Upset surrounds release of two local films

Cape Town - South African Twitter users find it unfair that Venda movie Elelwani will not be released as planned on Friday, seemingly due to its clash with Heartlines' Nothing for Mahala.

Although the two movies have different distributors, according to MyBroadband, moviegoers feel that the traditional African production is being shunted for the more modern value-orientated NGO movie.

So... according to an email I just read the South African audience can only handle one local film release at a time so Elelwani must wait.

— Florence Masebe (@FloMasebe) September 27, 2013

I don't like speculating, but it's quite probable #Elelwani was put on the back burner in preference to a white-oriented Nothing For Mahala.

— Mduduzi Dlamini (@Quibbie_) September 27, 2013

The injustice against the movie Elelwani needs to be fixed & fixed quickly. Why should its release be delayed in favor of big money

— Victor Dlamini (@victordlamini) September 27, 2013

Apartheid is rearing its ugly head.What a shame @FloMasebe: In the case of Elelwani and the South African Film industry. Whiteness has won."

— Bongi Mokaba (@BongiMokaba) September 27, 2013

Its funny if the decision NOT to screen Elelwani was a government one, the media would be going crazy. #ScreenElelwaniNow

— ChiefNtshingila©® (@chiefntshingila) September 27, 2013

Dear @FloMasebe so are these bafoons serious about not putting #Elelwani in Cinemas? Wow, I GIVE UP!

— zola hashatsi (@zola_hashatsi) October 1, 2013

Reasons given by distributor
Distributor Indigenous Films told MyBroadband that the push back comes from the fact that cinemas will be switching to digital projection by the end of November and they wish to capitalise on this.

The fact that it shared its release date with another SA movie was also a contributing factor says its spokesperson.

Other films have also been pushed back, but this is the second time for Elelwani. It was supposed to screen in August, but was delayed until 4 October; and now the new date has been set for somewhere at the end of January 2014.

Check out the trailer for Elelwani below: