Darron Meyer
What Was Happening When
1980 – Run For Your Life
While out on a cross-country run in unfamiliar territory, two friends stumble upon an illegal drug operation in the woods. Soon taken hostage by the notorious drug-lord, they face the threat of becoming drug slaves themselves. Forced to work the plantation for the man known as “Cobra”, the two friends will have to rely on one another and use their wits if they wish to defeat the armed guards holding them captive.
January
14 – The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
March
12 – The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) together with its sister churches for Blacks (the NGK in Afrika), Coloureds (the NG Sendingkerk) and Indians (the Reformed Church in Africa), issue a statement that the Churches will bring no objection in principle should authorities judge that circumstances justify reconsideration of the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act.
April
4 – Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
May
2 – Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall is banned because the government fears that it might be used as a song of liberty by black school children.
June
1 – Bombs explode at Sasol One and Two and Natref Eight at Sasolburg and Secunda, with no injuries and RM58 damage. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations.
August
Special Branch policeman Detective-Sergeant T.G. Zondi is shot at in Sobantu Village.
October
14 – The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
November
21 – A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
10 of our Restored Movie Trailers
What Was Happening When
1980 – Impango
January
14 – The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
March
12 – The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) together with its sister churches for Blacks (the NGK in Afrika), Coloureds (the NG Sendingkerk) and Indians (the Reformed Church in Africa), issue a statement that the Churches will bring no objection in principle should authorities judge that circumstances justify reconsideration of the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act.
April
4 – Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
May
2 – Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall is banned because the government fears that it might be used as a song of liberty by black school children.
June
1 – Bombs explode at Sasol One and Two and Natref Eight at Sasolburg and Secunda, with no injuries and RM58 damage. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations.
August
Special Branch policeman Detective-Sergeant T.G. Zondi is shot at in Sobantu Village.
October
14 – The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
November
21 – A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
Our 10 LATEST Film Trailers!
What Was Happening When
1980 – Upondo No Nkinsela
January
14 – The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
March
12 – The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) together with its sister churches for Blacks (the NGK in Afrika), Coloureds (the NG Sendingkerk) and Indians (the Reformed Church in Africa), issue a statement that the Churches will bring no objection in principle should authorities judge that circumstances justify reconsideration of the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act.
April
4 – Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
May
2 – Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall is banned because the government fears that it might be used as a song of liberty by black school children.
June
1 – Bombs explode at Sasol One and Two and Natref Eight at Sasolburg and Secunda, with no injuries and RM58 damage. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations.
August
Special Branch policeman Detective-Sergeant T.G. Zondi is shot at in Sobantu Village.
October
14 – The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
November
21 – A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
Our Favourite Tweets! #Spreadthelove
10 Reasons Why We Inspire Filmmakers Today #retroafrika #berlin @Berlinale http://t.co/u2g8LLfsMR pic.twitter.com/RSvGERqyZ2
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) February 16, 2015
Can you believe we had to turn away audiences in Berlin! They loved umbango + joe bullet!! #retroafrika pic.twitter.com/qdfDmLBiYX
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) February 10, 2015
We’re going to Berlin for the @berlinale !!! #retroafrika #filmhistory #cool #tgif #february #photography pic.twitter.com/w3VVeMijMy
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) January 30, 2015
In the studio working hard! 😛 #retroafrika #southafrica #gravelroad #capetown #southafrica http://t.co/jThtArCbET pic.twitter.com/2uhx24STCx
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Spot our “Trompie” DVD at Musica V&A Waterfront NOW, only R99.99!! #retroafrika #summer #christmas #giftingideas pic.twitter.com/0UewH58P0T
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) December 17, 2014
R99.99 at #Musica #southafrica!! Also available on our website http://t.co/jThtArCbET #retroafrika #retweet pic.twitter.com/YzkgUApHnM
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) December 1, 2014
Retro Afrika Happenings in the Months to Come #retroafrika #vintage #films #epic #lumiere2014 #berlin #filmfestival… http://t.co/C2RamB7aFF
— Tamika Doubell (@TamikaDoubell) October 20, 2014
@JoeBulletMovie cast in the 70’s #thursdaythrowback #RetroAfrika pic.twitter.com/nkRHdrFsNz
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) September 4, 2014
We making it to New York Times read about us #DIFF2014 #RetroAfrika Honoring a Filmmaker in the Shadow of Apartheid http://t.co/7y0lmW19sV
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) July 30, 2014
At the press conference for The Mayibuye Film Festival right now in #johannesburg #retroafrika @Official_SABC1 pic.twitter.com/bg8wSSTSSa
— RetroAfrikaBioscope (@RetroAfrika) April 10, 2014
What Was Happening When
1989 – Treasure Hunters
After hearing a tale of a mysterious lost treasure, an old man’s family heads off on a perilous journey only to suffer the same fate as the shipwrecked survivors from sixty years ago.
+ Jan 8 The African National Congress announces that it will start dismantling its guerrilla camps in Angola in support of the peace process.
+ Jan 18 State President of South Africa P.W. Botha has a mild stroke.
+ Feb 2 An ailing State President Pieter Willem Botha steps down from the leadership of the National Party, but remains state president.
+ Feb 2 Trevor Manuel is released from detention under stringent restriction orders.
+ March 15–21 A conference of African National Congress chief representatives and regional treasurers takes place in Gran, Norway.
+ Date Unknown An explosion occurs outside the Natal Command HQ on Durban‘s beachfront.
+ May 5 Three South African Embassy staff are ordered to leave Britain within 7 days because of the attempted smuggling of a Blowpipe missile.
+ May 17 Tumelo Faith Sindane is born at Zebediela.
+ July 5 PW Botha, State President of South Africa, and Nelson Mandela, in prison at the time, meet for the first time.
+ August 10 The Cabinet prevails on P.W. Botha to resign as state president and FW de Klerk becomes acting State President of South Africa.
+ Date Unknown A grenade is thrown into a Labour Party polling station in Bishop Lavis.
+ September 12 Anton Lubowski, advocate and secretary-general of the South West Africa People’s Organization, is shot dead outside his home in Windhoek, South West Africa.
+ November 27 The Hex River Tunnels system is officially opened. The system’s longest tunnel is 13.5 kilometres (8.4 miles) long, the longest railway tunnel in Africa.
A Short (Cool) History of South African Cinema
+ During the 1910s and 1920s, many South African films were made in or around Durban. These films often made use of the dramatic scenery available in rural KwaZulu-Natal, particularly the Drakensberg region.
+ KwaZulu-Natal was also served as the appropriate location for historical films such as De Voortrekkers (1916) and The Symbol of Sacrifice (1918)
+ Sarie Marais, the first Afrikaans-language sound film, was released in 1931. Subsequent sound releases such as Die Wildsboudjie(1948), a 1949 Sarie Marais remake, and Daar doer in die bosveld (1950) continued to cater primarily to white, Afrikaans-speaking audiences.
+ The 1950s saw an increased use of South African locations and talent by international filmmakers. British co-productions like Coast of Skeletons (1956) and American co-productions like The Cape Town Affair (1957) reflected the a growing trend of shooting in real locations, rather than using backlots.
Our Best Posts of 2014
Over the past 12 months we’ve used ourselves as guinea pigs in a new realm. We’ve worked to see whether it’s the old or new films from South African history which inspire you, we’ve learned how to debut our films abroad, and we’ve found better ways to work, write and create.
The process has been enlightening, productive and ultimately just a lot of fun.
With the new year now in full swing, we’ve put away our holiday overindulgences to take time to reflect on some of our favourite (and most popular) articles of 2014:
Retro Afrika Bioscope 