KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in community outreach programme

As part of the centenary, it is important that the people of the province not only celebrate the art, but also support local content and the producers who made the South African film industry the globally competitive industry it is today. The film screenings in the community will therefore be a celebration of South African cinema and an acknowledgement of the good work that is being done by South African filmmakers in telling the South African story.

“We are committed to ensuring an increase in the support of local content, as that will have a positive impact on our economy and enhance the sustainability of the industry. The increase of audience participation will also be an inspiration to our filmmakers to produce content that is celebrated and appreciated by their local communities and national audiences,” says Carol Coetzee, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission CEO.

The screenings are in honour of the late Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela, a son of the province, a legend in film and television, who continues to be commemorated. Not only was he South Africa’s first recognised Black film director, but he also had a long and successful career, which saw him feature in over 34 films, both nationally and internationally.

Screen timetable

Sarafina, produced during the Apartheid era, was an important anti-Apartheid film and helped to mobilise communities around the world to oppose and overthrow the Apartheid regime. Mapantsula, also produced in the 1980s, was a political film of its time, a satirical portrayal of a small time criminal against the backdrop of Apartheid South Africa. Other screenings will be of memorable South African films that were produced in the new democracy of the country, post-Apartheid. The screenings will be open to all on a first come, first serve basis.

The films to be screened are Sarafina, Otelo Burning, Ayanda, Jerusalema, Yesterday, Man on Ground, Hear Me Move and Tsotsi.