Pretoria - The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) have refuted claims that the movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom did not generate 12 000 jobs during its production.
“The dti, the NEF and Long Walk to Freedom (Pty) Ltd have collectively refuted the claim by Africa Check that the production of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom did not generate 12 000 jobs during its production a year ago,” said the three parties in a joint statement on Thursday.
According to Africa Check, a non-profit organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and the media, statistics showed that the movie did not generate this number of jobs.
The dti, NEF and Long Walk to Freedom (Pty) Ltd said the direct jobs supported during production of the movie amount to 11 721. When the production company, Long Walk to Freedom (Pty) Ltd, applied for funding in 2012, the projected jobs to be created exceeded 12 000, while these were found to be 11 721 following reconciliation of the employment figures after post-production.
“None of the three entities have claimed that the jobs were permanent. The world over, the production of a film is a once-off project that does not provide permanent jobs. The work that goes into producing a movie is by nature transient and time-bound,” said the three entities.
The dti’s and NEF (which is a statutory body established to support and promote black economic empowerment) funding of the production of the movie is in line with government’s designation of film production as a key growth sector of the economy.
“The two entities will continue to support South African filmmakers to take advantage of the country's diverse and unique locations, as well as low production costs and remarkable local talent, as yet another contribution to economic growth and transformation.”
According to the entities, production allowed for filming industry skills transfer in various roles such as directing and casting.
The film, which is based on the late former President Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, has garnered several accolades such as Audience Favourite Feature Award at the Aspen Filmfest in the United States, three Golden Globe Nominations: Best Actor, Best Original Score and Best Original Song, and two London Critics Circle Film Award Nominations: Supporting Actress of the Year and British Actress of the Year. - SAnews.gov.za
