retroafrikabio

IndiePix Films has announced a partnership with Retro Afrika Bioscope, an independent label of Gravel Road Distribution Group dedicated to locating, acquiring, restoring and re-releasing forgotten and discarded classics of African cinema. The distribution partnership will kick off with 48 vintage 1970s and 1980s genre films rarely seen outside South African borders which will start to be released this month through numerous digital platforms, including IndiePix Films’ signature streaming service, IndiePix Unlimited. The announcement was made by Jordan Mattos, VP of Acquisitions and Programming for IndiePix Films and Gravel Road Distribution Group CEO Benjamin Cowley.

Ranging from light-hearted comedies, high-octane action films and provocative race dramas that were met with opposition from the apartheid government, these 48 vintage films have all undergone a highly-specialized digital restoration process for optimal viewing. Initial plans are for IndiePix to release this “Vintage Afrika” collection, starting this month via VOD and Digital HD on IndiePixFilms.com and through IndiePix Unlimited, where consumers will have access to the entire collection of Retro Afrika Bioscope films as they’re made available. The small budget features includes “Umbango,” one of the first Zulu Westerns and an official selection at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival; “Fishy Stones,” a cat-and- mouse crime caper; and “Hostage,” a thriller pitting police inspectors against a psychopath with a mega-bomb.

“We’ve long looked toward Africa for powerful, unique and engaging cinema, so we’re thrilled that we’re able to add to our catalog with these vintage South African classics,” says Mattos. “Gravel Road and Retro Afrika Bioscope have done an incredible job of locating and restoring these indie gems, and we’re looking forward to making them accessible to lovers of African film through IndiePix Unlimited”.

“It’s through partnerships such as this that we are able to expose world audiences to Africa’s rich cinema history, and through this exposure, we are able to continue our preservation and restoration efforts,” says Cowley. “We, at Gravel Road, are very excited to be part of the Indiepix family and are looking forward to sharing more lost African classics with the world through Indiepix.”

Visit IndiePixFilms.com for updates.