South Africa On Our Screens

Thinking of African movies, Nollywood often springs to mind. The dramatic acting, over-exaggerated special affects and humorous dialogues is the reputation often associated with Africa in the global film industry, however, this is changing rapidly.

While industries across the continent are working towards reaching global cinematic standards, our dear neighbours South Africa are breaking through on streaming sites and DStv with top-notch quality products.

Since the start of lockdown, Netflix has added numerous titles to the ocean of films with African films gaining their own category on the site. As Namibians, with a close history with South Africa, there are a few titles worth the watch as they are relatable and entertaining.

DStv’s Box Office, on the other hand, offers the opportunity to watch new releases with the family.

Here are a few titles not to miss:

Fourteen years ago, ‘Tsoti’ made history at the 2006 Academy Awards by winning an Oscar for best foreign language film of the year for its truthful portrayal of what life is like in the poorer parts of Johannesburg – a narrative that still rings true today.

This outstanding film is ready to be streamed and will allow you to revisit a heartbreaking tale brought to life by the impeccable acting of Presley Chweneyagae.

Life in the Cape Flats isn’t easy. Every day citizens live in communities run by gangs as crime is the order of the day. Intertwining the stories of innocence and gang rivalries, ‘Four Corners’ takes you on a journey into gang culture on the outskirts of Cape Town, while telling the story of what it takes to be a community through these hardships. The film is available on Netflix.

If you have a little more time on your hands, watch these:

‘Tjovitjo’, ‘Intersexions’, ‘Queen Sono’ and ‘Blood and Water’ are four very different television shows which all showcase different experiences within South Africa. You’ll see some familiar faces and some new ones, but one thing is for sure: You won’t be bored with these Netflix moments. Equally as popular are Mzansi Magic’s soapies ‘The River’, ‘Gomora’ and ‘The Queen’, which showcase the talent South Africa has to offer in terms of production, story lines and acting.

Apartheid is a period in South Africa which still stains the lives of people in 2020. ‘Poppie Nongena’ touches on this. The film is based on the critically acclaimed 1978 novel ‘Die swerfjare van Poppie Nongena’ (‘The Long Journey of Poppie Nongena’) by Elsa Joubert. This riveting drama is available for rent on Box Office and stars Clementine Mosimane in the titular role.

Having premiered in cinemas across South Africa and Namibia on Valentine’s Day this year, the love story ‘Vergeet My Nie’ is finally available to rent through Box Office. Based on a true story that takes place over many years and throughout South Africa, the UK and Namibia, this homegrown love story is definitely worth a watch.

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