
The Audience Choice Award category requires members of the physically attend the Film Week, watch their choice of film and then cast their vote.
Muranda further added that while the Film Commission acknowledges that audiences outside Windhoek might be excluded from physically attending the Film Week to cast their vote due to distance, it is a fair alternative to the SMS route.
Tickets to the Film Week are N$20 (General) and N$10 (Students & Pensioners). Students are required to have a valid student card.
Here is the full schedule of the Film Week:
DAY 1 – 21 September 2019
Venue: Katutura Community Art Centre (KCAC)
18h00: Introduction & Welcoming Marinda Stein – Project Manager: Film
18h05: NAWA- Karishma ft. DJ Potpher
18h10: Chasm by Leonard Mubiana
18h20 : Q & A
18h30: Another Sunny Day directed by Tim Huebschle (4min)
18h34 – 18h40: Q & A
18h40: The Date by Mikiros Garoes (16minutes)
18h56: Encore directed by Senga Brockerhoff (11min)
19h07: Leaving by Chrisjan Appollus (9min)
19h16 – 19h30 : Q & A
19h30: The White Line by Desiree Kahikopo (100min)
21h10 – 21h20: Q & A
21h20: Wrap for Day 1
Day 2: 22 September 2019
Venue: The Barn (Acacia Street in Suiderhof)
19h00: Introduction & Welcoming
19h05: Oom Land by Tim Huebschle (4min)
19h09 – 19h13 : Q & A
19h13: NDF Survival Kit by Tapiwa Makaza (3min)
19h16: The Fight by Selima Henock (6min)
19h22: Hakahana by Charles Mwinga (9min)
19h31 – 19h45 : Q & A
19h45: Baxu and the Giants by Florian Schott (29min)
20h14 – 20h20 : Q & A
20h20: Kukuri by Philippe Talavera (40min)
21h00 – 21h10 : Q & A
21h10: Wrap for the Day
Day 3: 23 September 2019
Venue: The Barn (Acacia Street in Suiderhof)
19h00: Introduction & Welcoming
19h05: Martyr – Vaughn Ahrens (4min)
19h09: The Rose by Jana Hein (4min
19h13: Pap & Vleis by Cecil Moller (6min)
19h19 – 19h34 : Q & A
19h34: Fish out of Water by Vickson Hangula (97min)
21h11 – 21h20 : Q & A
21h20: Wrap for Day 3
DAY 4 – 24 September 2019
Venue: EL BARRIO
19h00: Introduction & Welcoming
19h05: Fake Fake Trees – Danella Smith Band (5min)
19h10: The Good Old Days by Laimi Hawala (7min)
19h17: Losing You by Christo Eduardo (5min)
19h25: Canvas by Leon Mubiana (10min)
19h35 – 19h50 : Q & A
19h50: Fishing for a Future by Jens Schneider (12min)
20h02 – 20h10 : Q & A
20h10: Invisibles directed by Joel Haikali (16min)
20h26: Wind on Your Skin by Jana von Hause, Naomi Beukes, Birgitte Staube (18min)
20h44 : Q & A
20h59: Short Cut by Leonard Tshikesho (21min)
21h200 – 21h30 : Q & A
21h30: Wrap for the Day
DAY 5 – 25 September 2019
Venue: GOETHE CENTRE
18h00: Introduction & Welcoming
18h05: My Life directed by Elvi Haihambo (4min)
18h09: The Truth Hurts by Vezerua Kahuva (3min)
18h12: Return of the Dead by Codla Maveora (4min)
18h16: The New Boy by Sophia Tsamase (3min)
18h19: Dear Inonge by Leon Mubiana (6min)
18h25: Shit Happens by Michael Namaseb (15min)
18h40 – 18h55 : Q & A
18h55: Hit by the Streets by Josua Mueshixua (7min)
19h02: I am Woman by Jana von Hase (7min)
19h09 – 19h20 : Q & A
19h20: Iitandu by Lavinia Kapewasha (24min)
19h44: Two Sides by Jenny Kandenge (26min)
20h10 – 20h20 : Q & A
20h20 : Nujoma @ 89 by Lydia Pitiri & Charles Tjatindi (29min)
20h49 – 21h00 : Q & A
21h00: Wrap for the Day
DAY 6 – 26 September 2019
Venue: EL BARRIO
19h00: Introduction & Welcoming
19h05: Energy – KP Illest ft. Ice Prince (4min)
19h09: Blind Date by Nicole van Rensburg (4min)
19h13: EGO by Clarisse Muller (4min)
19h17: Ndinelao by Uaripi Katjiukua and Steven Kashekele (13min)
19h30 – 19h45 : Q & A
19h45: Resilient Luderitz directed by Jens Schneider (18min)
20h03 – 20h10 : Q & A
20h10: Salute by Philippe Talavera (67min)
21h17 – 21h30 : Q & A
21h30: Wrap for the Day
DAY 7 – 27 September 2019
Venue: Katutura Community Art Centre (KCAC)
18h00: Introduction & Welcoming
18h05: Mary On – Mr MB (4min)
18h09: SWITCHED by Philemon Shikwambi (4min)
18h13: I am JESS by Hilma Imene (3min)
18h16: The Pet of a Hustler by Immanuel Immanuel (4min)
18h20: The Rumble by Sesilia Namakasa (10min)
18h20 – 18h35 : Q & A
18h35: During October by Em’C Erastus (6min)
18h41: Chasing Monsters by Frances Shaahama (7min)
18h48: Loving You by Selma Kaukungwa (7min)
18h55 – 19h10 : Q & A
19h10: Genesis by Laimi Fillemon (16min)
19h26: Secret Sins by Pumootu Kavirindi (19min)
19h40: Deception by Michael Namaseb (22min)
20h02 – 20h15 : Q & A
20h15: The Voice of the Bush by Pveclidias Witbooi (29min)
20h44: Damara King’s Festival by Andrew Botelle (29min)
21h13 : Q & A
21h30: Wrap for the Day
DAY 8 – 28 September 2019
Venue: The Barn
19h00: Introduction & Welcoming
19h05: Stay – Magogoz ft. Karishma (5min)
19h10 : Q & A
19h15: Hairareb by Oshoveli Shipoh (117min)
21h12 – 21h20 : Q & A
21h20: Wrap for the Day
The biggest and most anticipated night in Namibia’s stage and screen industry is fast approaching. The 2019 Namibian Theatre & Film Awards will take place on 5 October in the National Theatre of Namibia’s auditorium.
This year, the country’s entertainers and content creators within the theatre and film sphere will be competing in categories like Best Newcomer, Best Student Film, Best Adapted Script, Best Musical, Best Narrative Film, Best Documentary, Best Set, Stage & Costume, Best Production Design, Best Sound and Music, Best Editor, Best Cinematography, Best Music Video Editor as well as all the best directing, writing and acting categories in both theatre and film.
The nominees for the 2019 Namibia Theatre & Film Awards were announced on 12 September at the National Theatre of Namibia’s Backstage theatre by the theatre’s Public Relations Officer, Desiree Mentor and Media Personality & TLC’s first African Presenter, David Mbeha. Mbeha and Mentor will be dressed by Ingo Shanyenge and have their make-up done by Jay-Aeron who have both been selected as Official Designer and Make-Up Artist for the event.
David Mbeha and Desiree Mentor at the nomination ceremony on 11 September 2019. (Image: Namibia Film Commission)
This year, the bi-annual Namibian Theatre & Film Awards marks 5 years of celebrating Namibia’s theatre and film practitioners since the inception of the awards in 2010.
Here’s the deep dive on the 2019 event:
WHO IS HOSTING THE 2019 NTFA?
The official co-hosts of the 2019 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards are radio & TV Personality, singer/songwriter and MC and entrepreneur, Matthew ‘Mappz’ Kapofi and radio & TV Personality, Satirical Columnist and MC, Laurika Williams.
WHERE AND WHEN IS THE 2019 NTFA?
The 2019 Award ceremony will return to the National Theatre of Namibia’s auditorium on 5 October. The event will kick off with the Red Carpet at 18h00 and the Award Ceremony at 20h00. The show will be broadcast on National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) afterwards (date and time to be communicated later).
WHO ARE THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2019 NTFA?
As expected, in the film category, Oshoveli Shipoh’s feature film, Hairareb, Florian Schott’s short film Baxu and The Giants and Desiree Kahikopo’s feature film The White Line dominated this year’s nominations with a staggering of 7 nominations, each. In the theatre category, Nelagoh Shilongoh’s adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences reigned supreme with a total of 5 nominations, followed by Sepiso Mwange’s adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun which earned 4 nominations. Senga Brockerhoff’s Every Woman and Donald Matthys’s Battered followed with 3 nominations, each.
The biggest snubs perhaps are Philippe Talevera’s film Salute, which didn’t get a single nomination and Ashwyn Mberi’s play Tales of Roses in Concrete which only received the Best Male Actor nomination.
The ceremony will be attended by the media, film and theatre industry professionals and their partners and is by invitation only.
WHO IS THE GUEST SPEAKER FOR THE 2019 NTFA?
The Guest Speaker for the 2019 Namibia Theatre and Film Awards is South African actress known for her leading role in the movie and stage play Sarafina! and for her roles in other films such as Hotel Rwanda, Yesterday and Invictus, Leleti Khumalo.
WHO ARE THE JURORS FOR THE 2019 NTFA?
The theatre jury consists of Prof. Sarala Krishnamurthy, Dr Juliet Pasi, Dr Suzette van der Smit and Mr Jonathan Sam while the film jury consists of Dr. Hugh Ellis, Ms Karlien Kruger, Ms Oshosheni Hiveluah and Ms Taleni Shimhopileni.
The nominees for the 2019 Theatre and Film Awards were announced on 12 September at the National Theatre of Namibia’s Backstage theatre by the theatre’s Desiree Mentor and Media Personality & TLC’s first African Presenter, David Mbeha.
Here are the nominees:
FILM
Best Music Video Director
1. Robert Scott: Fake Fake Trees by Danella Smith Band
2. Andrew Robson: Martyr by Vaughn Ahrens
3. Leonard Tshikesho: Nawa by Karishma ft DJ Potpher
Best Student Film
1. Chasm – Leon Mubiana
2. NDF Survival Kit – Tapiwa Makaza
3. The Rose – Jana Hein
Best Script
1. Aina Kwedhi – Hairareb
2. Joel Haikali – Invisibles
3. Micheal Pulse – The White Line
Best Production Design
1. Tanya Stroh – Baxu and the Giants
2. Lara-Lyn Ahrens – The White Line
3. Joel Haikali – Invisibles
Best Sound & Music
1. Tim Huebschle, David Benade, Christof van Niekerk, Shishani – Another Sunny Day
2. Wojtek Majewski, Lize Ehlers, Karl Ehlers, Imms Nicolau – Baxu and the Giants
3. Ellen Ernst, Oshoveli Shipoh, Pontianus Dikuua, Nehale Muteka – Hairareb
Best Editor
1. Robert Scott – Baxu and the Giants
2. Oshoveli Shipoh, Ellen Ernst, Nehale Muteka – Hairareb
3. Renier de Bruyn – The White Line
Best Cinematography
1. Bernd Curschmann – Invisibles
2. Kit Hoffmann – Baxu and the Giants
3. Antonius Tsuob – Hairareb
Best Newcomer Director
1. Desiree Kahikopo – The White Line
2. Senga Brockerhoff – Encore
3. Lavinia Kapewasha – Iitandu
Best Documentary
1. The Voice of the Bush – Pvleclidias Witbooi
2. Another Sunny Day – Tim Huebschle
Best Female Actor
1. Camilla Jo-Ann Daries – Baxu and the Giants
2. Lavinia Kapewasha – Iitandu
3. Girley Jazama – The White Line
Best Male Actor
1. Jan-Barend Scheepers – The White Line
2. David Ndjavera – Hairareb
3. Eduardo Lutete – The Fight
Best Director
1. Florian Schott – Baxu and the Giants
2. Joel Haikali – Invisibles
3. Oshoveli Shipoh- Hairareb
Best Narrative Film
1. Baxu and the Giants
2. The White Line
3. Hairareb
THEATRE
Best Director
1. Blessing Mbonambi & Junelle Mbonambi – Stroh– Fell
2. Nelago Shilongoh – Fences
3. Senga Brockerhoff – Every Woman
Best Newcomer Director
1. Ndakalako Shilongo – Thinning Lines
2. Lloyd Winini – The Nuthouse
3. Sepiso Mwange – A Raisin in the Sun
Best Male Actor
1. Ndinomholo Ndilula – Tales of Roses in Concrete
2. David Ndjavera – Fences
3. Blessing Mbonambi – Fell
Best Female Actor
1. Odile Gertze – Battered
2. Hazel Hinda – A Raisin in the Sun
3. Nelago Shilongoh – Madam President
Best Supporting Actor
1. Jennifer Timbo – Every Woman
2. Adriano Visagie – Battered
3. Hazel Hinda – House of Paradox
Best Newcomer
1. Melgisedek Nehemia – Brooding with Beckett
2. Mikiros Garoes – Black Coffee, White Porridge
3. Jeremiah Shivolo – A Raisin in the Sun
Best Stage, Set & Costume
1. God of Carnage – Senga Brockerhoff
2. A Raisin in the Sun – Sepiso Mwange
3. Fences – Nelago Shilongoh
Best Musical
1. I am John – Sandy Rudd
2. Tselane & the Giant – Veronique Mensah
3. Every Woman – Senga Brockerhoff
Best Adapted Play
1. Fences – Nelagoh Shilongoh
2. Aspoestertjie – Abraham Pieters
3. Tselane & the Giant – Veronique Mensah
Best Original Script
1. Battered – Donald Matthys
2. The Nuthouse – Lloyd Winini
3. Daddy’s Girls – Jenny Kandenge
Best Overall Play
1. A Raisin in the Sun – Sepiso Mwange
2. Every Woman – Senga Brockerhoff
3. Fences – Nelago Shilongoh
Another Sunny Day’ a short non-fiction film by Tim Huebschle has been selected as part of the 12th edition of the Short Short Story Film Festival, which will take place in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, November 24th.
Highlighting albinism, the film tells the story of how life must be for someone whose skin has no protection from the sun, living in a country that averages over 80% sunshine during any given year.
With several hundred quality submissions from more than seventy countries, ‘Another Sunny Day’ made it as one of the selected 36 films, which will be showcased in two programme of 18 films each. The film will be showcased under the Heartstrings programme.
Thirty countries from six continents are represented, with 26 films making their U.S. premieres, including eight world premieres.
Festival goers vote on their three favorite films to determine award winners in each program. A panel of Spoiler Alert Radio interviewees judge the films and selects the best in each program. Commissioned custom art objects created by past festival participants are presented to the winners.
The film previously made it to the top 10 finalists of the Discovery Channel ‘Don’t Stop Wondering’ Award.
Huebschle submitted the film to over 150 festivals using FilmFreeway, an online festival submission platform that allows you to filter out festivals according to entrance fees, etc. Of those 150 plus submissions thus far 15 were successful. Roughly 10%.
Tim Huebschle
“My goal was to basically spend no money on submitting ‘Another Sunny Day’ to festivals, because the movie was made on zero budget,” Huebschle says.
This is what the films’ journey has looked like thus far with 15 festival screenings all over the world:
• TriForce Short Film Festival London United Kingdom December 2, 2017
• Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival Sao Paulo, Brazil August 26, 2018
• Copenhagen ShortFilm Festival Copenhagen, Denmark November 8, 2018
• Gold Coast Film Festival / Commonwealth Games 2018 Surfers Paradise, Australia April 4, 2018
• Jozi Film Festival / Discovery Channel Johannesburg, South Africa September 21, 2017
• Festival del Cinema Africano, d’Asia e America Latina Milan, Italy March 21, 2018
• Silicon Valley African Film Festival San José, United States October 5, 2018
• AfryKamera Warsaw, Poland April 21, 2018
• Shorts@Fringe Azores, Portugal May 25, 2018
• Dieciminuti Film Festival Ceccano, Italy March 20, 2018
• International Changing Perspectives Short Film Festival Istanbul, Turkey April 10, 2018
• International Film Festival on Disability (FIFH) Cannes, France September 16, 2017
• InShort Film Festival London, United Kingdom September 14, 2018 • Lake International PanAfrican Film Festival Kisumu, Kenya November 11, 2017
• KRAF Rijeka, Croatia December 2, 2017
“The film came from a place of passion and the greatest reward is to see that the passion transcends our national borders,” Huebschle says.
Saturday, 1st September 2018, Denzel //Naobeb (NSK) was named Namibia’s Favourite Male Actor at 2018 Simply You Magazine Lifestyle and Fashion Awards (SYMLAFA).
The fan-voted category saw NSK, Ashwyn Mberi, Adriano Visagie and Pummue Eiseb vie for the title of Namibia’s Favourite Actor. Having lost the award to Dice in 2017, NSK came back and snatched the award with much determination.
The SYMLAFA is the brainchild of Simply You Magazine’s Executive, Helena Ngaifiwa, aimed at celebrating Namibia’s top lifestyle and fashion personalities.
This is what NSK had to say about the win, his dream of featuring on the ‘Third Will’ series, SYMLAFA 2018 and the animal that would drive him crazy if it could talk.
Tell me about the moment when your name was read out on the SYMLAFA stage.
Priceless. That was the biggest moment of my career. I mean I have had many big moments, but that was the biggest. I have never won a national award. I was once nominated for the NAMA’s (Namibian Annual Music Awards) and lost. I was nominated last year for SYMLFA and lost. So third time’s a charm, I guess. The biggest moment of my career. No doubt.
Did you know that you are going to walk away from a winner?
Nope. I didn’t. It’s even a little trickier because it’s a voting category. So it really could’ve gone to any of the other talented nominees.
On a scale from 1-10 (1 being least), how prepared were you with your acceptance speech?
One! 😀 One, because I attended the ceremony without expectations. What I said that night what was on my heart. I was speaking from the heart because I see how the rest of my colleagues are suffering silently and it’s just not right…
This category was fan-voted, what do you have to say to everyone who voted for you?
I wanted people to know what they are voting for. I didn’t want people to vote for me just because they know me or are friends with me. I wanted people to base their votes on the fact that they have seen my work. So if you voted, you appreciated the product I brought forth. Thank you.
Does this win mean anything extraordinary to you?
Heck yeah! I am the country’s favourite actor! I tried many things for the first time in my acting career over the last 12 months and for it to be recognized on a national scale, is incredible!
What’s your take on the organisation of this year’s SYMLAFA?
It was an incredible effort. It was a brilliant theme. It was an all-round fantastic atmosphere. The only problem is the lack of sponsors. The organizers really made it work with the limited budget they had, although it’s not supposed to be like that. Hence my speech. If any of these multinationals had injected a couple of millions into that award, it would’ve been out of this world. Despite that, they still put up an incredible show and platform for Lifestyle and fashion bigwigs. The rest of the country really needs to get behind these awards.
Are we going to see more of NSK now that you got the recognition for your hard work?
I will be hustling until the last breath to be on every stage in this country and Southern Africa! I say hustle because I honestly hate auditions. I suck at auditions. I don’t know how I managed to get this far because I really suck at auditions. However, I will keep trying and I will keep hustling. So yes…you will see more of me…one way or another. Something WILL GIVE!
What performance would you say is the most memorable you had so far?
Definitely, my first ever TV commercial sanctioned by Weatherman agency, sponsored by Namibia Breweries Limited and directed by Rio. At the time I had no screen experience. I had no prior rehearsals. It was a live environment with real people (not actors). My director literally walked me through what he wanted to project…and I acted it the best way I could! That was memorable!
How was it working in that advertorial?
It was insane! Lights, camera, action! The intimidating and loud environment in which we shot it. Seasoned professionals around you advising you and helping you at every corner. It was an amazing and real experience. I want more, dammit, I want more!
Is there any current Namibia film or series you would like to be in?
I would like to be in ‘The Third Will’. I didn’t receive callbacks after my first audition. Like I told you…I suck at auditions. The worst part is that it’s not even a reflection of what I can do, but ‘The Third Will’ people, can I get another try, toxoba?
Lighten up with NSK
If you were a t-shirt, what colour would you be? Why?
Right now…Gold. It will match my new look mos…
Are you in a relationship?
Titse…this question. Yes, I am.
What’s the most epic way you’ve seen someone quit or be fired?
Saturday morning, a person came late for their radio show. Boss was unfortunately around and he just told her to go and never come back. Net so!
What actors or actresses play the same character in almost every movie or show they do?
“Jack Mabaso” is always a “Jack Mabaso” in every movie. Can’t they give him a pastor’s role or something?
What’s the craziest conversation you’ve overheard?
It was a conversation about me…at a car wash. A couple of ladies were debating whether I am Namibian or not. They had no idea who I was until a friend of mine…greeted me from far… “Awe NSK..hoezit gazi?” The ladies turned around to see me sitting right next to their table. They were so embarrassed. Oh, and I am Namibian amae. Damara axa.
If animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying?
A mouse. I assume that they would have this ultra high pitched voice. That will drive me through the roof.
Which protagonist from a movie would make the worst roommate?
Definitely Superman.
If you were given five million dollars to open a small museum, what kind of museum would you create?
A radio museum, which would display all the radio greats Namibia has seen since independence.
What’s your worst example of procrastination?
Learning my lines while I am supposed to do something else. LOL.
Philippe Talavera’s movie ‘Salute’ has been nominated in the Best Movie: Southern Africa category of the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA). This is the first nomination the film has received.
Talavera says ‘Salute’ is for sure very special in the Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO) sphere, as most of the youth organisations’ previous films deal with teenage issues. According to him, they worked for two years in correctional facilities, interacting, listening and learning from inmates. Explaining the success and approval rate of the film, Talavera adds that the film is one of the organisation’s most researched film, to date.
As part of the built-up to the AMVCA, ‘Salute’ will be screened at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) on 15 August at 6pm – entrance is N$40. Tickets can be bought at FNCC in advance or on the day, however, there are limited seats.
I sat down with Talavera to get into the detail of his film, among other things:
Can you name some of OYO’s most successful films?
‘Pap and milk’ has been very successful as many could relate to the main character. ‘Now that I can talk about it’ dealt with the difficult issue of abuse by a family member and won best male actor at the 2014 Namibian Theatre and Film Awards (NTFA) for Dawie Engelbrecht, (also starring in ‘Salute’). ‘Stinky boy’ dealing with children’s rights was also successful and won best female actor at the NTFA 2014 for Anna Louw.
Where did the inspiration for ‘Salute’ come from?
While we worked in correctional facilities, inmates opened up to us and started to share their stories and their experiences. We met quite a few inmates whose story inspired the character of Carlito. Living in a correctional facility is difficult. It is a difficult environment and we tend to forget sometimes that inmates are first and foremost, people. We wanted to tell their stories, to give them a voice. Also as an organization, OYO strongly believes that condoms should be made available in correctional facilities. Regardless of what we think about gay sex, we need to give people a chance to protect themselves. There is no point in hiding behind morals while people get infected with HIV. Inmates don’t spend their whole life behind bars: they get out eventually. What is the point of having people going out with the virus, and further spreading it? We need to be pragmatic. Most inmates are not gay, but there are no women around. So for those who choose to have sex, or are forced to have sex, there should be protection for them.
Who in ‘Salute’ is most like their character/s?
Nobody really. Actors did fantastic work so their characters are believable. ‘The General’ and his ‘Gang’ spent a lot of time with ex-inmates working on their characters while Adriano Visagie, playing Carlito, had to find the right balance between being naïve and fitting into that environment. Odile Muller, who plays Julia, Carlito’s girlfriend, also did a fantastic job.
How long did the production of ‘Salute’ take?
It took over 18 months of research and writing of the script. The shooting happened over eleven days and the post-production took another six months.
What was the budget for this film? Who funded it?
The budget, excluding the research part, was roughly N$500,000.00. The production of the film was made possible thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund).
What would it mean if this film wins at the awards?
It would be absolutely amazing. Oftentimes we are not considered for those awards, as our films deal with social issues that are not considered arty enough. This particular film dealing with issues around gay sex, rape and life in correctional facilities is a particularly difficult film. It would be amazing for Namibia and for Africa if the film could win. Those topics are taboo in many parts of Africa, they deal with a sensitive issue in Namibia. It could become an inspiration to many. It would also put Namibia on the map. We have stories to tell. We matter.
How did you get started in the film industry?
A little by accident to be honest. I come from the theatre and dance environment. I like the stage and its three-dimensionality. However touring a play is expensive: you need a cast and crew, transport, accommodation, logistics, dealing with sick actors, etc. I realized that while producing a DVD is expensive too, once it is done, it is easier to showcase everywhere. With our films, we can reach many more schools than with our plays. That’s why as an organization we moved away from theatre productions and got involved in film productions.
Who are the filmmakers that inspire your work today?
There are so many. I have always been impressed by the creativity of filmmakers such as David Lynch and The Wachowski (Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski) for instance. They manage to create universes that are absolutely amazing.
