Much-loved former soap star Hlomla Dandala, the son of churchman turned politician Mvume Dandala, has made his directorial debut in films with a self-financed comedy tackling xenophobia.
Titled Swop, Dandala, best known as the suave mine boss Derek Nyathi in the soap Isidingo, said the self-financed movie was due for release over the festive season and would also be sold in DVD format to ensure people who cannot go to a cinema are able to watch the movie.
"It is a social commentary with an educational message," he said.
Dandala has directed soaps and television series, but Swop is his first feature film. He said the script centred on two bosses taking a bet with each other with one saying South Africans are not lazy and the other maintaining that a non-South African national from Africa would work harder at half the price.
"The movie explores this theme with hilarious results," he said.
"After we started filming last year, the xenophobic riots took place, so it seemed timeous," he said. "It has been an expensive venture but if you don't take risks you don't make it," he said.
Dandala said he hoped government initiatives to promote local and international film-making in South Africa would start to show results.
"It is important for any country to nurture its own culture, in South Africa people know that in an emergency they must dial 911 because of the influence of American films yet that is not the correct number, it is key to promote and establish a strong local industry for the sake of culture," he said.
Dandala said 10 years after leaving Isidingo, people still remember him for his role in that soap.
"At one point I thought people would forget, but it seems Derek Nyathi will live for ever," he said.
Dandala is directing Scandal, one of the e.tv soaps.
"In South Africa soapies are the most constant work. Many seem to default to soapies to pay the rent and be free to do what they really want to do, the creative stuff."
Meanwhile, on Thursday the department of Trade and Industry said it had increased the financial support available for local productions aimed at encouraging local content generation and further improving the location competitiveness of South Africa.
More productions will result in the creation of direct employment opportunities, both in the production and supply of goods and services for international productions.
To date, the film and television production incentive programme has approved 81 productions for a total rebate of R387.5 million, comprising 44 South African productions, 12 co-productions and 25 foreign productions.
The projected expenditure for the projects, upon their successful completion, is likely to fetch R2.3 billion, of which R1.2bn would result in direct foreign expenditure.
Since inception of the local and foreign incentive programmes, the Dti has supported various award-winning, as well as Hollywood box office successes, such as Tsotsi, Blood Diamond, Mr Bones, White Wedding and District 9.
District 9, the 2009 science fiction film that was shot in Soweto, with a more than 90 percent South African crew and 100 percent local on-screen talent, has been hugely successful internationally.