Solar-powered cinema in a box set for screening in famous Qunu

A solar-powered cinema that fits into a box will soon be making a long journey from Cape Town to Qunu, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. Part of Mandela Month, it enlightens and exposes children from villages to technology and current affairs. By Francesca Villette

The Sunshine Cinema is a mobile, solar-powered cinema that relies on the sun to operate. Founders Janine Johnston, Rowan Pybus and head of research Sydelle Smith are based in Cape Town.

Johnston said the cinema was designed for both rural communities and under-resourced urban areas that do not have access to technology or media.

This method allows us to take the magic of cinema anywhere, Johnston said.

The company started taking the cinema public in February last year and has since travelled to about 50 rural villages across South Africa to work with the community, both young and old.

Johnston said a team of researchers would either be invited to an area or would select one that could be enriched by a cinematic experience.

The researchers then spend about a week with the community, identifying their needs and resources. Movies and documentaries can then be selected accordingly.

We have a real interest in development. Many do not have access to television and do not read newspapers. Because of that, they are not up to date with current affairs.

Sunshine Cinema takes news and information to those (communities). Before we go out to an area, we identify the needs and resources of a place and choose appropriate footage, Johnston said.

Content can cover any subject from sex and drugs to alcoholism and politics. From July 15 to 20, the team will be in Qunu in the Eastern Cape. Johnston said they were invited and would not only show films made by South Africans, but would also conduct workshops with children on how to make household appliances using recycled materials.

We are excited about the opportunity and will target the younger audience, Johnston said.

Khumba, the tale of a young zebra born with only half his stripes and rejected by his friends for being different, will be one of the films shown to the children.

Libraries at schools in Delft and Khayelitsha have also partnered with The Sunshine Cinema and films are screened.

The Sunshine Cinema participated in the inaugural Indie Karoo Film Festival in Prince Albert at the weekend.

Festival organiser Lizaan Visser said the festival provided a platform for the showcasing of small independent film-makers and industry pioneers. The Sunshine Cinema set up in an army tent and ran six hours of solar viewing.

We were very excited and happy that The Sunshine Cinema came on board. They added a new dimension to the conventional movie-watching experience, Visser said.

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