ABSTRACT
The dominance of American films in the South African market became an increasingly pertinent issue after the First World War, and into the 1920s. Public opinion rallied against 'Americanization' not only in South Africa but more broadly in the British dominions and colonies. The uses to which film was put for black audiences primarily served the combined interests of the ruling white government and capital, particularly in mining. The Transvaal Chamber of Mines was concerned with the recruitment of cheap black labour from the reserves into the urban centres and established a programme of film production, exhibition, and distribution through African Film Productions (AFP). AFP received commissions from South African Railways and Harbours, the mines, commercial and industrial enterprises, and municipal authorities. With the competition between Kinemas and AFP for the sound film market in full swing, AFP's fiction film production was reinvigorated by Albrecht's return to South Africa in 1929 from his studies in the UK.
