What you need to know about the new direct marketing guidance note
Nadine Mather and Chloë Loubser
Shucks it's the best
On Wednesday 18 August Ster-Kinekor Theatres hosted a tribute event celebrating the extraordinary contribution to the local film industry made by Leon Schuster. It was attended by various people from the local film industry, who have worked with Leon on producing his magic over the years.
Guests included Alfred Nthombela, director Gray Hofmeyr, producer André Scholtz (who was the producer for most of Leon's early films), Mary-Anne Barlow (Leon's co-star from Mama Jack) as well as other industry VIPs, Ster-Kinekor / Primedia guests and media.
Trish Downing, senior communications and marketing manager for Ster-Kinekor Theatres said, "It was not intended to be a glamorous industry event, a fancy celebrity awards ceremony or an A-List PR shindig. It was a simple but very heartfelt token of the deep gratitude and respect that we at Ster-Kinekor have for just one man. The man who has brought hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life into cinemas to laugh at themselves and at being South African, and who has contributed the most to developing the South African audience's support and appetite for South African films. We saluted Leon Schuster for his genius, his vision, and above all: his sense of humour."
Schuster holds 3 out of 5
Schuster's latest release Schuks Tshabalala's Survival Guide To South Africa (still showing nationwide since its release in May) has to date generated over R37 million at the local box office. This phenomenal achievement broke all the records set by Leon's previous films - confirming it as the third most successful release of all time in South African cinema history (after Avatar and Titanic).
The success of Schuster's latest film cements his status as the filmmaker that knows how to produce films that speak to all South Africans. His previous films Mr Bones and Mr Bones 2 complete the top five list for most profitable films of all time at local cinemas.
Fiaz Mahomed, CEO: Ster-Kinekor Theatres continues, "Perhaps Schuster's most remarkable achievement is that his films have crossed all South Africa's social and political boundaries - boundaries that in other spheres of life might have been difficult to cross. But his uncanny sense of what makes us all tick, his selfless approach to what he creates on-screen (not to mention him coping with all the 'klaps' he's received along the way from the people he's 'Schuks-ed') and his larger-than-life presence, along with his almost lifelong partner-in-crime, Alfred Ntombela, have brought us all together in laughter."
