Message from the Jury

• It is with great pleasure that we have selected the winners of the 3rd Namibia Film Awards.  Every juror was required to spend quality time and dedication to watch each and every Namibian production that was submitted for the 2009 Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival.
  
  As is the norm in filmmaking around the world, quality is of essence and the number one criteria.  Although filmmaking in Namibia is still regarded by many to be in its development stage, we have seen an increasing number of locally produced films grace our screens over the past nine years: short films, documentaries, music videos and big budget productions such as Uno’s World (2000) and Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation (2008). This is proof of the passion and love for filmmaking in Namibia despite the fact that funding is always a struggle and technical support in short supply.
  
  But we can rest assured that, as long as Namibia is a sought after film location, international filmmakers will keep coming back for more!
  
  In the selection process the jurors of the Namibia Film Awards recognized originality and authenticity of the local submissions in the music video category. They are about storytelling even in its most basic form and encapsulate great energy and enthusiasm for the art.
  For the category films, short films and documentaries jurors commended the selection for its overall different and engaging content. These films cover a wide range of topics from health and social issues, environmental conservation, local history and culture. While one often discovers a well-known name behind the camera or scripting of one or the other production, we also noticed new names coming to the fore. This is especially encouraging and is indicative once again of the growth of the industry.
  
  We congratulate everybody who has submitted their work for the Namibia Film Awards this year and reiterate the words of our previous colleagues in saying that films which truly meet professional standards have been duly awarded.
  
  To conclude, we would like to encourage all aspiring and established filmmakers to continue their excellent work and build on the established legacy.
  Keep it in the Movies!
  
  

  Bridget Pickering Obed Emvula Roselia Penda Tony Figueira Vicky Matjila

Foreword by the Wild Cinema Film Festival Trust

• Open for business (… as usual)

  Film festivals come and go the world over, providing a welcome break from daily routines for some, and opportunities to exchange ideas, opinions or experiences for others. The Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival is no exception, and we are proud to see the culmination of the past 8 months of hard work bear fruit with the 9th edition of our festival.
  Of course the circumstances under which our annual 10 day silver screen spectacle is organised differ greatly from those of other festivals in the region not to mention those abroad; Wild Cinema by and large not having access to the same resources as many of our peers. This can be attributed on the one hand to economical development priorities, but on the other hand also to an ailing world economic climate. By no means does this diminish the importance of adapting to the challenges, and despite of them, consistently produce our country’s only filmic platform where standards of excellence and professionalism can be measured. 

  By now Wild Cinema is considered an important component of the southern African film festival circuit, featuring no less than 19 Namibian productions in competition for the 3rd annual Namibia Film Awards and 29 international films this year, attracting the attention of regional and international film professionals. Ironically Wild Cinema’s comparative smallness is also its advantage, making it more versatile and adaptable to today’s economic challenges, and thus transmitting a confident message to the rest of the world: “Open for business as usual”.

  On a per-capita ratio, Wild Cinema in fact excels the targets of other festivals, easily gauged by the response and support of our local industry stakeholders and film professionals. And with Namibia’s well-deserved reputation as a country with serviceable locations, it is precisely the passion of its film professionals that keeps our industry, and by default our film festival, on a steady course towards becoming a stand-out amongst its peers in the region.

  On that note: it is a widely acknowledged fact, that filmmakers are critical observers of topical social and political issues, leaving important references and topics of discussion for their audiences. One of Wild Cinema’s functions is to provide an open, public arena for highlighting these issues, seeking to aid resolution, amenity and equity for Namibia’s diverse cultural public in general.

  The Wild Cinema Film Festival Trust in collaboration with p.art.ners berlin-windhoek is therefore proud to premiere the winners of Namibia’s first ever short-film competition “18 Years in Windhoek” on our opening night. The competition was launched at last year’s festival and the winning entries produced during the second half of 2008. The three films, Rider Without a Horse, Differences and The Shop highlight Namibia’s present social standing in an sometimes uncompromising, sometimes hilarious way. All three productions are also in competition for the 3rd Namibia Film Awards and we believe that another important milestone has been achieved in promoting Namibia’s talented filmmakers.   

  On the opposite side of the scale, the meagre existences of our far flung rural communities are the subject of a documentary filmmaking workshop at this year’s festival. Made in Namibia production Milking the Rhino (Best Documentary, Pan- African Film Festival, 2009) by USA based team David Simpson and Jeannie Magill, was shot on location in Namibia and Kenya,  objectively capturing the changing socio-political and environmental circumstances of the Himba and the Masaai. Incidentally and quite unrelated to this, the same topic is reflected in several of the Namibian productions at the festival this year, giving rise to the workshop entitled “Empowering Marginalised Communities through Documentary Film” (page 38) with film makers Jeannie Magill and Dudley Viall in attendance.
  Other headlining productions dealing with regional issues at the festival are Land Matters (2008, Thorsten Schütte) and Reflecting on Xenophobia (2008, Filmmakers Against Racism). Apart from documenting, informing and educating viewers on important subject matter, both productions have given rise to public debate events at the festival organised under the auspices of the Legal Assistance Centre and the Namibia Institute of Democracy.

  All of this would not have been possible without the dedicated support of our sponsors and partners - too numerous to mention, some of whom went to great lengths and considerable sacrifice. Special mention must, however, be made of the members of the Jury and our very own Namibian celebrity ambassadors, Maria Hiwilepo, Stefan Ludik and Lazarus Jacobs for endorsing the 2009 Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival. The on-going loyalty of our supporters provides this festival with impact and resonance. 
  Wishing you another, unforgettable Wild Cinema - Open Your Mind – Windhoek International Film Festival

  Volker Röder
  Director
  Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival 2009

Message by Main Sponsor, Namibia Film Commission

• Once again Namibia’s film going-public and industry professionals are treated to 10 days of carefully selected screen gems from Namibia and the rest of the world, and once again the Namibia Film Commission is proud to be the official sponsor of the 2009 Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival. As much as our modest nation has made significant contributions in several sectors of the economy, we still need to overcome considerable challenges especially in the film industry. The annual Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival, being the country’s only film festival, and one of Namibia’s international film industry shop signs, therefore deserves our whole-hearted support. Whether it is relevant local content or skills-imparting capacity building components, the Wild Cinema Windhoek International Film Festival is where you will find it.   Although there is still a desperate need for investment in our local productions, the festival consistently provides an open, regional forum for Namibian stories which reflect the social and cultural values of our country. The subject matter of the productions submitted by local filmmakers for the coveted Namibia Film Awards gives insight into our diverse socio-cultural heritage, and proves our thus far untapped source of skilled and dedicated filmmakers.    The Namibia Film Commission is leaving no stone unturned in an effort to persuade the Namibian government to prioritize the development of the local film industry and thus ensure considerable contribution towards Namibia’s economic growth. While the country’s stable and peaceful political situation has attracted many international film makers, Namibians should make use of this opportunity to benefit the country through skills transfer. There is a need to invest in the film industry in order to stimulate local talent, manifesting our unique way of life. Public as well as private support of the industry will create a conducive and enabling environment, encouraging our passionate filmmakers to participate in and take ownership of the film industry, and help to achieve the aims of  Vision 2030. Edwin Kanguatjivi Executive Secretary Namibia Film Commission