THE FUTURE OF FILM: CINEMA MAKES A COMEBACK

May 13, 2026 15

Awethu Khumalo

@awe2s_righttoe

A kinetoscope is an early motion-picture device in which the images were viewed through a peephole. According to SAHO, the very first kinescope arrived in Johannesburg on 19 April 1895, which made South Africa one of the first nations to hear and see motion pictures. Not even 20 years later, an electric theatre in Durban was the first permanent theatre to be established in South Africa in 1909. South African film culture has changed a lot since its early days and will continue to do so as the faces of film evolve. But how do we keep theatres relevant?

Culturally, cinema helps preserve and spread traditions. Films can showcase languages, customs, and ways of life, allowing people from different parts of the world to understand each other better. It also shapes culture by influencing fashion, behaviour, and trends. Within recent years it has been observed that the cinemas have made a revival. Many people have ditched the comfort of their couches and abandoned the illegal streaming sites for an experience that can only be replicated in a cinema. From the sound effects to the colour grading of the film, the small comforting feeling of a room of total strangers gathered together for the love of film and theatre popcorn is unmatched.

With the recurrence of cinema outings, a new culture has been born: dressing up to fit the theme of the movie. This is by no means a new innovation, as many people have been wearing their fandom’s merch to the theatres, but lately people have been going all out. Some of the most recent examples would include the ‘BarbieHeimer’ era and, most recently, the emergence of Michael Jacksons walking around to watch the new ‘Michael’ movie.

Jordan Moodie, who was part of the Michael movie audience, recalled enjoying seeing people dress up and commented that you could feel the energy in the cinema before the movie even started, and she is looking forward to going back and watching the second part of the film. Dressing up can create a shared experience—friends coordinating outfits, fans recognising each other, or communities forming around a film. It can break the ice and make the environment more interactive rather than passive.

Another reason for the revival is that cinemas have started showing older movies. A repertory is a place where something is found or discovered, and in this context, people feel like they have found a way to travel back in time and relive the early days of film. From Ster-Kinekor having throwback cinema showings to the local schools or churches hosting movie nights with films set in an era that is unlived by the audience. This all contributes to the cinema revival. Nostalgia also plays a powerful role. People tend to associate older movies with earlier periods of their lives or with what they imagine as a “golden age” of cinema. That emotional attachment can make the films feel deeper or more meaningful than newer ones.

Many people have found their passion in life through the cinema. Caleb Dube, an AFDA film student, said, “Going and watching movies with friends or family in the cinema helped me find what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” He enjoys the creative freedom movies give him and hopes that one day many other people will line up outside a cinema to view his own movie. This shows that the cinema is relevant in discovering the future creatives that will pioneer South Africa’s film industry.

It is evident that society has shown a great interest in wanting to not simply consume pieces of media just because that is what is being pushed out, but they want to embrace and critically think about what is considered good media. They want to say that they were there when a timeless film was being shown and were part of the reason that something as simple as a movie has touched generations still to come. People yearn for a community where they can go out and talk about whatever they just watched together. Cinema may be one of the only ways that today’s youth are trying to connect with each other without the presence of a smartphone.