South Africans want to watch soapies on the big screen

South Africans want to watch their favourite soapies - Isibaya, Scandal! and Villa Rosa - on the big screen.

And about half want home-grown movies to be cheaper, or even free, and to be a "true reflection" of South African life.

These are some of the findings of research commissioned by the National Film and Video Foundation to gauge South Africans' attitudes to local film. More than 2700 people were questioned in the survey.

The majority of the respondents (70%) said they would like to see a cinema version of their favourite soapies.

Veteran slapstick comedian Leon Schuster, whose films Mr Bones and the Oh Shucks series have raked in millions at the box office, said that unlike the US, South Africa had so many ethnic groups that it was impossible to make a movie that would satisfy all groups.

"We have the actors, we only need the story," Schuster said.

However, actor Tony Kgoroge, who has had roles in films such as Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Invictus and Blood Diamond, does not believe soapie actors would be able to deliver on the big screen.

"Sometimes these actors are put on television because they look the part and not necessarily because they are talented.

"They may develop skills, which are sometimes incomplete. These incomplete skills may not translate well on film as the soapie actors don't carry that weight that is required."

Kgoroge said he understood why South Africans wanted their favourite soapie stars to take to the big screen. "It's because these soapies are about the only decent thing they are fed when it comes to South African television and they remain hopeful that these actors can deliver on the big screen."

But Sophie Ndaba, famous for playing Queen Moroka on Generations for more than 20 years, said soapie stars could make it in movies.

"People want somebody to identify with. South African television actors can also do film. I'm sure there are people out there who are saying: 'Let's see Sophie acting as an old granny in a movie,'" she said.

Movie mogul Anant Singh said South African audiences were "certainly not loyal to local films, unlike audiences in countries like France, UK and India".

"I think movie audiences in South Africa want the same experience from any type of film. They want to be entertained, they want good quality and stars they recognise and believe in," he said.