Why do Hollywood stars play leads in Sou African stories?

A host of international productions are being filmed on our shores, but even the tales of Nelson Mandela's life were played by foreign actors. Idris Elba was the actor who portrayed former Nelson Mandela in the movie, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. South African actors were not tall enough to play the role, the movies casting agent Moonyeenn Lee said. by Katlego Mkhwanazi

Johannesburg and Cape Town are becoming the preferred locations for filmmakers to shoot international productions. Earlier this year Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron production team closed off parts of the Johannesburg city centre to shoot scenes for the Hollywood blockbuster. And The Giver, released last month, starring Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, and Jeff Bridges was filmed in the Mother City.

Also shot in Cape Town: City of Violence (Zulu), adapted from the crime novel Zulu by French author Caryl F rey, and opening at cinemas this weekend.

The film, which tells the story of two policemen, Ali Sokhela (Forest Whitaker) and Brian Epkeen (Orlando Bloom) who investigate deaths in Cape Town related to a new deadly, illegal drug on the township and suburban streets, is a South African narrative, played by international actors once again.

Both characters find destructive coping mechanisms to help them deal with their circumstances and the severe violence that they are exposed to in their profession. City of Violence zooms in on the violence and drug business in Cape Town, and also addresses the scars of South Africa's dark past.

A part of the country's history is told through the life-story of Whitaker's character, who according to French director J r me Salle has forgiven his previous oppressors in his mind but not in his heart .

The film's director says Whitaker and Bloom are the only international actors in the film. The rest of the cast are South African. I tried to make the right balance by having just two international leads, Salle tells the Mail & Guardian.

Foreign leads draw bigger audiences

When the Nelson Mandela Biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom was released in November 2013, its casting agent Moonyeenn Lee was criticised for casting international leads and overlooking the country's selection of talent. British actor Idris Elba, who is renowned for his role in the series The Wire and cop series Luther, was cast as the lead in the biopic.

Lee told City Press at the time that she had the option of casting a South African to portray Mandela, but none of the actors were tall enough to step into the shoes of the late former president. The required height was 1.93 metres. Mandela was a particularly tall man. On average, South African actors are not 1.9m, she told the newspaper. The Winnie Mandela role was played by British actress Naomie Harris.

Elba and Harris joined a lengthy list of international actors who have portrayed African-born-and-raised individuals, including Terrence Howard, Jennifer Hudson, Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Placing South African actors at the forefront of storytelling on an international level is not enough of a drawcard. When a movie (based on a South African citizen) is made and is played by a non-South African actor, the question that often arises from film practitioners and audiences alike is: why are local actors not cast in leading roles?

But in an industry like film and television that contributes approximately R3.5-billion a year to the South African economy, according to a 2013 study conducted by the National Film and Video Foundation, money trumps patriotism. Salle says he is aware of the grievances of South Africans regarding international filmmakers who don't cast local actors.

I think South Africans have to understand that we have to release this movie all over the world. So it helps to have Hollywood leads, says Salle. I think it's a good deal, because the Hollywood leads will also help the South African industry to develop and learn by working with people like Forest or Orlando.

Local supporting actors in the film include Conrad Kemp, Brendon Daniels, Jo lle Kayembe, Tanya van Graan and Khulu Skenjana. Local production company Lobster Tree was part of the team that worked on City of Violence.

Trade-off

According to Adrian Galley, vice-chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors, local actors and crews are managing to get more work because of the international films, but it's a trade-off that Galley thinks needs to be reassessed.

The danger local actors should be aware of is the exploitation by international filmmakers. Galley doesn't think local actors have the bargaining power they need and are thus open to exploitation. Producers try to get more for less by offering minimum scale rate payment.

As an actor I'm happy to have work, but of course I would be happier if the work I do becomes prominent. But how do you do that in South Africa? John Kani is one of South Africa's best-known names internationally, and he can command big fees. Other big South African names, such as Charlize Theron, appear to have no interest in making South African stories, says Galley.

Stories must have universal appeal

Local film Tsotsi (2005), under the directorship of Gavin Hood, opened a window to the possibilities available for the South African film industry. Tsotsi won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 and was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006 with local talent, Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto taking centre stage as lead actors.

A story of a young thug (Chweneyagae) from the Alexandra township, which was conveyed by an actor who is not a Hollywood A-lister, still managed to grab the attention of foreign film lovers. An achievement like this is a benchmark for local filmmakers and the Tsotsi cast and crew proved that this is a dream within reach

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