issue #19: let’s go to the movies
on cinema culture in South Africa
hey everybody,
Just a little letter about some things I’ve been thinking about:
In my second week in London, I decided to go and watch a movie in the middle of a random Tuesday. I had some free time and had heard of the independent cinema, The Prince Charles Cinema, that consistently screened Wong Kar-Wai films. Now, I have always wanted to watch In The Mood for Love, but could never find it streaming on any of the platforms in South Africa. So I thought this was all aligning perfectly. I could catch a screening of it, which was just a bus ride away at 3 pm on a Tuesday.
Now, being used to going to cinemas by myself in South Africa, I expected the cinema to be quite empty. It was the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, after all. Even more, this is a film that screens at this cinema at least every two weeks, and it’s a Hong Kong film that was released in 2000. Even though it’s popular, I thought nah, it can’t be that bad. But, much to my shock, the cinema was packed. Granted, it was a small cinema, but there were bodies on either side of me. This was my first taste of London film culture.
Over the next six months, I had many such stories. That’s not to say that every screening I went to was packed. Like everywhere, it is obvious that blockbusters are what most people flock to, but I am surprised by the act of attending cinema viewings that take place here.
In November 2024, I saw that the South African documentary Milisuthando was playing at a cinema in Harlesden called the Lexi Cinema. This is a bit of a distance away from me, but I trekked all the way there to see it, because I wanted to support. I mean, it was great to see the documentary on a big screen, but they didn’t need my support because despite the cinema being small, it was full. I didn’t hear another South African accent, and by the chatter of the people leaving the cinema, it was evident that they had no idea what the film was about before they went in. That flabbergasted me, because this was just an average night out for these folks.
And, of course, it had me thinking, if this film were showing at a cinema in South Africa, would it be full after the opening night? What makes others so eager to see our films, but us not eager to see our own work?
I recently read a great article by Khanyi Zondi in Mail and Guardian about cinema culture in South Africa, and I don’t want to rehash what she said because she wrote about it so eloquently.
“The audience is no longer a passive recipient of art — every piece of content needs to have an audience road map. They are active participants in the story’s life cycle. It’s time to embrace this shift and start building a meaningful, symbiotic relationship between filmmakers and viewers.
The solution lies in designing an audience-first experience. People, especially Gen Z, are increasingly willing to spend money on unique experiences. A study by Eventbrite reveals 75% of Millennials prefer spending their money on experiences rather than physical goods. Cinema can tap into this growing demand.”
Zondi, 2025, Mail and Guardian
And she is absolutely right. This is what I have realised while studying film cultures and being part of an active one here…people want experiences. I will pay to see my favourite film from the 1970s in the cinema again. I will pay to see film noirs from the 1940s, films by Chantal Akerman or classic rom-coms. I will pay to see panels discussing the future of rom-coms, on black women in film, and on the role of cinema in democracy. But I will also pay to sit in a beautiful, quaint cinema that feels like a vibe.
Even more than that, even when I can’t pay (which is often tbh), there are affordable options here. You can take out annual memberships to cinemas or cinema chains which give you a certain number of free tickets, discounts on other tickets, events or snacks, and more. There are discounts for students, the elderly, and more. There are accessible screenings for those who are differently abled, screenings where you can bring your babies, etc. The cinemas put their audience first, and it shows in the growth in attendance.
So, what is the future of cinemas in South Africa? I agree with Khanyi that independent cinemas such as the Labia and the Bioscope are a step forward. Experiences like open-air cinemas and drive-ins are fun too. I, unfortunately, don’t think that having to walk through a mall food court to go to the cinema will ever be a vibe.
We need to be honest that, as well as building up our local film industry, we need to be building up our local film culture. Those two work in tandem. Festivals and special events need to be not just for industry professionals but for cinema-goers too. We need more festivals, film seasons, independent theaters and panel events. We need to make cinema fun again, and something more than just a thing we do to catch the latest Oscar winner or superhero film.
recs:
film: Black Bag (2025)
The latest spy thriller from Steven Soderbergh is a treat, especially if you watch it in the cinemas. From my News24 review:
“Black Bag is the type of film that sizzles under the surface. Every shot, angle, and strike of a chord seems to promote a type of energy that has seemed to be missing from other films in recent years. This was a watch that kept me glued to the screen from the very first tracking shot of Michael Fassbender walking through a crowded street until the last shot, reminding me of how fun films can be.”
Read the full review here.
some notes on the newsletter
We have made some big decisions regarding the newsletter which will be shared in the coming weeks. We will be separating it into two newsletters - columns and recs in the Tuesday newsletter, and celeb news in the Friday one.
xoxo
Caryn