The government has committed N$17.5 million towards the development of Namibia’s film industry as part of a new collaboration aimed at strengthening the country’s creative sector.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently to strengthen government collaboration in the development of Namibia’s arts and creative industries.
The MoU, signed by MICT minister Emma Theofelus and MEIYSAC minister Sanet Steenkamp, will facilitate the implementation of programmes aimed at growing the local film industry, strengthening the capacity of artists and creative professionals, and creating more opportunities within the sector.
Expanding
The collaboration will include the growth of the Namibian film industry, programmes aimed at enhancing the capacity of artists and creative industry professionals, and the creation of a marketing, research and information division for the creative industries.
It will also see the establishment of an Accelerator Programme for the arts and creative industries, as well as mentorship and creative entrepreneurship initiatives.
Chairperson of the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) board, Ester Beukes said the milestone would enable a more coordinated approach to the development, production and promotion of Namibian content across film, television, digital media and other audiovisual platforms.
“It will also allow for the telling of authentic Namibian stories. Namibia has a wealth of stories, cultures, histories and contemporary experiences that can be developed into compelling local content. Strengthening the film industry means creating more opportunities for Namibian filmmakers to tell Namibian stories from Namibian perspectives,” said Beukes.
Content plan
Theofelus said the MoU is primarily anchored by the Namibia content creation clan, which will see the production of a national soap opera, two limited television series across various genres and 14 regional short films.
Steenkamp said an immediate area of cooperation would be the implementation of the local content plan, which forms part of the government’s N$50 million allocation towards creative industries programmes.
Of this allocation, N$17.5 million has been earmarked for the local content plan, with the investment expected to create approximately 470 direct employment opportunities.
“This means opportunities for writers, actors, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, sound technicians, designers, production crews and many others,” said Steenkamp.
Funding welcome
The anticipated funding has been welcomed by industry players, who believe the investment could improve the quality of Namibian productions and create greater opportunities for local creatives.
Writer and director Jo-Neillen Isaaks described the funding as an incredible development for the industry.
“More funds equals higher quality of content. Investing this much money will push the industry in the right direction as far as quality goes. Good quality gets more eyes on the product. This is true in any industry,” he said.
Isaaks commended the Film Commission for its efforts to move the industry forward but said filmmakers and content creators must ensure that their work matches and exceeds the level of investment being made.
Actor Dawie Engelbrecht welcomed the initiative, describing it as something many in the industry had been waiting and praying for over the years.
“Namibia has many stories, languages, cultures and contemporary issues that are not being represented adequately on TV and other platforms. It is a very good plan, provided that the money is managed transparently and the programme is focused on building a sustainable industry rather than simply benefitting individual productions or individuals,” he said.
Accountability
While supporting the initiative, Engelbrecht raised concerns about accountability and how the funds would be allocated.
“Overall, I support and applaud the initiative, though it took 36 years to come into realisation. A big thank you to MEIYSAC and MICT. You’ve listened and heard the creatives cry,” he said.
Filmmakers’ Association of Namibia (FAN) chairperson Tjuna Daringo said the MoU marked the culmination of sustained advocacy by the association, which played an instrumental role in developing the national content creation plan.
Daringo said the plan was submitted as a key recommendation to the Sixth National Development Plan for the growth of the creative sector and was informed directly by FAN’s 2024 industry assessment report.
“FAN remains fully committed to supporting the film commission and the relevant ministries throughout the implementation phase and looks forward to continued collaboration to ensure the N$17.5 million national content creation plan delivers tangible, lasting benefit to local filmmakers and the broader creative economy,” said Daringo.
The implementation of the plan is now expected to determine how effectively the funding translates into jobs, quality local productions and sustainable opportunities for Namibia’s creative professionals.
-hnalupe@nep**c.com.na
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