Written by David Lewis on Oct 1, 2009. Posted in Production News

District 9 lands in Gauteng

It went to the top of the US box office on its release (August 14 2009), making District 9 Sony/Tri-Star’s highest opening day for an R-rated August release, after 2007’s Superbad and last summer’s Pineapple Express. Award-winner Peter Jackson’s sci-fi movie, about aliens in South Africa, was 100% filmed in Gauteng and directed by local boy-made-good Neill Blomkamp.

“We’re so proud that it’s finally come home to land,” commented Terry Tselane, CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), at the movie’s Johannesburg première on 19 August 2009. The movie opened on screens nationwide at the end of August and is already receiving much attention and rave reviews locally.

“We’re increasingly finding Gauteng and South Africa are attracting global shoots, due to our versatile locations and outstanding production skills and crew – and District 9 is an excellent showcase for our talents and locations, having been filmed entirely in our province,” says Tselane, adding that this growing international recognition and acceptance is undoubtedly having a positive impact on the South African film industry sector.

“Soweto is becoming a popular location for both international and local filmmakers and it’s not surprising, as it has so much to offer, particularly when it comes to gritty realism, and feedback we’ve received from crews shooting there is how welcoming and supportive the residents are.”

Blomkamp’s District 9 had a relatively short development time, and was shot in Kliptown and Tshiawelo in Soweto and around downtown Johannesburg in June and December last year.

The GFC, which has a stated commitment to making the province a filmfriendly environment and of actively supporting the filmmaking industry, has come in for praise for its willing and professional assistance.

Murphey, a co-producer on the film, believes that it’s a unique South African movie. He told The Star Tonight!: “A great movie like Tsotsi shows off what South Africans can do, while a larger movie like Blood Diamond was basically a Hollywood movie that came here. This is a combination. This is a South African attempt at making a blockbuster.”

For more information about filming in Gauteng visit the GFC's website.