This is proving, says Helen Kuun, marketing manager, local content, at Ster-Kinekor Distribution, that South African audiences are slowly but surely developing a taste for their own stories.
Anant Singh, who produced last year's Oscar nominated Yesterday, says the fact that a South African film has been nominated for two years in a row is testament to the level of filmmaking that is being achieved in this country. "We hope the Oscar comes to South Africa this time round, and we wish Gavin Hood and the entire Tsotsi team every success on March 5 (the day the awards will be announced)."
Edie Mbalo, CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) says Tsotsi's success proves that if a story is told honestly and with passion, it does not matter in what language it is made. "This nomination challenges South Africans to support local's films, whether that means government allocating greater resources, or more people going to cinema. We must develop strategies that will help us sustain the energy that has been created by this nomination. Being nominated alone deserves a celebration, winning an Oscar will be a bonus. The biggest accolade goes to Gavin Hood for a great job done and to the two young actors who gave an excellent performance."
Basil Ford of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which financed 50% of the making of Tsotsi, believes the film will inspire the SA motion picture industry because it has shown that it is just not a 'one hit wonder'. "The success of Tsotsi is exactly the kind of result that IDC has been aiming for - it's a locally conceived, written, directed and produced film that features our own stars. It gives IDC encouragement to continue to support local film projects."
In the vernacular of South Africa's townships the word 'tsotsi' means urban criminal, a street thug or gang member. Tsotsis are feared, but they are also 'admired' for their daring by certain sectors. In the 30s and 40s tsotsis emulated American movie stars; today however, the word is used more generally to describe displaced young criminals, and is associated with young street gangs whose lives are far from glamorous.
The film will be distributed in South Africa by Ster-Kinekor Distribution, a division of Ster-Kinekor (Pty) Ltd. Website: www.tsotsi.com.
