Revival of NTFAs spotlight screen and stage excellence in Namibia

After a six-year hiatus, the Namibian Theatre and Film Awards (NTFAs) have officially returned, marking a renewed celebration of excellence, resilience and growth within Namibia’s creative industry.

The nominees were announced on Wednesday during the 6th Namibian Theatre and Film Awards nominee announcement ceremony held at the National Theatre of Namibia in Windhoek. The awards ceremony itself will take place on 28 March.

Speaking at the event, Esther Beukes, chair of the Namibia Film Commission Board, said: "This is a return, a renewal and a declaration of belief in Namibian creativity."

The call for submissions was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. A total of 54 Namibian films produced between September 2019 and November 2025 were submitted across all formats. Of these, 45 were deemed eligible, and 19 films secured nominations.

The film adjudication process was conducted by an independent jury chaired by Zellmari Brandt, alongside Florian Schott, Obed Emvula, Ockert Jansen and Selima Henock.

All submissions were individually viewed and rated through FilmFreeway before undergoing structured deliberation sessions. The process was conducted according to approved jury guidelines and verified by a senior auditor from the finance ministry to ensure transparency and integrity.

Beukes noted that the quality of submissions reflects significant growth in storytelling, technical execution and creative confidence within the industry. In recognition of this progress, new categories were introduced, including best newcomer director, best supporting actor (male and female), best costume design and make-up, and best web series.

Booming industry

She emphasised that the awards return at a crucial time, as the creative and cultural industries have been identified by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as priority growth sectors. Film, she said, plays an essential role in job creation, youth empowerment, tourism promotion and cultural preservation.

Alma Ulamba, the general manager of the National Theatre of Namibia, echoed these sentiments, saying that the awards’ return is about restoring recognition for Namibia’s artists. Importantly, there will be no “vacuum period”, as all productions staged and released since the last awards in 2019 were eligible for consideration.

“When we recognise artists, we recognise the heartbeat of our nation,” Ulamba said.

Theatre nominees

The theatre categories showcase a vibrant mix of staged productions, performance excellence and technical mastery.

For Best Staged Production, nominees include Coming Home Dead (Patrick Sam), Naked Spaces (Rodney Gariseb), The Wasp (NU Theatrics), Three Sisters (Bret Kamwi) and Die Stoep (Jonathan Sasha).

In Best Script (Original), Bret Kamwi (Three Sisters), Jonathan Sasha (Die Stoep) and Rodney Gariseb (Naked Spaces) earned nominations.

The highly competitive best actor category features six nominees instead of the usual three, reflecting the exceptional depth of talent this year: Dawie Engelbrecht, Hazel Hinda, Jeanne-Danae Januarie, Melgisedek Nehemia, Ndayola Ulenga and Odile Gertze.

Other major theatre performance nominations include Ethan Januarie, Galilei Njembo and Michael Nakale for best newcomer actor, while the dance categories highlight performers such as Desmond Kamekira, Justina Andreas and Mary Jane Andreas.

Technical excellence is recognised across categories, including best production design, best stage technician, best costume and wardrobe design, and best make-up, demonstrating the collaborative effort behind successful stage productions.

Film nominees

The film categories reflect a maturing industry with strong representation across feature films, short films, documentaries and web series.

Competing for best feature film are Land of the Brave, Lubinda, Skeleton Coast, Lukas and Speel Aan.

In the directing category, Tim Huebschle (Land of the Brave), Errol Geingob (Speel Aan) and Perivi Katjavivi (Under The Hanging Tree) earned nominations.

Performance categories highlight some of Namibia’s strongest screen talent. Nominees for best male actor include Simon Hanga (Kapana), Dawie Engelbrecht (Speel Aan) and Bret Kamwi (Wish for Death). For best female actor, Ebba Nashipe (Okalila), Hazel Hinda (Speel Aan) and Girley Jazama (Under the Hanging Tree) are recognised.

Behind-the-scenes excellence is acknowledged in categories such as best cinematography, best editor, best sound and music, best production design, and best costume design and make-up.

Emerging storytelling platforms are also celebrated. Nominees for best short film include The B2 Passage, Emanya and Momeya, while the best web series category recognises Ompata Web Series, Rock the Boat and Tsek.

In documentary filmmaking, The Sea People of the Namibian Coast, Walvis Tale and The Weight of Tomorrow are nominated for best documentary.

The newly introduced best newcomer director category features Laudika Hamutenya, Roger Rafael and Ndakalako Shilongo, highlighting the next generation of Namibian filmmakers.

As the Namibian Theatre and Film Awards prepare for their official ceremony on 28 March, the nominees stand as a testament to resilience, growth and the undeniable creative power shaping Namibia’s cultural landscape.