1 200 local mini movie theatres : the ReaGile Project in South Africa
by SAMUEL LELIEVRE
An interview with John Eschenburg the founder of the ReaGile Project
In recent years , Western audiences were able to see more South African films and feed their curiosity for a production which was largely unknown . In South Africa ’ s daily life , however , things remain quite different . Like the bulk of African countries - but in an unusual way for a country which still got a strong network of theatres - South African people have hardly access to South African films , especially those living in the most deprived areas . It is in this context that ReaGilè mini-cinema project , founded by John Eschenburg , was developed . Having highlighted the issue of distribution and its significance during the apartheid era , Keyan Tomaselli is associated with this project . Eschenburg and Tomaselli give us some insights into an innovative and promising project .
CCMS recently developed a co-operation project with the ReaGilè mini-cinema initiative … What is the ReaGilè mini-cinema initiative exactly ?
ReaGilè was started some 4 years ago . ReaGilè was developed out of “ The Acoustic Image ” which does home cinema / theatre installations . The ReaGilè Project
John Eschenburg ( right )
which has been established by ReaGilè iHs Pty Ltd , aims to provide job creation , education , entertainment , crime prevention , health care , and township and rural development , through the establishment of 1 200 community complexes . Each ReaGilè co-operative cinema consists of a pre-fabricated , self-contained , education / entertainment complex , consisting of a 60 seat cinema / theatre and a 30 seat computer / internet centre , as well as a community care centre and a community policing centre , situated on a 400m ² stand on a public open space or at a local school . ReaGilè co-ops provide auditorium and computer facilities . Each complex is owned and run by 25 local community members , who receive a stipend plus medical-aid and share in all distributable profits The ReaGilè Project gives preference to women , youth and the disabled and pricing is structured to be affordable for each local community - with free outdoor viewing of sport , edutainment , community news and advertising on five outdoor screens . The purchase of ReaGilè by the coops is financed through government or other grants and / or term Loans , while ReaGilè iHs ( Pty ) Ltd provides free accounting , technical , logistical support funded by the sale of advertising to corporate companies .
What kind of expertise will be brought by CCMS and what kind of research will be implemented ?
CCMS will cooperate with ReaGilè as its strategic research partner , in the context of a national film city
36 | WGSA MAG July 2013