Feature film
The Naming
Cecil Moller · 1997
Synopsis
A young couple decides to give their child an African name, following the tradition of the mother's culture. To do so, they must return to the village, and this obligatory journey unsettles the husband, who was born in the city and knows nothing of country customs. The dramatic comedy thus revolves around a naming rite, between the city and the village, and the film shifts from English to Oshiwambo depending on the places and the people.
Context
Co-produced by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation and No Plot Productions, the film runs for sixty-four minutes. The screenplay is by Panduleni Haelundu, Vickson Hangula and Cecil Moller; the cinematography is by Willem Barnard and the editing by Volker Buchholz; Liana Bachler, John Dalton, Matthew Haikali and Rauna Mannasse appear in it. It was shown at the Amiens festival in 1998, the year after it was made.
Who it is for
A one-hour comedy drama, in English and Oshiwambo, about a city dweller confronted with rural customs.
Prizes and reception
The Amiens festival selected it the year after it was made, one of the film's few showings outside the country.