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A Khayelitsha entrepreneur is bringing cinema to the doorsteps of his impoverished community.
“I have always had a love for films but in the township where I grew up, as in most, there were no cinemas,” explains Bulelani Mvotho (39), who creates access to movies through his initiative Snapshot Mobile Cinema.
Cinemas are usually located in more affluent areas, transport to get there is a burden and tickets are expensive.
“Residents in Khayelitsha therefore do not consider cinema as a form of entertainment nor do they have the luxury of benefiting from the educational nature of films even those that focus on pertinent issues that affect our daily lives,” explains Mvotho.
“Through Snapshot, we have managed to cut not only the travel costs but also the ticket prices,” said Mvotho.
This roving cinema negotiates with local filmmakers for permission and then screens the movies in public venues such as community and youth centres, churches and school halls.
Tickets are priced at R20 a person, but Bulelani is always on the look-out for sponsorships to offer the movies free of charge.
Nyameka Booi, a resident of Khayelitsha said: “For us township people, it is hard to go to Claremont or the city just to watch a movie, so we value such opportunities such as the one being provided by Snapshot Mobile Cinema.
“It is affordable and helps keep our youth off the streets. They also screen mostly locally produced films which are relatable and support local talent,” said Booi.
Having endured a number of setbacks Mvotho has persevered and today Snapshot Mobile Cinema is celebrating its 10th year in existence.
He has managed to get sponsorship from the MTV Staying Alive Foundation based in London as well as funding from the City of Cape Town’s health department in support of his screening of educational films that tackle issues such as HIV as well as teenage pregnancies.
With the support from the sponsored Small Business Academy offered by the University of Stellenbosch Business School, Mvotho now seeks to stop his dependence on funding turn his business into a sustainable enterprise.
Mvotho is a student at the Small Business Academy at the University of Stellenbosch’s Business School.
Hester Franzsen, the operations manager of the academy, said: “Basically what we do is teach small business owners who have been in operation for more than three years and have a matric certificate fundamentals such as business solutions, marketing, finance, business planning and presentation of business plans and computer skills.
After nine months these students get an NQF 5 level certificate and 20 credits for study at the university, as well as a business plan.
“With South Africa being recently downgraded as well as the 48 000 job losses announced by the statistician general, the answer lies in small businesses such as Mvotho’s taking initiative and creating jobs for community members,” said Franzsen.
