26 Best Movies to Watch From South Africa

Read also:

1. Searching for Sugar Man, 2012

American folk singer Sixto Diaz Rodriguez recorded two albums in Detroit in the 1970s, which he played live across the city, but never to critical acclaim or commercial success. Disappointed, he soon quit his musical career, bought a run-down house in the Motor City, and lived a simple life working in construction. So far, this sounds like the biography of many musicians that never quite made it, talented or otherwise.

However, a strange thing happened. By the mid-1970s, his albums were getting significant airplay in countries like Australia, Zimbabwe, and Apartheid-era South Africa, where he was soon considered a musical voice on par with the Beatles. While living a reclusive life in Detroit, Michigan, he unwittingly became a star on the other side of the globe. This engaged and visually appealing documentary by the late Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul tells his story and spells out a fascinating footnote of global music history.

Genre: Documentary, Music

Actor: Clarence Avant, Craig Bartholomew Strydom, Dan DiMaggio, Dennis Coffey, Eva Rodriguez, Malik Bendjelloul, Mike Theodore, Regan Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Sandra Rodriguez-Kennedy, Sixto Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Stephen Segerman, Steve Rowland, Steve Segerman

Director: Malik Bendjelloul

Rating: PG-13

Read also:

2. Samsara, 2012

The Sanskrit word Samsara refers to the wheel of life and roughly translates to “continuous flow”. And, indeed, Samsara takes us on an entrancing journey, chronicling the never-ending cycle of birth, life, death, and re-birth that life, big and small, goes through—at least according to the religions that were born on the Indian continent. Shot on 70mm film and utilizing computerized camera movements as well as time-lapse photography, this film by American director Ron Fricke delivers absolutely breath-taking visuals. Whether it's awe-inspiring vastness or the close-up of a human face, its narration-less narrative integrates every aspect of human and natural life regardless of scale or location. The scope of this effort is truly awe-inspiring and the clarity of it has to be seen to be believed. An unusual and magical film!
Genre: Documentary
Actor: Balinese Tari Legong Dancers, Hiroshi Ishiguro, Ni Made Megahadi Pratiwi, Olivier De Sagazan, Puti Sri Candra Dewi, Putu Dinda Pratika
Director: Ron Fricke
Rating: PG-13

3. Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, 2023

Undeniably breathtaking animation meets uncomplicated narratives and breathes life into this 10-episode speculative anthology. These rich stories take the sci-fi genre and unfurl a multitude of possibilities for a futuristic Africa. Although the episodes are short, there are more hits than misses as the focus on succinct stories creates a net positive viewing experience. Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire boasts an explosive variety of animation styles that make simple yet heartfelt stories shine. The transition from high-action vibrant stories like Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer to the dark, terrifying visuals of Surf Sangoma in the first half displays the amazing talent of Africa's filmmakers.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Florence Kasumba, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Kehinde Bankole, Pearl Thusi

Read also:

4. The Siege of Jadotville, 2016

The Siege of Jadotville is a different kind of war movie. It doesn’t recount famous battles or portray renowned heroes - instead, it’s about heroes and events that went completely unnoticed. Namely, the Irish 35 Battalion ‘A’ Company - a group of youngsters who are sent out on a U.N mission to the Congo. What was supposed to be a simple positioning quickly becomes one of the most sought-after locations and the battalion of 150 ‘war-virgins” find themselves up against 3000 mercenaries led by experienced French commandants. And what a tribute this film is: it’s well-paced, powerfully shot, and the acting, led by Jamie Dornan on one side and Guillaume Canet on the other, is absolutely perfect.

Genre: Drama, Thriller, War

Actor: Alexander Tops, Ashish Gangapersad, Charlie Kelly, Conor MacNeill, Conor Quinlan, Danny Keogh, Danny Sapani, Emmanuelle Seigner, Fiona Glascott, Fionn O'Shea, Fionn O'Shea, Garth Breytenbach, Gérard Rudolf, Guillaume Canet, Jamie Dornan, Jason O'Mara, Jason O'Mara, Jordan Mifsud, Leon Clingman, Luc Van Gunderbeeck, Mark Strong, Michael McElhatton, Mikael Helmuth, Mikael Persbrandt, Mike Noble, Richard Lukunku, Robert Hobbs, Ronan Raftery, Sam Keeley, Thulasizwe Kubheka

Director: Richie Smyth

Rating: Not Rated, TV-MA

5. Uncut Gems, 2019

A crazy, anxiety-inducing thriller that turns Adam Sandler into a thrill-generating machine, which in its own speaks volumes about the rhythm of this movie. It follows a jeweler who gets himself in trouble with what feels like all of New York - a gang, Kevin Garnett (the NBA player), other jewelers, his family, odd twins that appear out of nowhere - everyone. This all happens in the backdrop of him feeling he has “hit big” and is on the verge of receiving a lot of money.

If you watched Good Time, you know what to expect from directors Safdie brothers: excruciating tension that keeps building up when you thought it wasn’t possible. And that might be the only problem with Uncut Gems; the tension doesn't feel that different from Good Time, and having watched one you can guess where the other one is going.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actor: Abel Tesfaye, Adam Sandler, Alexander Gilkes, Andrea Linsky, Anthony Mecca, Ara Daglian, Aren Topian, Arthur Borukhov, Benjy Kleiner, Chad Neves, Damany Eastman, Debbie DeLisi, Eric Bogosian, Glenn 'Doc' Rivers, Greg Yuna, Hailey Gates, Idina Menzel, Jake Ryan, Jennifer Venditti, Jeremy Sample, John Amos, Jonathan Aranbayev, Josh Ostrovsky, Judd Hirsch, Julia Fox, Keith William Richards, Keith Williams Richards, Keren Shemel, Kerwin Frost, Kevin Garnett, Lakeith Stanfield, Larry Sloman, Liang Wei-Hei Duncan, Liang Wei-Hui-Duncan, Louis Anthony Arias, Maksud Agadjani, Marcia DeBonis, Marshall Greenberg, Mesfin Lamengo, Michael A. Sollecito, Mike Francesa, Mitchell Wenig, Natasha Lyonne, Noa Fisher, Paige Neuenschwander, Paloma Elsesser, Pom Klementieff, Ricky Barksdale, Robbie DeRaffele, Roman Persits, Roza Babekova, Sahar Bibiyan, Sean Ringgold, Shemsi Selimaj, Shiv Pai, Suin Zhi Hua-Hilton, Sun Zhi Hua-Hilton, The Weeknd, Thomas Kominik, Tilda Swinton, Todd Vulpio, Tommy Kominik, Trinidad James, Ursula Triplett, Victor Plajas, Wayne Diamond

Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Rating: R

Read also:

6. Good Omens, 2019

Based on the book of the same name by celebrated author Neil Gaiman, Good Omens is a fantastic story about an angel and a demon teaming up to save the world. Michael Sheen and David Tennant play the deities who go against their superiors' apocalyptic orders after having grown too fond of both the fun and follies brought about by the human race. This unexpected team-up, along with the creative use of Christian concepts and the comedic chops of all the actors onboard, are what make Good Omens a subversive, inventive, and thoroughly entertaining series.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Adria Arjona, David Tennant, Frances McDormand, Jack Whitehall, Michael McKean, Michael Sheen

Rating: TV-MA

7. This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection, 2020

A relatively straightforward story of a village of Sotho people building the courage to resist unwanted development on their land and the erasure of their culture, the rousingly titled This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection wastes no time on the oppressors' point of view. For director Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, there is no debate: these people are more important than any markers of progress hoping to displace them. Their struggle is rendered in some of the most crisp and colorful cinematography you could hope to see, with a powerful performance by the late, great Mary Twala front and center, channeling so much sadness into fury and determination.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Jerry Mofokeng, Jerry Mofokeng Wa, Makhaola Ndebele, Mary Twala, Siphiwe Nzima-Ntskhe, Tseko Monaheng

Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese

Read also:

8. Star Wars: Visions, 2023

More a showcase of various styles of animation than an expansion of Star Wars lore (and all the better for it), Visions finds some of the freshest expression for these tired tropes—rendered in what are easily the best visuals this franchise has ever seen. Across the 18 episodes of its first two seasons, the series communicates the mystical nature of this universe with much more ease than the live-action films do. And even as Visions begins to repeat some of the exact same ideas and story structures in multiple episodes, the repetition also begins to feel like the reinforcement of a universal narrative throughout time and space: there will always be light that will counter the darkness, often coming from the bonds between family and friends.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

9. Supa Team 4, 2023

Vibrantly and energetically led by a lively quartet, Supa Team 4, though not wholly original, is still a refreshing children's animated show. There is a slightly new take on the dynamics: a leader with a sense of justice, an intelligent yet shy caregiver, a level-headed athlete, and a hot-headed food lover. It keeps the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle quartet formula interesting.

With episodic villains (leading to the big bad in the shadows), the show reveals the double lives of our teenage protagonists while exploring the neo-futuristic rendition of Zambia's capital and a surprising focus on socio-political and environmental issues. It's a series that takes intelligent, talented Black girls and empowers them to be themselves, even as they save and protect.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids

Actor: Abubakar Salim, John Macmillan, Kimani Arthur, Namisa Mdlalose, Nancy Sekhokoane, Pamela Nomvete, Zora Ngwaba

Rating: TV-Y7

Read also:

10. Yoh! Christmas, 2023

With all the holiday-themed movies and shows that pop up on streaming at this time of year, it's incredibly refreshing to find one that manages to make a formula work simply by being excellent at its fundamentals. With an eminently likable lead in Katlego Lebogang, Yoh! Christmas (which is based on Netflix's own 2019 Norwegian series Home for Christmas) goes through all the heartbreak and the ridiculousness of app-driven dating in one's thirties with real sincerity. Even if it takes Thando a good long while to find even just a decent match, the show never harbors any resentment towards its characters—grounding everything in its protagonist's very real, complicated fears and insecurities. It's an inviting, comforting watch that moves with a spring in its step and looks fantastic doing it.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Didie Makhubane, Katlego Lebogang, Siya Sepotekele

11. Runs in the Family, 2023

There are a plethora of father-son road trips in film, but rarely portrayed on the path are fathers with their trans sons. That is because most queer stories often focus on the romance, and if not the romance, the coming out process. Runs in the Family does things differently – it’s the connection between trans drag performer River and his father Varun that lovingly stays the same. The easy, comforting dynamic between them is something that needed to be on screen, and it’s what makes the movie shine. While the film still showcases the extra hurdles society sets in front of them, and the way other people let them down because of discrimination, this father-son duo is the one thing they can depend upon. Runs in the Family is by no means perfect, but their natural father-son dynamic is something everyone needs to see.

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Actor: Ace Bhatti, Gabe Gabriel, Khadija Heeger, Paul Snodgrass, Rob van Vuuren

Director: Ian Gabriel

Read also:

12. Fatal Seduction, 2023

Diving straight into the mystery, never holding back on the steamy scenes, Fatal Seduction is a quick, addictive melodrama. It's no exaggeration to call this series an erotic thriller as it follows marriage deteriorated by secrets and miscommunication, with a web of lustful characters caught in the crossfire. But under the flings and affairs is the fallout from the heinous death of a child. Although there's the exploration of sexuality and sexual desires, the show offers much more as it tackles miscarriages, infidelity, and trauma. From its opening scene, we know Nandi is arrested and with every twist and melodramatic reveal, the series is easily binge-able - if only to see how many secrets can be unearthed in seven episodes (before Volume 2).

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Frances Sholto-Douglas, Keenan Arrison, Kgomotso Christopher, Liza Scholtz, Nathaniel Ramabulana, Ngele Ramulondi, Prince Grootboom, Rizelle Januk, Thapelo Mokoena

13. The Queenstown Kings, 2023

The Queenstown Kings is a sports film that has plot points we’re all familiar with – alcoholic father trying to seek forgiveness from his son, a tempting offer for fame and riches, the standard training montage and more. These plot points sometimes go into melodramatic territory, but the film’s relationships make these scenes feel sincere, especially with the family dynamic that drives the film. And as Buyile strives to better himself to become a good example to the team, and Fezile makes different choices from his father, The Queenstown Kings feels sincere as a reminder of the better side of South African men, one that can be uncovered if they, and their community, believe in a higher dream.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Likhona Mgali, Patrick Ndlovu, Sandile Mahlangu, Tessa Twala, Thoko Ntshinga, Unathi Platyi, Zolisa Xaluva

Director: Jahmil X.T. Qubeka

Read also:

14. One Piece, 2023

It comes on strong—as fantastical as a fantasy can get—but One Piece is a thoughtful and full-hearted adaptation that bides its time in building a big and bountiful world. The characters are bright and animated, easily matching the magical place they’re in. The action and adventure are thrilling, even though they’re occasionally hampered by some CGI snafus. And the story is epic; it stretches out to the ocean’s deepest depths, where we join Luffy in meeting all sorts of interesting characters. I admit, as a newcomer to One Piece, I did initially find the series a bit cartoonish for my taste, but I was eventually won over by its unapologetic epicness and theatrics. If I found it as delightful as it was, I’m sure fans will find even more to love.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Emily Rudd, Iñaki Godoy, Jacob Gibson, Jeff Ward, Mackenyu, Morgan Davies, Taz Skylar, Vincent Regan

Rating: TV-14

15. Catch Me A Killer, 2024

It’s not easy to stand out in the crime genre, but Catch Me a Killer does a pretty good job of it. It’s set in South Africa, where dynamics like race and gender are slightly different than in the US or UK. It’s also based on actual crimes solved by Micki Pistorius (Charlotte Hope), a chain-smoking read-headed profiler who helps develop the South African police’s investigation processes. But setting and character quirks aside, what makes the show unique is its hero’s philosophy: Pistorius believes that each killer, no matter how demented and harmful, deserves to be understood. “Is there something wrong with me, that I don’t hate them?” she asks in an early episode. Do murderers deserve empathy? It’s a question that follows her in every case she takes, in every corner of the country, and it’s also one that she finds increasingly hard to answer. Catch Me a Killer is a mostly straightforward procedural, but it often dabbles in the existential, making it a thought-provoking and soul-stirring watch.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Charlotte Hope, Donna Cormack Thomson, Ivan Zimmermann, Lemogang Tsipa, Sean Cameron Michael, Steven John Ward, Waldemar Schultz

Read also:

1 2