SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: For the last five years Pretoria-based Cross Kine has
distributed Christian and faith-based movies produced by Incense Productions, including films such as
Hartsbegeertes, Forsaken, Rowwe Diamante, ReLoad and
Suiderkruis. Though well-received through DVD distribution, some of
the films struggled to secure theatrical releases due to the content being too
specific for mainstream cinemas. According to owners Morne Lane and Willie Olwage, this informed
the decision to explore new avenues of distribution.
“We decided to approach the churches to use their venues as cinemas in order to
release a new Christian movie every month,’ explains Olwage. “We didn’t expect
the response we are having. We held our first screening in April 2015 and have
since expanded to 133 Cross Kine Centres across South Africa.’ There are now
Cross Kine Centres established in a number of local towns, ranging from
Phalaborwa to Cape Town, Richards Bay and the Northen Cape.
By making this shift in content delivery, Cross Kine has been able to connect with
an audience which has an already established interest in the films’ subject matter –
harnessing the power of niche distribution. “We have received tremendous
feedback from our audiences – especially those from the outlying areas in South
Africa where some people have never experienced the environment of a movie
house. The fact that tickets are being sold at R35 is also a positive factor. Families
can now afford to watch a movie and still support the local church with
refreshments on offer,’ comments Olwage.
In the Woord en Lewe church in Boksburg approximately 1100 people attended the
first Cross Kine screening, which took place on a long weekend Friday night. Olwage
remarks, “Our movies are well supported – not just because we show them in
churches – but because the audience, although a “niche’, is loyal to the
content.’
Visit the Cross Kine website for
more information.
– Carly Barnes
