Film schools, training programmes

No film school exists in Namibia. The Media and Television Studios (MATS) department of the Katutura Community and Arts Centre (KCAC), with funding from the government, provides basic training in media related TV productions.

The state-owned national broadcaster Namibian Broadcasting Company (NBC), due to its nature, also functions as a training facility.

Business management, technical and journalism schools interested in being involved with this initiative

The Media and Journalism Departments of University of Namibia (UNAM) and Polytechnic of Namibia could be interested in such an initiative.

Festivals

In Namibia there is no film festival. A few years back there was the Wildcinema Film Festival, which ceased to exist due to lack of funding and willingness of stakeholders to provide adequate resources and infrastructure to festival’s organisers.

In 2010, the Filmmakers Association of Namibia (FAN) held, in cooperation with the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN), and with co-funding provided by the Namibian Film Commission (NFC), the Namibian Film and Theatre Awards. Preceding the awards evening a two week long Namibian film festival was hosted, showcasing Namibian film product from the last two years. As then vice chairperson of FAN, Hans- Christian Mahnke was responsible for organizing the festival and the awards evening.

Due to the fact that the theatre only hosts an awards evening every two years, FAN has decided to continue cooperating with NTN, and hence organise a bi-annual awards ceremony.

In May 2012, a so-called Namibian Film Week was organised, with initial funding coming again from the NFC. This film week, consisting of workshops and panel discussions, focused on industry related questions such as funding/finances, distribution, copyright, etc.

In 2011 a student at the University of Namibia (UNAM) organised an Amateur Film Festival, focusing on works by film students in Namibia. This festival was part of project carried out as part of his final exams for his studies at the Media department of UNAM.

Professional, peer mentorship group: creative producers, line producers, directors, writers, editors

The only professional civil society body in Namibia representing all aspects of filmmaking is the Namibian Filmmakers Association (FAN). Furthermore there is an artist union called Oruuano.

There is a governmental body which is involved in funding film projects in Namibia, the Namibian Film Commission (NFC). Their mandate is also to control foreign film productions shooting in Namibia and assist with visa, customs, etc.

Camera, computer hardware, software and other tech-related companies in film

Various private production companies rent out their equipment to other filmmakers and productions.

Sales companies, distributors advisory group

Currently there are no commercial distributors operating in Namibia. The sole distributor body/agency is a project called the Namibian Movie Collection (NMC), a non commercial project with a mandate to collect, archive, store and rent out Namibian film products. The NMC is mainly presented at the multimedia library of the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) in Windhoek. There are a few other institutions in and outside Namibia which have purchased a copy of the NMC and have made it accessible for other audiences.

The NMC is run by AfricAvenir, FNCC, and Joe Vision Productions. See more onwww.africavenir.org.

Advocacy partners

The only professional civil society body in Namibia representing all aspects of filmmaking is the Namibian Filmmakers Association (FAN). Hence FAN is also a lobby body for the genre of documentary films.

Existing documentary and news archives

The Namibian Movie Collection (NMC) is the sole place where Namibian film products are being stored, rented out, marketed, and distributed non-commercially. The NMC also includes documentary films. See: http://www.africavenir.org/projects-namibia/namibian- movie-collection.html

The National Archives of Namibia has some canisters and other archival materials stored at their facilities. But these films, including documentaries, are not properly accessible to the public, nor to professionals, due to the lack of maintenance and technical equipment to view the material, and incorrect labeling on the cassettes, boxes, etc. Nevertheless the National Archives wants to make this material accessible.

The national broadcaster NBC also has its own productions in their archives.

All forms of distribution, including: broadcast, theatrical, internet, mobile TV, telecoms/mobile phone, mobile cinema, film/video clubs, etc.

Some documentaries make it on the local TV stations: the national broadcaster NBC or the sole commercial TV station in Namibia, One Africa TV.

The organisers of the NMC have distributed some documentaries to Cape Town TV, a community TV station in the Cape region, South Africa.

Furthermore SABC has shown interest in purchasing selected films, including documentaries from the NMC.

Educational and non-profit distributors

AfricAvenir, FNCC, and Joe Vision Productions distribute the NMC on an adhoc and non-commercial basis. The NMC includes documentaries.

Legal frameworks including any censorship issues

None existing.

Nevertheless, NBC will censor itself and also content they would and could purchase, if the topic addressed is sensitive and, or not in line with, government policies.

Audience cultivation strategies including publicity/ PR strategy

AfricAvenir has been successfully hosting bi-monthly and monthly film screenings of African films in the Namibian capital for over 6 years. The project is called “African Perspectives”. The screening series focuses on feature and documentary films.

One aim of the series is to create a screening culture in Namibia, and hence create a market for Namibian film.

AfricAvenir is in negotiations with individuals and companies in Swakopmund (coast) and Ondangwa (Northern Namibia) and is planning screening activities there. Furthermore AfricAvenir has handed in a proposal to the Ministry of Safety and Security (including correctional services) to start screening Namibian and other African films to prison inmates.

The cultural centres of the French (FNCC), Germans (Goethe Institute), and Americans (American Cultural Centre) are occasionally hosting film screenings in Windhoek. The FNCC has done so also at the coastal town of Swakopmund.

Unsystematic film screenings are being organised by individuals in Windhoek and across the country, mostly by filmmakers in order to promote their products.

The NFC is currently planning to purchase screening equipment in order to promote screenings and screening culture outside the Namibian capital.

Certain institutions (governmental and non- governmental) have produced films in order to address single issues (like HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, alcohol abuse, environment, climate change, etc.). These films then are showcased on NBC, and at the respective interest groups.

Revenue strategies, including advertising, sponsorship, footage licensing, partnerships with news organisations

Some documentaries are produced by NBC. These films are shown on NBC. Some others are funded and produced by NGOs, ministries, and international donors. It seems no real revenue

strategies are in place and that the aim is merely advocacy for the issues addressed.

Nevertheless, the NFC gave 300.000 N$ in 2011 for a documentary project and in 2012 they made a call for proposals for a documentary again.

Some projects by filmmakers are aiming for investment returns, since they got private enterprise support or funded the film themselves. See for example Nr. 17 of the NMC, “100 years of Etosha”, and Nr. 44, “Born in Etosha part 1 & 2”.

Social movements, civil society groups and other partners

• Goethe Institute Johannesburg, Legal Assistance Centre, OYO, AfricAvenir, FAN, and others.