MultiChoice Namibia has collaborated with the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) to sponsor two Namibian female filmmakers to attend the Joburg Film Festival and to establish a Namibian chapter of Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT).

The Joburg Film Festival, which will feature some of the best films from around the world, will take place from Tuesday, 31 January 2023 to Sunday, 05 February 2023.

The sponsorship includes a return flight ticket as well as a stipend for lodging and meals during the festival’s duration.

MultiChoice Namibia’s Managing Director, Roger Gertze, made the announcement in a press release on Monday, saying that MultiChoice Namibia’s contribution to the formation of the Namibian SWIFT chapter is part of the company’s hyperlocal strategy of connecting Namibia to the rest of the world.

“Namibia has demonstrated tremendous potential in the creative industry, and the SWIFT chapter will enable skill development and networking in order to push our films beyond our borders,” he said.

“The NFC is intentional in ensuring that women filmmakers are equipped to contribute meaningfully to the film industry, and this partnership is a step in the right direction,” Florence Haifene, Executive Secretary of the Namibia Film Commission said in the statement.

SWIFT is a South African non-profit organisation founded in 2016 to promote equality in the historically male-dominated film industry and to provide women with opportunities to promote and network with one another.

The Joburg Film Festival was identified as the ideal platform for introducing Namibian film practitioners to the SWIFT chapter and its curated film programme, which will feature African and international films.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency