When I started I didn’t have directing and producing experience, never went to film school. The only time I came close to a film set as a filmmaker, had been as an extra in a short film once or twice and acted in 2 or 3 NGO short films as well, until I got a chance in 2016 to work as a line producer on a film set. That was about all the experience I had in filmmaking, except writing all the stories I wanted to one day do when I gain enough experience.

When I started writing The White Line story idea I was not planning on directing but in between working on the project with my co-creators and trying to figure out who we were going to get to direct, I genuinely heard a voice asking “why don’t you direct?” at first I was like heck no, I have no knowledge, no experience and the same time I knew it’s something I always wanted to do and I loved film.

That’s when I decided to heed the voice and say if I don’t give and create this opportunity for myself who will.

Behind the Scenes of "The White Line"

How did I get started with no knowledge of filmmaking?

I knew the story I wanted to tell, in my head I saw how I wanted to tell it and what I wanted it to look like and I also knew what I didn’t want.

So, I went to YouTube watched commentaries on directors whose worked I loved, listened to them speak about their process, listened to them speak about the movies they loved and that inspired them and I would go and watch those films and watched the details that they had described.

I watched the classic films because I loved how they told their stories. As I was doing this I worked out how I wanted to use some of it in my story. If I didn’t know I asked the questions and wasn’t afraid to look stupid doing it. That was my film school, that and the film set when we actually got to filming.

How it like was on set filming?

Now, being the first female in Namibia to shoot a feature film and complete it was both scary and exciting. It was an honor to set that path for others, and I was working with an experienced crew and that made communication with them easier. They knew what they were doing and they could understand what I would ask for even though I wouldn’t use the correct terminology and they would make suggestions, again I created an environment of collaboration.

I was working with an incredibly talented cast who also understood the story we were telling. We were also telling a period drama that is set in one of the most difficult times in our countries history, the story is a love story set in the time when Namibia was under South Africa’s apartheid rule.

We had had 14 days to shoot in three different towns, so it wasn’t always going to go according to plan but with my faith and learning to be flexing and adapt we got it done.

My Experience making the film?

This journey reiterated the saying that "nothing is easy that is worth doing, but it is possible".

It was challenging because we were all new filmmakers on the producing team and no mentors to turn to. We had to learn everything as we were going. Not just the production but distribution, marketing etc and because we are from a country like Namibia with an industry that is still in its infancy and growing we had to really push beyond the borders to reach a global stage.

We made mistakes that we have learned tremendously from and I had a great co-creating team, Girley Jazama and Micheal Pulse.

I will not trade the challenges, the trials for anything as it pushed my outside my comfort zone, forced me to really learn, to stop being afraid and go for it.

Rejection and "no" are all they could say and even then that was not going to stop us. Most of everything to get us to this place we did on our own.

What is the road to the Oscars is like?

First of all, this is the very first Namibian film to ever be entered in the Oscar race ever.

The challenge is that instead of entering it in the International category, like most foreign films do, due to circumstances beyond our control, we decided to submit in the general category that will see us competing with the biggest films in Hollywood for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director. We are doing all of this independently without a studio and distributor backing. But I am grateful for the support of my amazing team, Fetteroff Colen, Prudence Kolong, Girley Jazama, Micheal Pulse, and Eleonora Granata.

We knew it was going to be tough and some might even say are we crazy but the real question would be why not?

Visibility has been the biggest challenge trying to get write ups in publications because our film does not have any stars and is from a first time director that nobody knows and from a country that most people never has heard off.

But we will continue pushing and get our film in front of Oscar voters, journalist etc and hopefully create an Oscar buzz. Again, though challenging and hard at times nothing is impossible and ultimately all things work together for our good.