Film and Cultural Diversity in South Africa

The purpose of this column is to make a specific focus on the above – mentioned factors, but specifically, South Africa's film industry as a player in the economy of the world.

My understanding of the paucity of the representation of our interests in world discourse is that we probably forget the diplomatic value of our offerings as part of "Popular Diplomacy in the Political Economy of the World." By so doing we discount the values and potentiality of our offerings. No wonder administrations rationalize instruments of trade when it comes to our interests.

Other industries in the primary sectors of mining and agriculture, secondary and service sectors represent their interests in fraternities such as the Commonwealth and many others. Can we say the same of ourselves, as creative people and filmmakers? I do not think so. Yet our sector is the image-maker and the mirror of the very same relations, be they bilateral or multilateral.

Image-makers and therefore popular diplomacy is what integrate and assimilate the people of the world into the global village. This is particularly the case for developing countries such as South Africa. Force and oppression can no longer be used to make our people adopt foreign cultures, as it was the case during the mercantile and colonial eras.

The colonial legacy, the apartheid regime in particular brought about set backs to the development and growth of the film industry in South Africa. During the colonial era production was limited to meet the needs of the colonial masters at the expense of developing and growing the national and the regional market bases. The Apartheid legacy exacerbated this condition by bringing about isolation and sanctions by the world community. The historical discourse has created a dual economy in the country with a formal modern economy on one hand and a large underdeveloped economy on the other hand; this is what the President of the Republic refers to as the first and second economy. The differentiation of the dual economy in South Africa was along racial lines. The Whites enjoyed the benefits of the developed economy while the majority of blacks languished on the margins of society characterised by economic and cultural alienation and poverty.

The socioeconomic disparities in South Africa were more pronounced in cultural industries, including film. As a result, the film industry is still skewed on racial and historical lines. The infrastructure to service the interest of the white community is of global standard. Alas! The White population constitutes only about 5% of the 45 million people in the country. The rest of the market is black and it is this majority, which was marginalised.

Because of the disparities discussed above, since 1994, the focus on our country was therefore Nation Building, Social Cohesion and Justice. The explicit social values that were and still are at stake are the widening and deepening of democracy; deracialisation of our society; social equity; the improvement of social relations across tribal and colour lines; freedom in general; information and communication and freedom of expression in particular; integration into the world community, safety, and the richness of human mind and spirit.

Supply driven Investment Measures in South Africa

Since 1994 the country has invested in setting up the Institutions of Democracy. The National Film and Video Foundation, is a good example of the new emergent Institutions of Democracy in which our Government has invested. The role of the NFVF as we see it, is to mediate between the interests of the state, the industry and society in general. The role of the NFVF therefore is to ensure that on matters that affect the film industry, the NFVF is a lead institution. The role of the NFVF is therefore critical if government is to intervene in addressing market failures within our sector as created by our unfortunate past.

Investment into film industry infrastructure and facilities

Investment into setting up institutions such as the NFVF is part of the grand scheme to create infrastructure, be it physical or human. The NFVF was tasked by legislation to conduct the feasibility study into the establishment of the national film school. The Department of Trade and Industry is building capacity within itself in order to be able to formulate the Customised Sector Programme (CSP) as part of the National Micro Economic Reform Strategy (MRS).

To bridge the gap between supply side investment measures, the challenge that faces South Africa is two fold: a) Building cinemas in the previously disadvantaged areas where the majority of audiences are. b) Increase the volume of locally produced films if these cinemas are to be sustained and to build loyalty towards local films.

The South African Film Incentive: Rebate for film and Television Production

Pursuant to the South African Content Industry Strategy, the Department of Trade and Industry launched the rebate for film and television production. The aim of the rebate is to encourage South African locations, facilities and talent as a destination for production, thereby stimulate the growth of the service sector. It is also meant to stimulate indigenous large budget productions and co-productions, research and development, the development of marketing and distribution capacity, transfer of skills into South Africa.

The Department of Trade and Industry is in a process of reviewing the current rebate to meet the demands of the local industry. As we embark on this process, we need to ensure that our contributions assist towards ensuring that the concept of cultural diversity is protected. We need to ensure that the rebate contributes to ensuring that South Africans tell their own stories; "protects the right to freedom of expression; the right to artistic creativity; freedom of the media; the right of citizens of this country to use the language of their choice, and the right to participate in the cultural life of the country as they choose."

This is an opportunity for South Africa through co-production to take a lead in creating equity within the global village on the delivery of content that appeals to the developing world.