3 November, 2016 - 06:37
South African exhibitors have shown strong performances by a number of local pics fueling optimism that the industry can build on the success of 2015, when total B.O. passed the billion-rand mark (around $74.1 million) for the first time. By Christopher Vourlias
Through the first half of 2016, South Africa's National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF) recorded a 55% jump in B.O. for local pics over the same period last year. Breakout hits like Afrikaans-language romance Vir Altyd and romcom Happiness is a Four-Letter Word (pictured) have shattered records, while also showcasing an ability for local fare to succeed across genres.
It's a breakthrough year, says Helen Kuun, of indie distrib Indigenous Film, who calls the numbers spectacular in the context of the size of this market and the country's ongoing woes.
A murky economic forecast has certainly put the squeeze on many consumers. Nicolette Scheepers, chief of content and programming for Ster-Kinekor, South Africa's largest theater chain, notes that the steep decline of the rand in the past year has had a knock-on effect on the disposable income available for entertainment.
Year-on-year admissions have been sliding, and the B.O. surge is largely being spurred by rising ticket prices, as well as the growing penetration of 3D and IMAX screens, and V.I.P. seating which commands premium prices.
Still, Scheepers says attendances have begun to stabilize over the past 18 months, after a couple of years of steady decline.
She adds, Core audiences continue to frequent cinemas, particularly for blockbuster and family content.
The strong performance by a handful of South African pics might not change the overall calculus for producers, though. Local market share last year was still just 6%, with the B.O. bonanza driven by Hollywood tentpoles Furious 7, Minions, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
As production has climbed in the past decade, with the country now releasing around 25-30 features a year, the B.O. success of hits like Happiness, which soared past the 10 million rand (around $741,000) benchmark, can't hide the fact that most local releases flop.
As the volume is increasing the highs are really high, but the lows are pretty low, says Kuun.
Breaking even for most films is a challenge, especially for an industry whose pics have historically recouped little from foreign sales. You've got to make your cinema work in your home country, says producer Jeremy Nathan. At 10 million rand, it's going to be impossible to recoup from cinema, TV sales, and other revenue streams.
Local producers have long relied on robust funding from the South African government, which offers substantial support through NFVF grants, rebates from the Dept. of Trade and Industry, and funding from regional film offices. While government coin has extended the industry a lifeline, there are fears that few films can stand on their own legs, with Kuun speculating that if South African pics had to be funded 100 percent commercially there would be no films made.
A promising trend has been the emergence of romcoms like Happiness and Mrs. Right Guy, whose all-black casts perhaps point toward a way forward for an industry that has long struggled to reach South Africa's growing black middle class.
At a time when Tyler Perry and Kevin Hart can bring in boffo B.O. and Black-ish and Atlanta win over critics and auds alike, South African pics might also be able to strike a chord at last with foreign viewers who have typically tuned them out.
There's a potential to be part of the world market that wasn't there before, says Kuun.
www.variety.com
Film Distribution
Africa South Africa
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
3 November, 2016 - 06:37 
