Big Screen Dreams
It is a little too early to hear people talk of “Joziwood”, but if South Africa’s film industry continues on its current trajectory, we will soon be joining the league of silver screen dream machines.
A voluptuous factory girl laments the bird-like qualities of love, Bizet’s famous score wrapping around her tongue to emerge as a series of Xhosa clicks. A terrified half-man, half-monster takes refuge in a forbidden zone. And in a dusty township, a shy young mother turns her gaze to the gangster in front of her, the baby in his arms at odds with his hardened demeanour.
For those who have watched uCarmen eKhayelitsha, Tsotsi and District 9, these scenes are every bit as iconic as Bogart toasting a beautiful friendship, or Julia Roberts standing in front of Hugh Grant, asking him to love her. And they have given their stars a similar degree of fame in their home country. Sharlto Copley, the bumbling cop-turned-“prawn” in District 9, later appeared alongside the likes of A-listers Liam Neeson, Jessica Biel and Bradley Cooper in the A Team. Meanwhile, Terry Pheto’s star began to rise with her Tsotsi performance, and continued to do so after she was appointed as an ambassador for cosmetic house L’Oreal, her collection of awards and roles growing all the while.
And the people behind the cameras are earning just as many kudos as those in front of it. Darrell Roodt was, in fact, ahead of Tsotsi in generating Oscar buzz. His film Yesterday received an Academy Award nomination in 2005, making it the most successful in a body of work that includes the likes of Sarafina! (starring Whoopi Goldberg), an adaptation of Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country and – in a drastic departure from social issues – Father Hood, with Halle Berry and Patrick Swayze.
Of course, the director who took home the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 – Gavin Hood – has gone on to more greatness, working on such international successes as Rendition and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But even before these august filmmakers started introducing South Africa’s cinematic flair to the rest of the world, there were pioneers making sure there was a little bit of home in Hollywood. Cinematographer Ted Moore beat Charlize to become the first Benoni native to clutch a golden statue when he won an Oscar for A Man for All Seasons in 1967, after having been involved in a slew of James Bond films. Not forgetting Sir Ronald Harwood, cousin of the celebrated thespian Sir Anthony Sher, who has received recognition for screenplays like The Pianist and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
All of which goes to show that South Africans are not newcomers when it comes to the celluloid scene. In fact, search for “South African movies” on the web, and you will see that the story of Sarie Marais was committed to film as far back as the 1930s. Something else you will notice is that the list of homemade films has grown rapidly, especially in recent years.
This is entirely by design, admits Eddie Mbalo of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). He explains that the organisation started operating in 2001, with a clear mandate to develop the local film industry. “Back then, South Africa’s film industry was driven by TV. There were just three films made per year,” he recalls. But then came a massive boost to the Foundation’s budget, along with the introduction of rebates for local and international filmmakers. And before you could say “lights, camera, action!”, the number of both feature films and TV series produced locally had grown considerably. In fact, last year saw 23 films made in South Africa, compared to 16 in 2009, making this an industry worth around R3 billion. And that is not including television. “South Africa’s industry is often compared to Nollywood [the Nigerian film industry, known for its lengthy productions], but the reality is that we produce far more TV content – and it is of a better quality,” Mbalo says.
He is not surprised that more and more filmmakers are following the example of Richard Gere and Hilary Swank, who shot their film Amelia in Cape Town. After all, what would not be attractive about a place that offers the scenery to create any setting imaginable, along with a sunshine supply that is any videographer’s dream, an impressive skills base and well developed infrastructure?
However, Mbalo is more interested in local filmmakers taking advantage of these attributes. “Our industry has done very well, and the fact that we are seeing a steady increase in the number of indigenous language films produced is an excellent sign. But what I am looking forward to is the day local filmmaking finds its own voice,” he explains.
Whether that voice will sparkle with the glamour of Hollywood, or speak in time to a bhangra beat à la Bollywood, only time will tell. One thing is certain: If it combines the irreverence of Schuster with the propensity for taking on heavier issues, as has been the case in the past, it is certain to be a voice as multi-faceted and mesmerising as the country that spawned it.
Story by Lisa Witepski
