The European Union Delegation to Namibia, in collaboration with the Namibia Film Commission and the Filmmakers Association of Namibia, launched the 2021 Euro Film Festival in the capital on Wednesday.
The Film Festival themed ‘Life is about laughter, sadness, joy, wonders and timeless stories’ will take place over a two-month period, every Wednesday from 06 October to 01 December 2021, at The Village.
The festival will feature a number of award-winning European and Namibian films, with a total of six European and three Namibian films screening, covering a variety of genres and topics with a unique story-telling approach.
EU Ambassador to Namibia, Sinikka Antila stated that the Euro Film Festival is aligned with Namibia and the EU’s cultural strategy, with the goal of promoting and developing arts and culture, as well as fostering cross-cultural dialogue and inclusivity, promoting regional and international integration.
“Cultural cooperation is an important part of the EU’s engagement with partner countries, and we believe that an event like the European Film Festival provides us with a fantastic opportunity to come together and share this experience that will take us to different countries, cultures and life stories,” she said.
“Our hope is that the European cinematic experience will be enriching for our audiences, inspirational, and spark energy and innovation in these often-challenging times,” Antila added.
Chairperson of the Filmmakers Association of Namibia, Caillin Basson stated that the association is trying to push certain incentives, such as training incentives, infrastructure incentives, and foreign direct investment incentives, in line with what they are trying to achieve with the film festival.
“We can only move Namibia’s film industry forward if it is recognised as more than just an art form, but also as a significant economic contributor to any country’s economy. We can only move the industry forward by presenting stories that are not only Namibian but also of an international nature, and doing so in collaboration with one another rather than in isolation,” she stated.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
