Excitement is mounting ahead of the launch of an open air cinema for the youth of rural Marapyane in Mpumalanga this Saturday.
It is a milestone for the rural villagers who have never had a cinema in their midst.
The organisers want to surprise the community and declined to reveal the name of the movie but did let slip that the main film which will be screened at 7pm will be a local, vernacular comedy.
Marapyane has major challenges with youth falling prey to social ills like alcoholism due to a lack of jobs and recreational facilities.
A group of concerned former villagers decided to plough back into their community by taking the big screen experience to the area.
Under the slogan Social cohesion through the arts Tshepo Legodi, Koketso Moche, Molebogeng Sebidi and Lebogang Mohotloane will screen movies at the Lefisoane Stadium in the J S Moroka municipality.
“Only local movies will be played. The aim is to support South African movies while we uplift the community to move away from focusing only on taverns,” project founder Sebidi said.
This will be done through their company Backyard Films (BFY) SA. After the stadium screening the cinema will move a local community hall every weekend but continue to screen at the sportsground from time to time.
“Some of the children here have never seen a movie on a big screen. BFY SA is a community project which aims to provide alternative entertainment.”
“The youth of Marapyane like many others in other rural areas only have taverns, shebeens
and pubs as their only of entertainment,” Sebidi said.“We believe the youth spending too much time at taverns is a direct result of not having
any other forms of entertainment to choose from. “BYF SA is committed to promoting
alternative entertainment,” Tshepo Legodi, a community member and philanthropist in Marapyane, said.
