Film seminar: From Namibia with love, in presence of filmmaker Laura Meriläinen
From Namibia with Love is a documentary film about love, struggle and devotion for Namibia. It tells the story of an old Finnish-Namibian couple, who fought for Namibia’s independence and liberation from the South African white apartheid oppressors. The film takes the viewer on a journey though Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Finland.
The film’s charismatic main character Anita comes from Finland and her husband Salatiel is Namibian. In the 1970’s the couple assisted the Namibian Liberation Movement SWAPO who were fighting the South African occupation in order to free Namibia. In the middle of the struggle Anita and Salatiel had to make some difficult choices that lead to a conflict with the SWAPO leadership. The hardships the couple experienced in the 1970s still haunt them.
During the war Anita and Salatiel always defended those who could not defend themselves. Now almost 30 years later they are still carrying the burden of the past. The couple lives in Northern Namibia where they have struggled to find their place in the community. Nevertheless Anita and Salatiel have never given up hope. Their devotion and love for each other and for Namibia is the main thread of the film.
Take a look at the Facebook page and the website of the film.
Genre: Documentary film
Length: 59 minutes
Languages: English, Finnish, Swedish, Oshiwambo, Swahili
Production year: 2011
Finnish / South African / Namibian production
Shot in: Namibia
Producer: Paul Weinberg / University of Cape Town
Director / editor: Laura Meriläinen-Amaumo
Cinematography: Marius Van Straaten
Production coordinator: Mareike Kramper
Premiered in Cape Town in 2011.
Screened in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Finland.
Speaker
Laura Meriläinen-Amaumo
Laura Meriläinen-Amaumo is a Finnish journalist, filmmaker and a communication specialist. She holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cape Town. From Namibia with Love is her thesis film for which she was granted a distinction. She directed, wrote the script and edited the film. She has also worked as a cinematographer in the award-winning South African film Odd Number. In addition to that she has made films and tv-stories from Namibia, Palestine, Kenya and Somaliland. Her films have been screened at many international film festivals both in Europe and in Africa.
Meriläinen-Amaumo found her passion for telling stories through film in Africa. In Africa, where she lived for five years, she worked as a freelance journalist and a filmmaker. In her films she wants to give voice to the unsung heroes and people whose stories won't appear in the mainstream media.
She currently lives in Finland and works as a communication officer at the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission.
Date, time and location
11 April 2014
15.00 - 17.00
Pieter de la Courtgebouw / Faculty of Social Sciences, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden
Room 0A28 (Film room ground floor)
Registration
Posted on 17 March 2014, last modified on 11 April 2014