Open AccessSouth African Film Industry
Author(s) -
Martin Botha
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
kinema
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2562-5764
pISSN - 1192-6252
DOI - 10.15353/kinema.vi.779
Subject(s) - movie theater , restructuring , film industry , politics , democracy , identity (music) , culture industry , media studies , unification , fragmentation (computing) , political science , political economy , sociology , visual arts , aesthetics , art , law , computer science , programming language , operating system
THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY: FRAGMENTATION, IDENTITY CRISIS AND UNIFICATION IntroductionFilm and video are regarded as vital in South Africa's transition. Amongst others, film and video can foster a stable, democratic and united society. However, the South African film industry cannot fulfil this role at present due to fragmentation and consequently an identity crisis. The industry therefore needs to change. One of the key players in previous debates about the restructuring of the local industry, the Film and Allied Workers' (FAWO) Distribution Committee chairman, Seipati Bulane-Hopa, describes the need for cinema in our society in these words: Cinema ... serves as a vehicle for people to articulate their different social affiliations and define their respective historic cultures, traditions, social and political experiences. If cinema is only used to entertain and not to educate, then the chances of transforming our society are slim (Blignaut & Botha, 1992, p.88)....