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'The values on which the 8 films, 8 values campaigns focused on remain as relevant as ever.'
A scene from one of the Heartlines films. The 8 films will be rereleased in the coming weeks starting on Friday. Picture: Supplied by Heartlines
Speak to most South African millennials, and they will tell you that they watched educational shows on SABC, such as Take 5, Soul City or Soul Buddyz, in earlier years of a democratic South Africa.
The aforementioned shows had a variety of youthful audiences, but one show that naturally appealed to most, if not all, South Africans was the Heartlines TV series.
An estimated 26% of the adult population, or 7.3 million adults, watched one or more of the films on television, with the highest viewership (34%) among people aged between 18 and 24.
Launched in 2006 by a South African-based NGO of the same name, the Heartlines campaign saw eight television dramas being broadcast on SABC channels under the campaign ‘8 weeks, eight values-one national conversation’.
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Nearly 20 years since that launch, Heartlines will be released for another eight weeks of value-based viewing starting this Friday.
“Although the film and TV landscape has changed dramatically over 19 years, the values on which the ‘8 films, 8 values’ campaign focused on remain as relevant as ever,” Heartlines’ Head of Content Nevelia Moloi told The Citizen.
Moloi said the values — acceptance, perseverance, forgiveness, honesty, responsibility, compassion, and second chances — are as important as they were in 2006.
“Heartlines took the decision to release the series digitally because of the relevance of the content and the impact it has on society in instilling good values (and because nobody uses DVDs anymore!),” averred Moloi.
The eight episodes will first be released on the Heartlines website and then broadcast on YouTube later that same day.
The episodes will, however, not be released in the order they were first broadcast.
“Most notably, we are beginning with the headline film Heartlines, which was originally released last. We felt that it was important to start with this one when we reintroduced the series as the name of that film is the most recognisable one from the series for audiences.”
Since 2012, the films have been exclusively licensed to M-Net, with the provision that Heartlines may continue to use them for educational purposes.
Given the ubiquity of vicious crimes, moral levels seemingly at an all-time low, and the dark influence of social media, most would argue that the release of the eight films is timely.
“We definitely live in an age of huge choice for entertainment, but to what extent are these stories reflecting or building the narrative of South Africa we’re all hoping for?” asked Moloi.
The NGO’s Head of Content said the nation’s perception of self and others, as well as its sense of purpose, is largely built by the sum total of stories people are exposed to.
“If we never watch or hear stories calling us up to the greater good, we are at risk of staying stuck in a single narrative or a destructive cycle.
Local stories that engage with local issues and help us have hope and believe in building something better for South Africa are always necessary.”
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The campaign was a watershed moment for South Africa. The films had a positive impact on decreasing the stigma towards People Living with AIDS in South Africa.
With endorsement from former President Nelson Mandela and the backing of FNB and the SABC, each film was shown on each of the three SABC television channels in the same week.
They were accompanied by an unprecedented newspaper, television talk, and radio campaign focused on one value per week for eight consecutive weeks.
The landscape has drastically changed since 2006, and people no longer only consume media through traditional mediums such as TV and radio. This is largely because of social media and streaming platforms.
Moloi said this was one of the reasons for bringing it out digitally.
“By making the films available digitally, we can bring this series to people on a personal level. We continue to receive requests to host workshops and conversations around these films,” she said.
“Now people can watch them anytime, anywhere, which will open up new opportunities for them to share and engage with the messages of the films, without being limited to watching them at certain flighted times.”
Moloi said her favourite was the title film Heartlines.
“We grew up being told, once a criminal, always a criminal – that film totally changed my perspective and opened my eyes to the power of a second chance.”
She added that The Bet, which starred a young Atandwa Kani, remains a fan favourite.
“People seem to have different ‘favourites’, but a film like The Bet has a particularly powerful resonance with young people, and it was also the first feature film launching young talent, such as Atandwa Kani,” she said.
“While The Other Woman remains the film that has wrecked many a woman! The Piano, which tackles the issue of honesty around money, remains something we continue to grapple with.”
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