Cinema of Botswana
The history of the Cinema of Botswana (or cinema in Botswana) comprises film-making in the Southern African country of
The local film industry of Botswana has been nicknamed "Botswood" by some,".
Early history
According to historian
In 1912, a Londoner known as W. Butcher obtained permission to travel to
Reportedly, the first Filmmaker from Botswana was a man named
The film named
Botswana hit the world headlines in 1950 because of the political complications surrounding the marriage of Seretse Khama to Ruth Williams. At least 21 newsreel clips cover these events of 1949-56. The earliest newsreel item, titled 'The African Domain of Ruth Williams' (British Movietone News, 25 August 1949, 3 minutes),[6] made British movie-goers gasp audibly when the well-known voice of Leslie Mitchell told them that thornbush zarebas around households in Serowe were protection against marauding lions.[7]
1950s to 1960s
Local politician, the future first President of Botswana Seretse Khama, a Black man, married Ruth Williams, a White woman from England, in 1948, bringing Botswana international attention because of regional Apartheid laws; this made several film production companies produce movietone reels about the couple. The companies that filmed these features included Paramount Pictures and Universal News.[4] Films about this couple continued being produced well after they had left Botswana to live in exile.
1953 saw the production of "
"The Hunters", a 1957 film production by American John Marshall was also about the people living on the Kalahari, as was the BBC's show, "The Lost World of the Kalahari", featuring South African host Laurens van der Post.
The American show "
Recent history
In 1980, John Marshall filmed another of his many Botswana-related documentaries, "Nǃai, the Story of a ǃKung Woman", about the struggles of a !Kung woman, N!ai, who was forcibly married at age eight to a tribal healer.
The 1981 comedy, "The Gods Must Be Crazy" was set in Botswana and became a major international hit; it spanned one official and three unofficial sequels:1988's "The Gods Must Be Crazy II" was also a hit, both movies making Namibian actor Nǃxau ǂToma a well known movie star, while 1991's "Crazy Safari" is the first of three unofficial sequels which were made by a Hong Kong based film company named Orange Sky Golden Harvest, also starring Nǃxau ǂToma. The two latter others, "Crazy in Hong Kong" (1993) and "The Gods Must Be Funny In China" (1995) were not filmed in Botswana.
2000's
Thokolosi is a Botswana television drama series that aired on BTV in 2006. It depicts the supernatural phenomenon of witchcraft in a village called Bobonong. The series sparked a public controversy, as some viewers from Bobonong and other regions accused it of being prejudiced and insensitive to their culture and beliefs. The creators of the series defended it as a creative and educational work of art that aimed to raise awareness and discussion on the issue of censorship. [10][11]
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was shot on location in Botswana starting in 2007.[12] It was the first major production to be filmed in Botswana, and the government provided five million dollars of funding for the project. [13]
Rradijo is a 2009 Botswana direct to video comedy series starring Radikgang Mandiane as the titular character. It rose to fame at its launch, selling 150,000 units in total between Botswana and South Africa.[14] The comedy series based in Botswana follows the life of an elderly man who loves his food more than anything and despises anyone who interrupts his meals. He often gets into hilarious situations with his wife Mmadijo, performed by co-star Boitumelo Serebotswe, and his friend 'Phongo', performed by co-star Onkagetse Ofetotse.[15][14]
Colours is an urban drama of 26 episode, commissioned in 2016, premiering on the 10th October 2018. [16] Set in the Gaborone metropolis as well as Ramotswa. It touches on drug abuse, HIV AIDs, youth waywardness in a corrective approach. It is the story of Tirelo, a young man despised by his friends and relatives for never following through anything in life. [17]
The critically acclaimed "
The 2022 documentary
The 2024 Game show program Logaga lwa Ditiragalo(meaning "exchange of cultures") will be a cultural exchange competition held in Botswana.[18] The competition aims to preserve and revive traditional cultural practices, foster cultural tourism, and promote understanding and tolerance among different ethnic groups and will unfold over forty days, starting in October 2024. [19] [20]
Cinema companies
Botswana has a number of cinema and movie theater companies, including New Capitol Cinemas[21] and Gaborone Cine Centre.[22]
References
- ^ dijit.net. "'Botswood' sees film production start to blossom in Botswana | Balancing Act". Africa. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
- ^ a b c "Botswana Cinema Studies". thuto.org. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ a b "History of Film in Southern Africa | Southern African Cinematography 1913 - present". southernafricancinema.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ a b "Botswana Cinema Studies". thuto.org. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ "Botswana Cinema Studies". thuto.org. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
- ^ "AFRICAN DOMAIN OF RUTH WILLIAMS". Youtube.com.
- ^ "The African Domain of Ruth Williams". British Universities Film & Video Council.
- ^ a b "Botswana Cinema Studies". thuto.org. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
- ^ "Botswana (Bechuanaland) - African Studies". Oxford Bibliographies. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
- ^ "Thokolosi man vows to stay away from controversy".
- .
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
- ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
- ^ a b "Botswana's direct-to-DVD movies gaining popularity". Sunday Standard. February 2, 2009.
- ^ "Botswana: Comedian, Phongo Proves There's Life After Radijo". AllAfrica.com. 12 August 2009.
- ^ "Colors TV Drama thrills Batswana". Weekend Post. 23 October 2018.
- ^ "Colours exposes SA viewers to beauty and challenges of Botswana". Sowetan Live. 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Logaga Lwa Ditiragalo". logaga.
- ^ "LOGAGA LWA DITIRAGALO REVIVES PROMOTES CULTURE". Daily News. 11 Feb 2024.
- ^ "TV Show explores Tswana culture". Weekend Post. 6 February 2024.
- ^ "New Capitol Cinemas". newcapitolcinema.co.bw. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
- ^ "Movie Theaters in Gaborone, Botswana". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 2019-12-22.