Cousin Kauna premiered on YouTube
Local celebrity and director Maria Nepembe has premiered her first short film on YouTube in December.
Following the debut of her film-directing career last year, Maria is continuing her journey to be a veritable director sensation with the release of ‘Cousin Kauna’.
In a phone interview with Entertainment Now! the jack-of-all-trades said the film is about resorting and making relationships, marriage, and family a unit again.
According to her, the 15-minute film, which was shot in London, is centred on family, love, and trust.
“The message is just to build the foundation of any relationship stronger and to focus on the main important aspects of life such as happiness, I mean challenges are everywhere but it’s important to overlook them and to focus on what really matters,” she narrated.
Maria who is also a natural actress said she always had a passion for directing, which became the best career choice she has ever made.
“So, I was like you know what Maria! go for it, so I did just that and I am loving every bit of it,” she stated.
Despite the love and support, she gets from her fans throughout her journey, the 32-year-old said funding has always been a challenge.
“People always want to see what you can do before they decide to invest in your films, etc. So, in the beginning, you need to invest in your project, take it to potential investors to see the vision before they
fully come on board,” she said, adding that pulling ‘Cousin Kauna’ off, took a lot of commitment.
“It’s not as easy as it looks, you need to put in the work 110%,” she further added.
Asked about her upcoming projects, Maria chose to keep it a surprise, saying she is already under a lot of pressure to deliver.
“So, I would not want to add more pressure to that, but seriously though just watch my space for more surprises that will be given. Be on the lookout for more breath-taking films,” she said candidly.
Despite trials, the film industry has been facing over the years, Maria believes it is making progress, and eventually it will get there.
“With more funding, the Namibian film industry has the potential of becoming the next big thing because trust me, we have so much talent,” she said.
Maria advised aspiring filmmakers to be patient with the journey.
“It is not easy; it takes a lot of sacrifices, but if you believe in it, then go for it. Remember, baby steps eventually you will get there with time, and hopefully, we can do more collaborations with like-minded individuals soon,” she concluded.