As part of the ongoing celebrations marking the 30th Anniversary of ‘The Lion King’, Disney Africa and non-profit solar-powered media network Sunshine Cinema have collaborated on a unique community screening program of the iconic 1994 animated film, in a special Zulu dubbed format.
The special presentation screenings of ‘The Lion King’ will be shown at two big solar-powered cinema screenings using Sunshine Cinema’s modified Land Rover ‘Lamu the Landy’ in Cape Town and Durban. Twelve additional ‘Sunbox’ solar cinema screenings will also take place across KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, from September to December 2024.
These screenings, open to the public, will include conversations hosted by Sunshine Cinema’s youth impact screening facilitators, focusing on topics including conservation, family, belonging, and the transformative power of art and digital media.
Christine Service, General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa said: “Creating shared moments between families and communities through our creative storytelling is at the very heart of Disney. We are excited to be collaborating with Sunshine Cinema in this unique way, in this most special year of ‘The Lion King’, and hope that audience members will be inspired and make all-new memories.”
Throughout Southern Africa, Sunshine Cinema’s mission is to address youth unemployment by providing young entrepreneurs with a ‘Sunbox’ – a mobile solar cinema kit equipped with Afro-centric films and documentaries. Along with the ‘Sunbox’, the organisation offers the skills needed to become media facilitators, enabling participants to earn an income and drive social change.
Rene Weston, Programmes Director from Sunshine Cinema said: “We are excited about the potential of this program to celebrate storytelling, create employment opportunities for our network of youth impact screening facilitators, and to spark conversation that transcends cultural and social boundaries.”
2024 heralds the 30th anniversary of ‘The Lion King’. To mark this special milestone, The Walt Disney Company Africa has been celebrating the film’s continuing legacy in South Africa through unique and exciting launches, collaborations, and more in the lead up to the highly anticipated release of ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ in cinemas on 20 December.