From Durban’s cinema streets to Mumbai’s BRICS stage
Durban filmmaker and dental surgeon Dr Eubulus Timothy reflects on his lifelong passion for cinema, from his childhood in Durban to his international filmmaking career and participation in the BRICS WAVES Bazaar in Mumbai.
From Durban's cinema streets to Mumbai's BRICS stage, the world of cinema has captivated audiences for over a century. The first film production studio, the Black Maria, was built in New Jersey in 1893 by Scottish inventor William Dickson, who later perfected the 35mm film format. South Africa was among the first nations to witness sound motion pictures, with the first Kinetoscopes opening in Johannesburg in 1895.
During the Anglo-Boer War in 1899, William Dickson documented the conflict on film, marking the first war captured on celluloid.
In Durban, the Electric Theatre, South Africa's first permanent theatre, opened in 1909. A few years later, in 1910, the first theater exclusively for Coloured people was established on Grey and Alice streets. As a child growing up in Goodhope Centre, the narrator played cricket, football, and sneaked into local establishments to enjoy the entertainment. The Victoria Street cinemas became the heart of the town, where the narrator would later sneak into The Avalon to watch movies like The Thomas Crown Affair.
The director's journey in cinema began when his father gifted him a Chinon 8mm movie camera and sound recorder at age 10. His first feature film, Shakespeare's Othello, set in modern-day Cape Town, starred Sello Maake kaNcube as Othello and Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Iago. The film's success led to an invitation from the Government of India, through the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), to participate in BRICS WAVES Bazaar 2026 in Mumbai, India.
The Bazaar is an international business platform for the media and entertainment industry across BRICS nations and partner countries.
As the director of Trinity Pictures South Africa, the narrator advocates for cross-cultural narratives and international collaborations in storytelling. BRICS WAVES Bazaar provided an opportunity for the director to share his insights on the importance of diverse perspectives in connecting audiences and enriching the global film industry. The response to the director's participation was overwhelming, leaving him emotional due to the appreciation shown by attendees.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
