mydigitallife

America aka Hollywood aka big brother of the entertainment industry is looting and plundering Africa. Everyone is on China's case oon it's neo-colonialisation of Africa espicially,its resources but it seems we are happy when uncle sam enforces a new form of imperialism and colonisation; a cultural one. Just like darth Sidius it comes clothed as a friend, trying to help us while in actual fact the guys are busy enriching themselves off our stories,our cultural heritage,whilst we smile that uncle sam has decided to exploit us.

What am I going on about, well ,we all know about the film Invictus (Clint Eastwoods rendition of the 1995 world cup) I believe we also have heard of Cry the Beloved Country, the bang bang club, master herald and the boys, a dry white season, blood diamonds,mr.drum the list is endless what all these films have in common is that Americans funded them and had american stars as the lead.These films tell stories about the continent and mostly South Africa but they are all cultural imports.To show how absurd this trend is imagine if any South African would make a film about George Washington or Obama and have it set in the US shot by a South African director and have South African actors playing Americans.Will the american lap it up and push its returns at the box office,no.But will Africans and South Africans do the same,no. But it happens year in and year out  out of 9 films about South Africa ,you will find only 2 were funded by South Africans,produced by South Africans and had South Africans leads.

Above all this,I believe this trend is a damning evidence against the South African film industry,an industry that is over 100 years old but has no corodination, no sense of urgency,no recogniziable product and no vision. How come the industry is not telling these stories ,why should we wait for the yanks to put their money on our own cultural commodoties? Then we go and eat it up?I think this should ring alarm belss that the African and South African film industry is under siege unless it wakes from its slumber,we shall continue to be consumers and not producers ,even of our own stories that we can tell better than any yank.Whether it be on film,books,music or evenon the net to paraphase Biko "(south african) wake up, you are on your own".Aluta Continua!