INTRODUCTION TO SOUTH AFRICAN MOVING IMAGES IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT
For this section of the course, students were required to write an essay about the challenges, responsibilities and opportunities facing a South African moving image maker in 2024. This essay includes a theoretical framework within which students had to situate their discussion of South African moving images; students also needed to use statistics from the industry to substantiate their arguments. Despite it being a lengthy essay with many components, the MI 200 students produced high-quality work. Two essays that display a thorough engagement with the South African moving image industry have been chosen to showcase on the Theory Blog.

DIVERSITY AS AN IDENTITY IN SOUTH AFRICA’S MOVING IMAGE INDUSTRY BY KATE TORDIFFE (She/Her)
In this essay, Kate explores the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities present in South African cinema. While the nation’s complex history and cultural fragmentation pose difficulties in creating a unified identity, Kate argues that this very diversity can be a strength. South African filmmakers also have a responsibility to embrace and celebrate their heritage, showcasing authentic stories that defy hegemony and resonate with a global audience. Kate concludes that “it is our responsibility as South Africans to find common ground, celebrate our differences and consume our own media”.

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE A SOUTH AFRICAN MOVING IMAGE MAKER IN 2024? BY CINDY SMITH (She/Her)
Cindy’s essay also unpacks the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities facing South African moving image makers in 2024. Cindy explores the power of film to unify South Africa’s diverse cultures while acknowledging the obstacles posed by Hollywood’s dominance. The essay analyses the impact of Hollywood on South African box office revenues and emphasises the potential of local films and games to promote cultural heritage. Cindy concludes that “the diverse nature of South African culture can catapult South African cinema to an era of unique art cinema”, but that we need to steer away from Hollywood dominance to be able to achieve this.

INTRODUCTION TO MOVING IMAGES AND VIEWERSHIP
Students were required to write an essay in which they analyse a film using a selected theoretical framework as the foundation of their discussion. While students dealt with Do the Right Thing (Lee 1989) in class, they were not limited in their selection of films. Some topics that students were encouraged to explore were “heat as narrative device in cinema”, “feminist perspectives” and “Brechtian filmmaking”, amongst others. The MI 200 students produced high-quality essays, and so three were selected to showcase on the Theory Blog.

BOILING POINT: HEAT AS NARRATIVE DEVICE IN FILM AND ITS RELATION TO MORALITY BY RILEY BARFOOT (He/Him)
In his essay, Riley explores how the elements, especially heat, can be used as a vital storytelling tool in film, both to enrich narrative and to underscore issues of morality. Riley looks specifically at extreme heat as a narrative device in Spike Lee’s 1989 film Do the Right Thing. This essay’s strong point is that it does not only consider Do the Right Thing but that it places the discussion in context by referring to heat/cold in other cinematic works as well.

BRECHTIAN TECHNIQUES AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT IN SPIKE LEE’S SOCIAL PROBLEM FILM “DO THE RIGHT THING” BY MIA BURWISE (She/Her)
Mia, also using Do the Right Thing as the object of her analysis, takes a different approach to the film. In this essay, Mia discusses Brechtian filmmaking techniques in relation to Do the Right Thing as a social problem film. By employing Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre techniques, which are designed to make audiences think critically about social conditions rather than escape into the narrative, Mia explores how audience engagement with Do the Right Thing can lead to social change.

THE BARBIE MOVIE WAS MADE BY WOMEN, FOR MEN BY LENAY ROSSOUW (She/Her)
Lenay chose feminism as her theoretical framework and cleverly reflects on the 2023 Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig. In this essay, Lenay discusses how Barbie transcends conventional gender boundaries, inviting all viewers to engage critically with its themes and representations. Finally, Lenay manages to demonstrate why men should actively participate in (feminist) discourse surrounding the Barbie movie and concludes that this film was made by women, but is for men to see.