‘Salute!’, one of the Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO)’s DVD, has just scooped another award.
It has been announced that Salute the movie is among the January’s winners at the Five Continent International Film Festival, getting Best Half Length Film as well as a Special Mention for a Lead Actress in a Feature Film for Odile Gertze, a Special Mention for a Lead Actor in a Feature Film for Adriano Visagie and a Special Mention for a Supporting Actor in a Feature Film for Monray Garoeb.
‘The Five Continent International Film Festival is an online Film Festival’, explains Dr Philippe Talavera, producer and director. ‘Every month some films are entered and are in competition. In January in our section, there were 16 films, from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, etc. To have made it as Best Film Half-Length and to get three special mentions for each of our lead actors is an amazing achievement.’
The film follows the story of Carlito (Adriano Visagie) sentenced to five years in jail for fraud at the time his girlfriend (Odile Gertze) is pregnant. In jail, he has to find his way and learns very fast that protection is important but comes at a price. His encounter with the General (Monray Garoeb) and his team will change his life forever.
‘The script was workshopped with inmates’, continues Talavera. ‘Actors were trained by ex-inmates and onset some inmates were part of the extras, to keep us on track. Adriano and Monray had to spend seven days in jail – not sleeping there but spending more than 10 hours per day with the crew in one of Windhoek Correctional Facility’s units. It was extremely hard work and required a huge motivation from the cast. The fact that they are finally recognised – first with Adriano’s win as Best Actor Southern Africa at the Sotigui Awards in Burkina Faso and now with those three special mentions – is hugely rewarding for us all.’ The news came at the time OYO’s other DVD, ‘Kukuri’, has been nominated as Best Movie Southern Africa at the 7th Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) in Nigeria. ‘We try our best to develop stories that are addressing current social issues’, says Talavera. ‘I think people relate to our films because they speak the truth and everybody on set is passionate about the topic.’
