by Thinus Ferreira
The Showmax series Blood Psalms, hamstrung by financial payment issues behind the scenes with the South African government's film rebate scheme, has been postponed yet again to later in 2022 after it was supposed to debut in February.
Blood Psalms written, produced and directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka and Layla Swart Najaar from Yellowbone Entertainment, was originally supposed to start in October 2021 on MultiChoice's video streaming service.
In the fantasy drama series mostly filmed in the Eastern Cape, as well as in the Gauteng and North West provinces, Zolisa Xaluva plays soldier Toka with Zikhona Sodlaka who plays Sithenjwa and with the two characters who end up marrying each other.
Thando Tabethe plays Heka, a god manifesting as a physical being, with Faith Baloyi as Queen Assilli and the court's advisor with access to magic, while Bokang Pehalane is cast in the role of the teenage Princess Zazi trying to save her people from a world-ending prophecy.
The multi-million rand series that has been in production for over two years - billed as the largest and most expensive series ever filmed in Africa and produced on South African soil - was delayed due to a scandal involving South Africa's department of trade, industry and competition and the country's film rebate scheme.
After missing its planned October 2021 release, Blood Psalms was pushed to February 2022.
Blood Psalms now also missed this February debut date and has been postponed again, with no new premiere date from Showmax.
"Blood
Psalm was planned to launch on Showmax in February," Laura Cooke, Showmax head of publicity, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query after people asked why Blood Psalms didn't start in February.
"Even though we know our
customers are excited about this show, the launch had to be postponed due to
unforeseen circumstances. Once we
have a new confirmed date, we will share it."
Following a media presentation in Dubai for Blood Psalms in October 2021 organised by MultiChoice, Jahmil X.T. Qubeka afterwards said that it was "an embarrassment" to be in Dubai, inviting the world to do business in South Africa and to film productions in the country "when we have not put the mechanisms in place for that to happen".
At issue is the department of trade, industry and competition which abruptly cancelled its payments of millions of rand that were approved for the making of Blood Psalms in the country's film rebate scheme that has also been impacting other film productions in the country.
Almost half of the R85 million production cost of Blood Psalms is funded through the film rebate scheme of the department.
R8 million earmarked to pay for just post-production work on the MultiChoice and Canal+ co-production that has over 300 visual effects artists working on the show, was for instance abruptly cancelled in September 2021.
Besides this, there was another R16 million payment to be made in a rebate payment by the DTIC once Blood Psalms was a fully completed show.
The government's film rebates are paid out at specific production milestones with producers getting financial support while they're completing their content: At the start of principal photography, when filming wraps, the start of post-production, and then delivery of the completed video production.
The DTIC in a statement in late-2021 said that "It would be inappropriate to continue these discussions in the media as the discussions have not yet been concluded and both parties have undertaken to work diligently to conclude outstanding matters. The Yellowbone matter is sub-judice and it would be unlawful to comment."
Bongani Lukhele, DTIC spokesperson, didn't respond with answers to a media query earlier this month from TVwithThinus seeking comment about the department's film rebate scheme as it pertains to Blood Psalms, which rebates the government decided not to pay and what amount of money is still due to Yellowbone Entertainment from the rebate scheme.
