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