Film Review: ‘Kapana’

Director: Philippe Talavera
Screenplay: Senga Brockerhoff, Mikiros Garoes
Cast: Adrino Visagie, Simon Hanga, Chanwill Vries, Elize de Wee, Mikiros Garoes, Jeremiah Jeremiah, Felicity Celento, Albertina Hainane, Foreversun Haiduwah, Lukas Paulus

Rating: ★★★

Apart from unapologetically taking male same-sex relationships to the silver screen, Philippe Talavera’s Kapana shows its worth by not deriding HIV. In so many ways the film is an intimate, charming queer-themed romantic drama which offers a fresh take on HIV/AIDS in the queer community.

Being another film from the activist group, Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO), Kapana can thrust HIV/AIDS onto the Namibian silver screen with its message of acceptance and love. Not problematic in delivering its message, the film was crafted with a compelling screenplay which helps make this a non-generic story that engages its audiences on a personal level.

Simon Hanga in Kapana

Kapana explores the love story between two Namibians who come from different walks of life. Award-winning actor Adriano Visagie stars in the film as George, an HIV positive gay man who falls in love with Simeon (Simon Hanga), a closeted Kapana (grilled beef strips) vendor. The film deserves applause for not relying on the popular and often true trope of homophobic, unsupportive family and friends. George, being an openly gay man receives great support and love from his family as seen through his mother (Felicity Celento), aunt (Elize de Wee), brother (Chanwill Vries) and coworkers played by Mikiros Garoes and Foreversun Haiduwah. The relationships between these friends and family offer a fresh and much-needed narrative on same-sex relationship, especially in Namibia which still criminalizes the sexual relationships between two men under the outdated sodomy law.

Simon Hanga and Adriano Visagie in Kapana.

Kapana is a win for director Talavera but most importantly because of his collaborative take on this film. He employed Senga Brockerhoff and Mikiros Garoes to craft the storyline and using one of the country’s best cinematographerS (Kit Hoffman) and film editors (Haiko Boldt) to put together the film. This film is in so many ways much better than the director’s 2018 film, Salute! and signals a lot of growth in the director’s film career.

While the film was put together impressively and its message communicated very smoothly, I can however not say the same about the performances which were stale and forced. This film had the potential of being very emotional and gripping, however, that aspect fell flat due to the lacklustre performances which I suppose come from the film requiring so much vulnerability that almost all actors just couldn’t pull off. ‘Fake acting’ and overacting does nothing but ruin films and Kapana had an abundance of this. Alas, it was refreshing to see newcomer actors Hanga and Vries give such stunning performances at their first go and equally refreshing to see the versatile side of de Wee.

But Kapana is worthy of your time and will give you a different look into queer relationships, relationships with someone living with HIV while highlighting the power of love.

If you want to see Kapana, there are still a couple of screenings at Ster Kinekor Grove Mall, Windhoek on 14 ,15 & 18 August 2020. Time:18:00. Price: N$60.00.

Boet & Sus – The Play That Will Pioneer Live Stream Theatre in Namibia

The Coronavirus crisis has had a devastating effect on the performing arts the world over, with no exception to Namibian theatre, but in the words of the iconic band Queen, “the show must go on.”

Since the start of the pandemic, many theatres have been streaming theatre productions on various online platforms and even premiering shows on these platforms. Boet & Sus, from writer and director Lize Ehler’s will be the first live-streamed offering from the National Theatre of Namibia in its 2019/20 theatre season under the Premier programme.

The show, previously scheduled to premiere on 23 April 2020, was postponed after national coronavirus regulations closed theatres and prohibited public gatherings. Now, with things gradually getting back to normal, the show is back and this time with a determination and in the words of of Ehlers, the cast and crew of this production are incredibly charged and excited for how it will turn out.

“Rehearsals are tough for actors who wear masks or face shields but we are taking all necessary steps to make this work, safely,” Ehlers says.

Boet & Sus, which stars Ehlers, Adriano Visagie, Rodelio Lewis and Roberto Menneguzzo, is a multimedia theatre production that melts the commonalities and differences between “kallids” coloureds and drag queens in present Namibia. The part talkshow-part-dragshow is in Afrikaans and English and features live musc from Imms Nicolau.

“I hope the audience sees how important it is for us to embrace ‘kallid‘ and drag culture and see how important representation of minorities is,”

On the look and feel incorporated in the production, Ehlers highlights that turquoise and white have always been staple colours in the “kallid” community and that she wanted to honor that.

Lize Ehlers during rehearsals (Image: NTN)

“I wanted to stay authentic to the story by only casting coloured actors. Adriano Visagie plays Boet aka Alaska. Rodelio Lewis plays Miss Mavis & Roberto Meneguzzo plays Gigi has Arrived. I play Sus. It is a necessary story of friendship & kinship that cuts through a community of prejudice and ignorance,” Ehlers explains.

Ehlers says she was inspired by her own life experiences, the lives of her coloured drag performer colleagues, friends and family, including Netflix’s Pose.

Adriano Visagie rehearsing his role as ‘Boet’ (Image: NTN)

“It is because the queer community is so brave and creative that we see the urgency and need in telling these stories. As an ally, I see it is as a necessity to tell the stories of our ‘kallid‘ and queer communities in Namibia.”

The creative team is also made up of Marchell Linus as Choreographer, Martin Amushendje with Video Documentation support, Miss Jey Arts as Make-Up Artist and costumes by Ingo Shanyenge.

The tickets, dates and times of the show are yet to be announced. Join the online Theatre Talk on the National Theatre of Namibia’s Facebook page on 18 August 2020, at 18h00 to meet the creative team and cast, and learn more insights into the production.

The Cast & Crew back for rehearsals (Source: National Theatre of Namibia)

Watch: Official Trailer Of Kapana

Kapana, director and producer Philippe Talavera’s half-length drama exploring themes of love, secrecy, fears and commitment will have its official premiere on 6 August at Ster Kinekor Grove Mall, Windhoek.

The LGBT-themed film follows a love story between an insurance broker and a meat (kapana) vendor and aims to raise awareness on social issues like HIV/AIDS- as is with most Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO)-produced work.

Official Poster of Kapana (2020)

Kapana was written for the screen by Senga Brockerhoff (Encore) and Mikiros Garoes (The Date) and stars Adriano Visagie, Simon Hanga, Mikiros Garoes, Felicity Celento (#LANDoftheBRAVEfilm), Elize de Wee (#LANDoftheBRAVEfilm), Foreversun Haiduwah (The Third Will), Albertina Hainane (The Third Will), Jeremiah Jeremiah (Salute!), Lukas Paulus, and Chanwill Vries.

The Director of photography is Kit Hoffmann, with Post Production done by Wojtek Majewski and Editing by Haiko Boldt.

This week, the film gave us a glimpse into the film with a stunning trailer. The trailer comes with an official soundtrack by Micheal Pulse and Ponti Dikuua.

Watch the exciting trailer here:

Kapana (2020) Official Trailer

Lockdown Missive: Adriano Visagie

These past few weeks sombre news has been on loop on the internet. For this reason, Namib Insider! is keeping up with our friends in the stage and screen industry through a series of Q&A’s titled ‘Lockdown Missive’. During this series, we will feature various performers and creators as they share their quarantine experiences and at the same time, bring a little more light on the internet.

Today we have Adriano Visagie, who recently scooped an international award at the Sotigui awards in Burkina Faso for Best Male Actor: Southern Africa for his performance in Philippe Talavera’s Salute! (2018).  Visagie is also a holder of the Best Male Actor In Theatre award from the Namibia Theatre and Film Awards. He also earned a Best Supporting Actor Nominee from his performance in Donald Matthys’ Battered (2019). Visagie stares in the soon to be released film Kapana (2020) by Talavera and has featured in numerous plays including Lize Ehler’s upcoming play Boet & Sus. Dabbling in presenting, Visagie has been the presenter for various entertainment events and is also the official 2020 RMB Song Night host.

Adriano Visagie (Image: Provided)

When the first lockdown was announced in March, what was your initial reaction?

I panicked at first – I don’t think I took to heart what the impact was going to be prior to lockdown as I just finished shooting my third film and started rehearsing for Boet & Sus. But after much reading and attention, I immediately took the necessary precautions.

What really bums you out about the current state of events?

The roller-coaster of emotions we are all going through daily, not having certainty about anything except to live daily and take care. I’ve been more focused on daily affirmations and mantras regarding what’s important and not, but I do miss being creative in spaces like the stage or behind the camera.

Productivity wise, what have you been up to?

I form part of Namibia’s essential services as a banker, so I do work from office at times and then at home. I’ve collaborated with Monochrome Magazine on a new series of #LivewithAdriano as we engage local personalities . I’m reading my script and books I never got a chance to read, but loving the time with my family.

It’s probably hard but how have you been trying to keep a positive mental attitude during these times?

I exercise daily. This has become part of my daily schedule. I’ve also dedicated the time to planting and polishing my Portuguese. I finally finished my vision board as well and working on editing videos for my YouTube channel.

With the arts temporarily shut down, how would you advise people to continue to support the arts industry?

I believe during this time a lot of artists have their gigs cancelled/postponed until further notice, thus putting on a lot of flow of income. My proposal for support would be for corporates to engage artists in spreading a positive message about around safety around Covid-19 and give them an incentive. Corporations that don’t have social platforms should engage graphic designers/web designers and corporations can meet artists halfway through engaging their arts and crafts, etc. Engage with artists on their social platforms, purchase their content.

During lockdown, have you discovered anything that you’d like to recommend to Namib Insider!’ readers?

I’ve read both Mark Manson’s ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck’ series’. The second series is all about hope. I advise this read because during this time we do feel hopeless and it really speaks about purpose and serves as a guide to what you should really care about. I have also been reading ‘No Ashes In The Fire’ by Darnell L. Moore. Through this upbringing, he explores the life of a queer black man and his hurdles through poverty and struggling to be accepted in a generation that bullied him. I have been listening to Lize Ehlers’s album – ‘Lize Live’. Seldom one finds Namibian albums that speak to the heart or get you in the space of asking ‘What was the artist going through?’ and she has allowed herself to be vulnerable in this album. My brand celebrates vulnerability and sees that as strength.

Looking to the future, what are you looking forward to most when all of this is over?

Being able to go to church, being on stage and hugging people. Trust me online church is not the same as being in a space of fellowship with my Koi Family.

Lastly, a penguin walks through your door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?

Some cool penguin in a deep Mexican accent: Hey, I’m here to make you some Tacos.

‘Salute!’ Earns Accolades At Five Continents International Film Festival

Salute!, one of the Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO)’s DVDs, is among January’s winners at the Five Continent International Film Festival, getting Best Half Length Film as well as a Special Mentions in a Feature Film for Odile Gertze and Adriano Visagie and another Special Mention for a Supporting Actor in a Feature Film for Monray Garoeb.

The Five Continent International Film Festival is an online Film Festival. Every month some films are entered and are in competition. In January, the Best Half Length Film section saw 16 films, from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, etc.

The film follows the story of Carlito (Adriano Visagie) sentenced to five years in jail for fraud at the time his girlfriend (Odile Gertze) is pregnant. In jail, he has to find his way and learns very fast that protection is important but comes at a price. His encounter with the General (Monray Garoeb) and his team will change his life forever.

Adriano Visagie and Odile Gertze on the set of Salute! getting reading for a scene.

Speaking on the creation of Salute!, director and producer Philippe Talavera says the film’s script was workshopped with inmates and actors were trained by ex-inmates with some inmates taking part as extras.

“Adriano and Monray had to spend seven days in jail – not sleeping there but spending more than 10 hours per day with the crew in one of Windhoek Correctional Facility’s units. It was extremely hard work and required a huge motivation from the cast. The fact that they are finally recognised – first with Adriano’s win as Best Actor Southern Africa at the Sotigui Awards in Burkina Faso and now with those three special mentions – is hugely rewarding for us all,” Talavera says.

The news came at the time OYO’s other DVD, Kukuri has been nominated as Best Movie
Southern Africa at the 7th Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) in Nigeria.

“We try our best to develop stories that are addressing current social issues’, says Talavera. “I think people relate to our films because they speak the truth and everybody on set is passionate about the topic.”

(IMAGES: Provided)

‘Collaboration Is Key’- Adriano Visagie On Winning Sotigui Award for Best Actor

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)

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Adriano Visagie Nominated In Burkina Faso For ‘Salute’

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.

A Report For An Academy: Adriano Visagie takes on the role of Kafka’s ape

Channelling Franz Kafka’s Red Peter in the play, A Report For An Academy, is not easy according to Adriano Visagie, who will deliver his first one-man show at the College of the Arts Theatre School in Windhoek.

Adriano says the physicality that comes with being ‘Red Peter ‘ and imitating the ape authentically is hard but comes with a lot of fun.

Kafka’s critically acclaimed short story, A Report for an Academy (1917) has been adapted and performed all over the world and will be staged in Windhoek under the direction of David Ndjavera.

Red Peter’s is a story of satire on ‘otherness’ with the notion of civilization and what it means to be human in a world of routinized inhumanity. Red Peter’s story of his former life is revealed as he presents the tale to a top scientific Academy.

“I love the fact that he is very optimistic and inquisitive. He is well educated and shares a lot of knowledge. I wish I had the sarcasm he has; it’s very subtle: if you miss it, you miss it,” Adriano says, talking about his character, Red Peter.

As Namibia is commemorating 29 years of Independence this classic tale of freedom, power and alienation are more current than ever.

A Report For An Academy is on stage 19 and 20 March at the COTA Theatre School. Tickets are charged at N$80 and available at the door. The show starts at 19h30.

Food Talk with the fabulous Adriano Visagie

The charming Adriano Visagie is one of the 6 cooks who kept us entertained on the ‘Real Good Chicken’ show on NBC and One Africa TV.

When he is not being an actor/banker/radio presenter, Visagie, who is the oldest of four siblings, uses a happy-go-lucky personality to prepare his chicken dishes on TV.

He talks about food, cooking for the family, his experience on the show and the ever-changing Namibian food industry.

Who taught you how to cook?
I learned cooking by watching my mom cook. Whenever I cooked my own dish, she would usually help me with the finishing touches.

What’s is the worst ‘fail’ you had in the kitchen?
I once cooked at a friends house and while rinsing the pasta after cooking it, it all fell into the sink.

If you could make a dish to impress a date, what would you make?
I love Pasta, so it would be chicken fillets with pasta basil, cheese and garlic.

What’s your top cooking trick?
I cant share my secret ingredient, but when I cook, I make sure it comes from the heart.

Who is the best cook in your household?
My mom.

How do you describe your style of cooking?
Very edgy. I love quick, yet impressive, meals. I also make a nice healthy dish, making sure I add at least more veggies than carbs. I am not a big meat-eater, so a quick chicken meal is my go-to.

Which dish do you call your Signature dish?
My family loves my chicken wraps. It’s quick and easy.

Do you have a guilty food pleasure?
This might be a little weird, but I can eat peanut butter any day. From the tub with a spoon.

Are you asked to cook at personal gatherings? Does it annoy you or do you enjoy it?
I am. My best friend knows I can cook so when we are out at personal gatherings, everyone points at me. It gives me great pleasure. Once, on my birthday, Bunny from The Real Good Chicken show told me to ‘sit back and relax’ and she took over the “chicken potjie”. I think I’ll be annoyed if the dishes are not done afterwards, so there is always an agreement on who does the dishes.

With international ingredients so easily available, do you see the Namibian market growing?
We still rely heavily on South African ingredients, however, when we look at spices like that of “Kapana spice’ by Ees, there is growth in the market. Also, we have a proudly Namibian chicken brand that isn’t just any chicken and it comes in different pieces.

Tell us about your experience working on-set of the ‘Real Good Chicken’ show.
The best. We are six presenters just simply showing how we can prepare dishes using Real Good Chicken. I made a group of new friends. Being on set is like a dream come true, as we cook on camera and simply just share recipes from home. In Season 2, I got to share the ‘Real Good Chicken’ kitchen set with my mom.

Do you see a change in the Namibian food scene?
OH YES!!! We have become more and more cognizant of the type of foods we eat. There are so many different ways of preparing local dishes, while also trying international dishes using local products. I can proudly say Namibians do love fine dining with a touch of local flavour.

How long did it take to develop your own style of cooking, and what advice would you offer to young chefs looking to develop theirs?
It’s a constant practice. No one is perfect in the kitchen. Every time you cook, you become better at it. Take that first step even if your burn water 😀 😀 😀

‘Real Good Chicken’ is currently in its 2nd Season on NBC and One Africa TV.

(Images: Facebook.)