The first South African film to achieve international acclaim and recognition was the 1980 comedy The Gods Must Be Crazy,written, produced and directed by Jamie Uys. Set in the Kalahari, it told the story about how life in the community of Bushmen is changed when a Cokebottle, thrown out of an airplane, suddenly lands from the sky. Despite the fact that the film presented an incorrect perspective of the Khoisan san people, by framing them as a primitive society enlightened by the modernity of a falling Coke bottle. The late Jamie Uys, who wrote and directed The Gods Must Be Crazy, also had success overseas in the 1970s with his films Funny People and Funny People II, similar to the TV series Candid Camera in the United States. Leon Schuster's You Must Be Joking! films are in the same genre, and were popular among the white population of South Africa during apartheid.
The first film studio in South Africa, Killarney Film Studios, was established in 1915 in Johannesburg by American business tycoon Isidore W. Schlesinger when he traveled to South Africa against his family's wishes after he read about the discovery of gold in Witwatersrand and was interested in exploring what he could find.[5]
During the 1910s and 1920s, a significant amount of South African films were made in or around Durban. These films often made use of the dramatic scenery available in rural KwaZulu-Natal, particularly the Drakensberg region. KwaZulu-Natal also served as the location for historical films such as De Voortrekkers (1916) and The Symbol of Sacrifice (1918). American filmmaker Lorimer Johnston directed several films in the area in the late 1910s which starred American actresses Edna Flugrath and Caroline Frances Cooke. Despite the participation of Johnson, Flugrath and Cooke, these were South African productions featuring local actors and stories.
A notable theme in early South African cinema was the ethic confrontation between Boer and British South Africans stemming from the Second Boer War.[6]
Sound Era
Sarie Marais, directed by Joseph Albrecht, the first South African sound film and Afrikaans-language sound film, was released in 1931.[7] Subsequent sound releases such as Die Wildsboudjie (1948), a 1949 Sarie Marais remake, and Daar doer in die bosveld (1950) continued to cater primarily to white, Afrikaans-speaking audiences.
The 1950s saw an increased use of South African locations and talent by international filmmakers. British co-productions like Coast of Skeletons (1956) and American co-productions like The Cape Town Affair (1967) reflected a growing trend of shooting in real locations, rather than using backlots.
Here are several notable South African filmmaker's that have added to South Africa's cinema history:
Joseph Albrecht (1894–1977): A South African director, writer, producer and actor, he is often referred to as "the father of South African film."[7] He directed and co-directed several feature films and shorts such as The Piccanin's Christmas (1917), Isban; or, The Mystery of the Great Zimbabwe (1920) and South Africa's first sound film Sarie Marais (1931).[7]
Jamie Uys (1921-1996): An award winning South Africa director, producer, writer and actor who films include Beautiful People (1999) and the 1981 Grand Prix winner from Festival International du Film de Comedy VeveyThe Gods Must be Crazy (1980).[10]
Zola Maseko (born 1967): Swazi born film director who's best known for his filmsThe Foreigner (1994) addressing South African xenophobia[11] and The Life and Times of Sarah Baartman (1998) portraying the life of a Koi woman kidnapped and displayed in 19th century Europe as "the Hottentot Venus".[12] In 2004, Maseko produced his first feature entitled Drum, telling the story of an anti-apartheid journalist in 1950s Johannesburg. This film was the first South Africa film to receive the Golden Stallion of Yennenga at FESPACO in 2005.[13]
Gavin Hood (born 1963): a director and filmmaker most famous for his Oscar award winning film Tsotsi (2005) based on the novel of the same name by Athol Fugard. He has achieved international credits and recognition, directing films such as the Polish film In Desert and Wilderness and Marvel's X-Men Origins: Wolverine.[14]
^Sweet, Matthew (14 November 1999). "The rebirth of the Hottentot Venus". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
^Knight, James; Manson, Katrina (5 March 2005). "South African Wins Africa's Top Film Prize". The Washington Post. Reuters. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
^Gilstrap, Peter; Fleming, Michael (19 July 2007). "Fox says Hood good for 'Wolverine'". Variety
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