SUDDENLY THE FILM SCENE IS BECOMING OUR SCENE

‘SUDDENLY THE FILM SCENE IS BECOMING OUR
SCENE’!
THE MAKING AND PUBLIC LIVES OF BLACKCENTRED FILMS IN SOUTH AFRICA
(1959-2001)

LITHEKO MODISANE

A Thesis submitted to the Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in fulfilment of the
requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

February 2010.
I

Table of Contents
DECLARATION------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------iv

ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v

DEDICATION-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS---------------------------------------------------------------------vii

1. CHAPTER ONE: OPENING SHOTS ----------------------------------------------- ------------- 1

2. CHAPTER TWO: RESEARCH METHOD AND METHODOLOGY ------------------------ 44

3. CHAPTER THREE: MIGRANTS, “INTELLECTUAL TSOTSIS”, AND A CONNIVING
FOREIGNER: COME BACK, AFRICA (1959) AND THE CHALLENGES OF CINEMATIC
PUBLICNESS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 64
4. CHAPTER FOUR: “SUDDENLY THE FILM SCENE IS BECOMING OU R SCENE”:
ENGAGEMENTS OF BLACKNESS IN THE MAKING AND PUBLIC LIFE OF U’DELIWE
(1975) ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ 110

5. CHAPTER FIVE: MAPANTSULA (1988): FILM AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE--------- 145

6. CHAPTER SIX: ARCHIVAL REAPPROPRIATIONS IN THE PUBLIC LIVES OF BLACK CENTRED FILMS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------171
II

7. CHAPTER SEVEN: THE ENGAGEMENTS OF GENDER IN THE MAKING AND PUBLIC
LIFE OF FOOLS (1997) -----------------------------------------------------------------------192

8. CHAPTER EIGHT: YIZO YIZO (1999-2001): SOWING DEBATE, REAPING
CONTROVERSY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------237

9. CHAPTER NINE:...