Film association denies allegations of ‘secret’ content plan

A document circulating within Namibia's film industry is calling for the immediate release of a proposed National Content Creation Plan (NCCP), with critics alleging the strategy is being developed without input from filmmakers, artists and other creatives.

The anonymously authored nine-page document, titled 'The Capture of Namibia's Film Industry', claims only a small group of people have had access to the plan despite its potential impact on the country's creative sector.

Filmmakers Association of Namibia (FAN) chairperson Byron Joseph has strongly pushed back against allegations of secrecy, defending the integrity of the initiative. Joseph explained that the NCCP was developed after FAN initiated an industry position paper in 2024, maintaining that the entire programme came about through a "rigorous consultative process".

He dismissed claims that local stakeholders were kept in the dark regarding the key details of the N$50 million project. “These plans were then shared and endorsed at two special general meetings and the last AGM of the association," he said.

The document focuses heavily on concerns regarding fair leadership and intellectual property ownership under the new framework, branding the arrangement a potential risk to local creators. Under the plan's structured rights-sharing model, the state maintains distribution rights for a strict three-year period to recover its initial investment before the rights fully return to the original filmmakers.

Minority view

Joseph argued that the concerns outlined in the letter do not represent the broader feelings of Namibian practitioners but are instead fuelled by internal resistance to progressive industrialisation. "It should be noted, however, that there is a small segment of industry players who wish to maintain a status quo," Joseph maintained.

When asked whether FAN could provide its latest audited financial statements and strategic plan, or indicate when these documents would be made public, Joseph said they would be shared at the association's next annual general meeting.

"Everyone interested in film and the film industry is welcome to attend," he said.

FAN encourages filmmakers and industry stakeholders to attend the AGM, scheduled for Saturday, 27 June at the Creative Industry Institute Africa (CIIA).

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