The final newly restored film in our series on genre films made specifically for black South Africans—though notably directed by the white Van Der Merwe—is a Zulu western! This most American of genres is cleverly appropriated for a new setting that wildly changes the stakes—and the participants.
Our focus on apartheid-era South African filmmaker Van Der Merwe and his groundbreaking all-black genre films continues with a newly restored film of his over 400 productions. Rich Girl is in Zulu, a language Van Der Merwe helped introduce to South African cinema despite speaking it poorly himself.
Today we launch South Africa’s B Movies, focusing on Tonie Van Der Merwe, who spearheaded the “B-scheme” under apartheid, making all-black movies for black audiences. Films like Fishy Stones energetically and thriftily channeled Hollywood to give black actors their own space on the silver screen.