The Sunday Mail
Written by – Mandlenkosi Chinula
Titanic, Troy, Blood Diamond, World Trade Center, Gladiator and Pompeii are just but a few of the remarkable films that have been made from tragedies.
Titanic alone made $658,672,302 at the domestic box office, $1,528,100,000 at the foreign box office and $2,186,772,302 worldwide.
Although some may describe the film producers as insensitive profiteers of human suffering, making money makes sense at the end of the day.
The fatalities in West Africa due to Ebola are indeed unsettling, particularly for the rest of Africa. However, there is money to be made here.
Global news agencies as well as Western and local media are giving the Ebola crisis much attention. Millions of dollars will be pumped out and millions will also be acquired from the whole crisis.
The question that then springs forth is: Where will Africans be in all this?
Will they be at the epicentre of money-making or will they receive crumbs?
There have been signs of resilience in some parts of the continent, particularly those directly affected by the virus. Just a few months since the deadly outbreak, traders in Sierra Leone’s Kenema city in the east were already selling a film called Don Kraize (Ebola’s gone crazy).
Kenema is one of the worst affected parts of Sierra Leone with a national death toll of 348.
What is of interest here is that this movie is being sold close to the heart of the action. Call it what you may, but it is well-timed and relevant.
Such exploits are encouraging, especially in the film sector. However, more can and should be done in the arts industry.
Ebola has occurred in our “hood” and we have to take advantage of this tragedy. It’s our tragedy, not anyone else’s.
An Ebola exhibition with pictures, sculptures, theatre and paintings educating people on what is occurring in the affected regions should be in order.
If Africans do not take the bull by the horns, stand up and act quickly, Americans and their allies will tell our own story while we eat popcorn.
The question concerning such commercialisation should not be whether it should be done or not, but rather who will do it and when. In other words, Africans should be the ones to benefit from this commercialisation and, in the process, get the fattest worm.
In films such as Long Walk to Freedom and Blood Diamond, Americans tell African stories in American storytelling ways. This should not be the norm. Africans should take the wheel, fund their own projects, and use African talent and equipment.
If it means partnering with film-makers, ministries and organisations from around various regions, then so be it.
Although its revenues are not at the same level with Bollywood and Hollywood, “Nollywood” (Nigerian Cinema) still generates more than $590 million annually.
A South Africa Film Industry Economic Baseline study concluded that as at April 2013, the South African Film Industry “contributed R3,5 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (both direct and indirect).”
Although a lot more still needs to be done, this shows the potential that Africa has to come up with something good.
It is quite saddening when African events are commercialised elsewhere and no attempts are made by Africans to take advantage of them.
Recently, the Oscar Pistorius story was all over the news and caught everyone’s attention. One would think South Africa with its potential would lead the pack in making a film and commercialising it.
Instead, all we hear is that a number of scripts are being developed in Los Angeles and that “Hollywood” stars Ryan Gosling and Charlize Theron are being lined up to play Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp in the new movie.
In fact, according to reports “scripts began doing the rounds within days of the scandal breaking”.
How many of these scripts were written by Africans? Are there any Africans with similar plans?
Have any scripts been written about Ebola — factual or fictional?
Many more events are likely to occur in the near future.
Africa should be in a position to take charge of things that happen in its neighbourhood and benefit.
Besides, the money, connections, experience and new partnership will be obvious and needed by-products within the continent’s film industry.
We as Africans should in a way profit from our own suffering. Of course, the Ebola issue is not something to rejoice about. However, there is something we can gain from it.
