The R12-million allocated to the National Film and Video Foundation covers only Sithengi, the Avanti Awards and some smaller projects. The amount really required to kick-start the South African industry is in the region of R250-million to R500-million. “The government has to decide whether it is interested in developing the film industry and, if so, they must be prepared to underwrite it to that amount,” said producer Johnathan Wacks.
Although there were a couple of African delegates in attendance, Sithengi lacked a general African representavity. Nigerian filmmaker Isaac Moses shared this sentiment. “It was dominated by white producers and there were no delegates from Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia and [so on],” he said. “The flight tickets and accommodation is expensive and considering that we brought out 85 Nigerian delegates [the organisers] could have arranged a better deal. We all had to pay the full fee.”
Sithengi CEO Michael Auret said the Nigerians were in South Africa to sell rather than buy and it did not make business sense to sponsor people who come with the intention of selling their own programming, rather than buying from others.
Sithengi is solely dependant on funding from South African taxpayers and does not generate any form of profit. “One of the reasons why there is such a large Western presence is because their exhibition stands generate in the region of R700Â 000 and this is what funds our local producers. It’s money that would otherwise have to be covered by [the] government,” Auret said. Representatives from other African countries, such as Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia, were flown in to encourage Africa to buy from Africa.
There were 1Â 262 delegates in attendance this year — 100 less than last year — and a lower student turnout. The fourth Sithengi film market started this year with a business feel as opposed to the big social event it was previously perceived to be. Less was spent on parties, to dispel the image that there is a lot of money to go around. Auret says this kind of image gives investors the idea that there is a lot of money and makes it difficult to ask for funding. The less-spending approach did not hinder the success of the market because a number of co-production agreements were discussed with delegates from Canada, Britain and Sweden.
Local actor Timi Kwebulana says South Africa is fooling itself by looking to overseas countries for co-production. “South Africa is bull-dusting countries in the film industry. Nigeria has made about 40 films and we have only four. We are either arrogant or really stupid by looking to do co-productions with America, Canada and others without looking within our own continent.”
He argues that if South Africa does not opt for co-production in Africa people such as Morgan Freeman will be telling our stories. Citing examples of local stories with overseas co-production, such as Bopha and Sarafina!, he says: “These stories were a financial flop and we are still doing it.”
Kwebulana says the government is not doing enough for the arts industry. “The arts was the only avenue people had during apartheid when all the other avenues were silenced. Now it’s left on the sidelines. It used to be termed the ‘guerrilla arts’ and it had the biggest voice. Now it seems that everybody has forgotten about it.”
The Molweni Township Film Festival and Tours, which started three years ago, is a direct result of township filmmakers not being able to attend Sithengi.
This year the organisation took Swedish delegates to Guguletu to sample ethnic cuisine, and view two short township films. Producers of An African from Within Me and Isibanda (a young girl’s right of passage) won trips to Sweden to learn more about the film industry.
Sithengi chairperson David Max Brown said the festival organisers envisage a partnership with Molweni by November next year. Plans are also in place to help them market themselves, by linking them to the Sithengi website.
Martin Botha, National Film and Video Foundation councillor, suggests that a levy be charged on movie tickets and that it goes back to the development of the film industry in South Africa. “Levies on ticket sales in France work, but it might not be ideal here, as taxes on profits will scare investors,” he said.
Kwebulana emphasised that people should not be seduced by the need for wealth and money rather than filmmaking.