CALL FOR NAMIBIAN FILMMAKERS: USAKOS RAILWAY WORKERS’ COLLECTION PROJECT

The Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) is a non-governmental organisation mandated to support and promote the development of museums throughout Namibia. In collaboration with the Bern History Museum (BHM) in Switzerland, MAN is looking for a creative and energetic film production company to document narratives and oral history emerging from a collection of cultural belongings that once belonged to the Usakos community, known as the Usakos Railway Workers’ Collection Project. 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The Usakos Railway Workers’ Collection Project focuses on researching and documenting oral histories and community narratives connected to a significant collection of cultural belongings linked to Usakos and its historical networks.
The collection comprises 286 objects and is currently held in Bern. It was appropriated from the Usakos community at the beginning of the 20th century during one of the violent phases in Namibia’s colonial history. Now over 120 years old, it holds deep historical, social, and emotional significance, reflecting the everyday realities and labour history of the community.
As part of a planned workshop in Usakos (18–24 June 2026), the project will bring community members and elders in Usakos together to engage with the collection and share their insights through oral interviews. This process will generate oral histories and narratives that will be captured through high-quality audiovisual documentation.
The resulting film material will contribute to exhibitions in both Bern and Usakos, offering audiences meaningful reflections on the collective memory of the community, the history of the town, and the layered meanings of these cultural belongings. 

FILMMAKERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES 

● A full crew, including but not limited to sound, lighting, and filming.
● Source own equipment (camera & sound equipment)
● Organise filming schedules and travel in coordination with the contracting team.
● Hand over the raw footage daily after each shoot on two data carriers.
● Needs to be available for 5 days in June to potentially travel for filming

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

Capture high-quality footage and sound recordings for the duration of the project/workshop, including but not limited to:
● 10 Interviews with community members/participants (landscape and portrait format)
● 10 close-ups of interviewed people (e.g., hands while talking or holding the artefacts)
● Around 10 scenic shots from Usakos (landscape format)

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

● A short concept note.
● Filmography/profile of the company
● CVs and IDs of the technical team
● Show previous work experience/samples (Must include links to the website and previous work)
● A detailed budget (Including travel costs)

SUBMISSIONS 

● The submission of all supporting documents (as one merged PDF document) should be sent to: info@museums.com.na
● Subject: Filmmaker Application 2026
● Deadline for submissions: Sunday, 24 May 2026
● No hand-delivered submissions will be accepted. 

Click here to download the PDF version of the call. 

CONTACT
For more information, please call us on 061 302 230 or email us at info@museums.com.na