Desert homestead in Namibia with horses and riders Photo: VCG

 Namibia will host a film hub project for up-and-coming international and local filmmakers at a three-day festival scheduled to run from August 26 to 29 in the capital city Windhoek.

The KinoNamibia Film Festival, which took a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a platform for young filmmakers to assemble and share multiple film concepts around societal issues that affect them, KinoNamibia spokesperson Josephina Simeon told the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

"KinoNamibia brings together aspiring directors, producers, scriptwriters, editors, camera operators, sound and production designers, poets, actors, comedians, musicians and all film enthusiasts who would like to express their creativity in film," Simeon added.

The KinoNamibia Film Festival was held in Namibia for the first time in 2017.

According to Simeon, the participants meet, form groups, and produce short local stories within the first 48 hours.

"On the first day, the participants meet for the conceptualization and pre-production phase, with production and post-production following non-stop for the next two days. The teams are expected to submit their final short films on day three, with the film screening taking place on the last day of the festival," she explained.

For the 2022 iteration, the festival is themed around seven of the 17 Agenda 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - poverty, health, quality education, gender equality, innovation, climate change and governance - Simeon said, adding that registration commenced Monday.

Simeon also noted that the participants will be required to pitch solution-driven story ideas related to current societal issues around these topics to develop into short films.

"Emphasis is drawn to films that have a strong focus on building a more inclusive and sustainable Namibian economy and society that is more resilient in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and other global challenges from a youth perspective," she concluded.