…as Optimistic Media Group premieres its latest
Patience Makwele
Optimistic Media Group is setting its sights beyond Windhoek as it prepares to premiere Shortcut Part 3, with plans to take the film to four other towns and eventually rural communities across Namibia.
The film will premiere at Ster-Kinekor, Maerua Mall, on 7 November before opening at both Maerua Mall and Grove Mall on 13 November for an initial two-week cinema run.
In an interview with Young Observer, producer Gustav Nuuyoma said the company has confirmed plans for additional screenings in Swakopmund, Lüderitz, Rundu and Ongwediva, with dates to be announced in due course.
According to Nuuyoma, the company also intends to work with local businesses, community organisations and other stakeholders to bring the film to rural communities without conventional cinema facilities.
“I strongly believe that Namibian films should not be limited to audiences living in major towns. Our stories belong to all Namibians, regardless of where they live,” Nuuyoma said.
The expansion plans come as the government pursues a broader push to increase local film and television production.
The National Content Creators Plan has a N$17.5 million allocation intended to support local productions and generate an estimated 470 direct employment
opportunities.
The programme forms part of a wider N$50 million allocation towards creative industries.
However, industry stakeholders have raised concerns about whether funding individual productions alone will be enough to establish sustainable film businesses, pointing to the need for distribution networks, skills development and stronger commercial structures.For Shortcut Part 3, audience turnout will be an immediate test of its cinematic performance.
Nuuyoma said the initial two-week run could be extended depending on demand, with ticket sales playing a key role in determining how long the film remains on screen.
“Strong cinema attendance not only helps sustain a film’s theatrical run but also demonstrates that there is a viable commercial market for Namibian cinema,” he said.
Premier tickets cost N$150 each, are strictly being sold in advance and include a free complimentary popcorn plus a drink of any choice. Screening starts at 18:00 and no tickets will be sold at the entrance.
Nuuyoma said producing a third instalment was a milestone for the company, which wants to build original Namibian stories into film properties that can grow beyond a single production.
He described the premiere as a celebration of the cast and crew, as well as audiences who have followed the story from the beginning.
The company is also looking beyond Namibia. Nuuyoma said Optimistic Media Group plans to present Shortcut Part 3, alongside its other productions, at CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, from 5 to 8 November.
The company hopes to connect with international distributors, sales agents and potential strategic partners through the event, with the longer-term ambition of establishing sustainable distribution opportunities for Namibian productions.
Shortcut Part 3 follows Spikiri, played by Kondja Lungameni, and Buzzman, played by Stefanus Fillemon, two former friends whose relationship has deteriorated into bitter rivalry.
In the first film, the pair escape from prison but eventually turn against each other. In the second instalment, they escape again while being transported to Swakopmund Prison in a correctional vehicle.
The third film picks up from those events, with the two pursuing N$250 000 in stolen cash hidden in Windhoek.
Their plans are complicated by Linda Shikongo, an undercover state agent played by Paulina Shivute, who is determined to bring them to justice.
Although the story continues from the earlier films, Nuuyoma said new viewers would still be able to follow the plot without having watched the previous instalments.
Beyond the action and humour, he said the story explores how financial pressure can test relationships and push people towards desperate decisions.
Nuuyoma pointed to unemployment, rising living costs and limited economic opportunities as pressures affecting many people, saying the stolen cash represents a chance for the characters to change their circumstances.
“In the film, N$250 000 represents more than stolen money. For the characters, it represents an opportunity to change their circumstances, escape their problems or gain control over their lives,” he said.
He hopes the storyline will prompt audiences to consider how far people might go for money, when ambition becomes greed and whether financial freedom is worth sacrificing friendship and loyalty.
For Optimistic Media Group, the immediate focus is attracting audiences to the cinema, while the planned regional screenings and international engagement could help the film reach viewers well beyond its initial Windhoek run.
