What Can We Learn From South African Film Locations?
District 9, released in 2009, is a science-fiction movie, reflecting many realities of South Africa’s past and present. It was a block-buster hit of 2009, and to date, has grossed $200 million. Sara Vilkomerson, a movie critic at The New York Observer wrote: “District 9 is the most exciting science fiction movie to come along in ages; definitely the most thrilling film of the summer; and quite possibly the best film I’ve seen all year.”
Other critics were equally complimentary. Interestingly, the movie was shot on location in Chiawelo, in Soweto. In fact, the setting was mostly that of a shanty town, a typical township. Typical of the poverty and impoverished neighbourhoods that many South Africans are living in
Tsotsi tells the story of a South African street thug, who finds a baby on the back seat of a car he stole. The film was released in 2005. It was set in a slum, in Soweto. The film won an Oscar, and to date, has grossed $10 million.
Jerusalema is a film that deals with the criminal underworld of Hillbrow, Johannesburg. It was submitted to the Academy Awards to qualify for a nominee, but was not selected
What I find fascinating about these movies is that they are all set within parts of South Africa, that many South Africans would rather not acknowledge. The poverty of township life, the criminal activity that exists within shanty towns, the thuggery of Hillbrow’s organised criminal underworld payday loans no credit check.
But these ‘negative’ aspects of South Africa are the essential backdrops for these successful and critically acclaimed movies
There is a saying that goes “One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure”. Well, South Africa has so much ‘rubbish’ that the movie industry, at least, recognizes as treasure. And that industry is willing to exploit our treasures.
