Life may look different, but values never change. This is illustrated by the demand of Heartlines’ ‘8 Films, 8 Values’ campaign and as a result, will be re-launching its powerful films from almost 20 years ago. Each film delves into a specific value and uses the power of a story to share a message of hope and motivation for social change.
South Africa (19 March 2025) – Imagine a film that has the power to inspire and ignite the desire to become a better version of yourself or to be intentional about living a life centred around positive values.
With Human Rights Day coming up on March 21, Heartlines, a charity dedicated to social change behaviour, will be relaunching its very successful 8 Films, 8 Values campaign – where each standalone film is an hour long and focuses on a particular value.
Although the films originally aired almost 20 years ago, in 2006, according to Nevelia Moloi, Heartlines’ head of content, the organisation still gets requests to re-broadcast the films or make them publicly available.
One social media user even shared how the films greatly contributed to her becoming a teacher.
“I wanted to live for something more than myself,” she commented.
“These films marked a unique moment in our country’s history that we’ve never had again since then,” said a community activist, from Gqeberha.
Providing SA talent with a platform to shine
The film project was the first Heartlines campaign, named 8 Weeks, 8 Values, One National Conversation, and not only sparked conversations countrywide but helped to launch the careers of several local actors, including Atandwa Kani (best known for his role as the younger King T’Chaka in Marvel’s Black Panther, with the older king played by his father, John Kani).
“I am South African and I am proud to announce that I was part of a great South African storytelling. It goes back to where we as South Africans have started,” Atandwa said at the time, on the making of The Bet, which focused on the value of self-control.
The remaining seven values explored are acceptance, perseverance, forgiveness, honesty, responsibility, compassion, and second chances.
Enduring relevance
Moloi says that while the film and TV landscape has changed dramatically over 19 years, the values on which the ‘8 films, 8 values’ campaign focused remain as relevant as ever.
“Yes, our classrooms might look different; our technology may have advanced. But nothing moves society forward as profoundly as people united to live for the greater good,” she says.
“Even 19 years later, we still receive comments on social media about how these films have had a deep personal impact on people’s lives. We have therefore decided to make them available on our website.”
She believes that there is a certain nostalgia towards these films, which will also work in their favour.
“By re-releasing this series, Heartlines wants to provide a regular reminder of the values that helped get South Africans through the scourge of apartheid and helped us to rebuild as a nation against all odds,” she says.
“Today we are facing scourges of different kinds, such as GBV, poverty, inequality, criminality, fatherlessness, unemployment, discrimination and violence of all sorts. We need to return to those same positive values to sustain our freedom from these threats to our families and communities.”
Films and re-release dates
Heartlines is an edutainment organisation that has made several films which not only entertain, but educate at the same time. The 2006 campaign comprised eight-hour-long TV dramas, each focusing on one of the eight values, supported by resources to spark conversation.
In re-releasing the films, Heartlines is making them available on their website over an eight-week period, mirroring the original campaign, with the eponymous first film, Heartlines (focusing on grace), releasing on Human Rights Day (21 March).
Viewers are able to visit the Heartlines website to view the weekly release of each of the films.
Rollout dates for the campaign are as follows:
- Heartlines (Human Rights Day, 21 March 2025) – Grace
- Crossroads (28 March 2025) – Forgiveness
- The Other Woman (4 April 2025 – Compassion
- The Miners (11 April 2025) – Acceptance
- The Good Provider (18 April 2025) – Responsibility
- The Good Fight (25 April 2025) – Perseverance
- The Piano (2 May 2025) – Honesty
- The Bet (9 May 2025) – Self-control
by 