WRITTEN BY: SHARANYA RAMESH
ROLL NUMBER- 3760
After hearing about "Nollywood", "Ghaliwood" and also "Lolliwood" it is now time to hear about the film industry in South Africa.This might come as a surprise for many, but the South African film industry is one of the world’s fastest growing film industries. Not surprising considering that South Africa has been represented in various international hits as well, including Blood Diamond, Invictus and also Lord of War. However, the growing internal film industry which produces more than 100 movies per year, is a thriving source of income and entertainment through out the country.
The industry has many jewels in its possession, one of them being “Tsotsi”, the award winning South African movie about a young gangster in Soweto. This movie struck gold when it won an Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2006.
What’s interesting to note about the film industry is that it contributes to almost 3.5 billion Rands to the GDP of the country. Although South Africa’s contribution to global output is only 1.4%, the local film industry is now fast growing and is a thriving business within Africa. The benefits of a burgeoning film industry are clear, as it brings in foreign investment. Co-productions with international companies result in the direct investment of millions of Rands into the economy. SA has signed co-production treaties with 4 countries which are Canada, Italy, Germany and the UK. This means that any official co-production is regarded as a national production of each co-producing country making it eligible for any benefits or programmes of assistance available in either country. SA also has a memorandum of understanding relating to film in India!
South Africa’s film industry history started with the shooting of the first ever newsreels during the Anglo-Boer war at the turn of the previous century. Africa mirror, the weekly cinema newsreel was launched in 1913 and ran till the end of the 1980’s. SA’s first feature film which was called The Kimberly Diamond Robbery was shot in 1910.
What is interesting to note is that much of the country’s cinematic history is entangled with its apartheid ties. Since the advent of democracy in 1994, however, South Africans have been reclaiming their lost histories. The government has helped in this as they have stressed on the importance of building the country’s heritage by telling their own stories and has also set about in providing a regulatory framework, to encourage the production of local movies. The government has also taken the initiative to build a Hollywood like studio on the outskirts on Cape town to help the local producers and directors. International sponsors like Warner Bros. have also been targeted to help fund the local film industry.
South African broadcasters are obliged to meet legislated local-content quotas, which has resulted in an increased demand for local programming. More than seven South African daily dramas or soap operas are produced in South Africa.
The South African film industry is one of the many forms of entertainment that is available to the people. To help me understand more about what the film industry meant to the locals, I spoke to Zuri Tewa, a 16 year old South African movie buff, who said, “The movies are great because like all great movies they are about the people. They narrate our history and they talk to us about who we are. I know we are not as big as Hollywood, but it is still lots of fun. These movie actors are like stars to me,” She also told me that she tries to watch all the movies she can because going to the movies was her favourite part of the weekend.
It is interesting that in a world where movies either mean Hollywood or Bollywood, a country like South Africa has their own thriving local film industry. What is more encouraging is what this film industry means to the people. For them, this is a platform where actual South African history -not just various interpretations of it made by foreign films- can be told and watched and learned about.
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