Grand Beginnings
South Africa began making films in the early 1900s, the silent film era. D.W Griffiths, an American director, made Birth of a Nation and movies about the Voortrekkers.
In 1933, the first South African film with sound was "Moedertjie." South Africa's film industry grew alongside the global one because Killarney Studios, located in Johannesburg, was a satellite of 20th Century Fox.
In 1963, the film "Ruiter im Nag" was shot with a Zoom lens. At that time, it was a new invention, screwed onto a Mitchell Camera. The other blockbuster film to use was 'The Robe,' produced by 20th Century Fox and starring Richard Burton. This cross-pollination allowed the South African industry to keep up with global expertise.
Our Golden Globe
The Germans began making films here in the 60s. The Germans also produced television shows, as production costs were much lower. The English joined the party, creating "Zulu," starring Stanley Baker and Jake Hawkins. This film became a classic, still being shown all over the world. Richard Todd, Sydney James, and Cornell Wilde starred as actors in Tokolosh. The Americans produced 'The Naked Prey,' which starred Gert Van den Bergh and South African actor Gert von den Bergh. In 1968, the South African film "Katrina" was directed by Jans Rattebach and won a Golden Globe as Best Foreign Film. In this decade, we produced one of the best films of all time, "Die kandidaat." It is a comment on South Africa's political history.
"The Wild Season" was a South African movie made in 1965. It did very well in this country in 1966 and was sold to Japan for an exorbitant sum of R40000. The film went on to earn millions of dollars in Japan and $14 million worldwide. Jamie Uys, the director of "Beautiful People" in the late 1960s, had a lot of success overseas, especially in Japan and Germany.
The Australian Connection
The Australians, who came to South Africa to film the movie "Breaker Morant," approached a South African production company and asked for 50%. Unfortunately, the offer was rejected. Breaker Morant became one of Australia's most significant film successes. Around that time, the "Peter Weir" films were a big hit in Australia. It was the early 1970s, and Australia had just entered the film world. South Africa would have joined them.
The Gods must be crazy.
The early 1980s German film 'The Gods must be Crazy,' directed by Jamie Uys, was an enormous success. Stuttgart had a movie theater that played the film continuously for many years. The movie was also huge in Japan. They took the star bushman, Xau, to Japan, where he became a big star. It was overwhelming to someone who spent their entire life in a grass hut in the northeastern part of Namibia.
The Second Beginning
In 2005, Darryl Rood's Yesterday I won the Best Foreign Film Award. Charlize Thereon, an Oscar-winning South African actor, has kept South Africa's name alive. She always refers to South Africa. When "Tsotsi," directed by Gavin Hood in 2006, won the Oscar as Best Foreign Film. It was done! The dye was cast!
Regards, Vanden Bergh, veteran actor, and film director, comments that "we are entering a period where South African movies are watched with great interest." Our stories are well received, and our films have been successful, both in terms of feature films as well as shorts. This year, we had a very well-received short film made by AFDA students at the Cannes Film Festival. "The doors are increasingly opening."
Sustainable Development
The Government is more open. The IDC and the NTVA inspire young people to develop ideas. If they think it is a good film, the IDC will provide 50% of the money for production. They require the money to be repaid with interest but do not get 50% of the movie. It's an excellent deal.
It is time to build a successful film business that will make money for the producers and all the people involved. This industry must also be able to tell exciting stories. We have some fantastic stories, and they're not unlike stories from overseas. But there is a unique flavor to their celebrity gist.
Upcoming Attractions
This year, Ster Kinekor released three South African movies: "Ouma se thin kind," directed by Gustav Kuhn. Bill Flynn, the actor/writer and director of 'Running Riot and 'Faith Like Potatoes.' The Lamb, a South African-written and produced film, will be shot by South African Regardt Van den Berg in Morocco in 2006. A new success season is coming!
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