Top local movies to binge watch on this festive season

The holiday season is finally upon us Impulse Africa Team has compiled a comprehensive list of top South African movies to binge on while you unwind at home with family and close friends.

The films promise to keep you entertained while telling local stories just the way you like them.

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Angeliena

After a string of life-changing revelations, a beloved parking attendant pieces a new plan together and chases her dream of traveling the world.

Angeliena (Euodia Samson) is a parking attendant at a local hospital in Cape Town. Her character dreams of travelling the world. She adorns her home and work space with travel postcards and other imagery. The magic realism is clear with her daydreaming and the use of colour throughout the film.

Angeliena follows the love of a beloved parking attendant who pieces a new plan together and chases her dream of traveling the world.

Angeliena stars the likes of Euodia Samson, Tshamano Sebe, Colin Moss, Kuli Roberts, Thapelo Mokoena, Nicole Madell, Marciel Hopkins and Schalk Bezuidenhout.

Happiness Ever After

The sequel to the 2016 romantic drama “Happiness Is a Four-letter Word,” proved to be an immediate hit with locals, within hours of its release, the star-studded film made the Top 10 in South Africa on Netflix.

Directed by Thabang Moleya and produced by Bongiwe Selane, the sequel follows the journey of three friends as they grapple with relatable issues of relationship stress, parenting, and family tensions in the way that every South African woman understands.

The romantic drama stars fan favourites Khanyi Mbau, Renate Stuurman, and Richard Lukunku reprising their roles as Zaza, Princess and Leo respectively.

They are joined by new cast members Nambitha Ben-Mazwi, Yonda Thomas, Daniel Effiong, Loyiso MacDonald, Xolile Tshabalala and Nandi Nyembe, who bring another layer of intrigue to fans who have come to love the Happiness storyline.

Happiness Ever After is currently on Netflix.

Umakoti Wethu

Umakoti Wethu” is the feature film directorial debut of Nozipho Nkelemba, who starred in The Forgotten Kingdom, directed Gomora and wrote Emoyeni.

In “Umakoti Wethu”, multi-award-winning actress Fulu Mugovhani gives a stellar performance as Khathu, a Venda woman struggling to conceive. Khathu finds herself in crisis when her husband’s new job takes them back to KwaZulu-Natal, where an old flame is ignited.

Melusi Mbele co-stars as her husband Sizwe, with rising star Kwanele Mthethwa delivering a breakthrough performance as Nobuhle, the woman caught in the middle of this polygamous love triangle with a twist. Duduzile Ngcobo also features as Khathu’s disapproving mother-in-law.

“Umakoti Wethu” is currently streaming on Showmax.

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Letters Of Hope

Set in 1976 Apartheid-era South Africa and based on a true story, this powerful film tells the story of a young man caught between his father’s wishes and his own dreams.

After his father is brutally killed, 16-year-old Jeremiah discovers that he had been delivering secret letters from freedom fighters in exile and prison on his rounds as a postman.

When he learns that his father’s last wish was for him to take over this work and continue delivering the letters, Jeremiah — who dreams of joining the police force — faces an impossible choice.

Based on the historic Letter exchange programme which the ANC facilitated with different countries and intended to keep contact between families in exile and families left in South Africa to intensify the fight against apartheid.

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The film written by Vusi Afrika and Naledi Bogacwi is based on research conducted for the ANC in Mpumalanga for its centenary celebrations.

Letters of Hope is now available for streaming on DSTV Box Office.

Here: https://boxoffice.dstv.com/watch-movie/letters-of-hope/p75654?deliveryType=Stream

Two Hues

Two Hues is about a bipolar woman who deals with post-traumatic stress after sexual assault, and her life navigating the patriarchy in her family and the workplace.

The film is available for streaming on Herflix with 20% of proceeds going towards charity for victims of Gender Based Violence, Weaam has decided to endorse the National Shelter Movement of South Africa, an organisation which provides a safe space for abused women and children.

Two Hues is currently being developed into a feature film and Weaam has recently completed the feature length screenplay for Two Hues.

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Stream Two Hues on Herflix here: https://herflix.page.link/B6V3  

Kaalgat Karel

Kaalgat Karel is a far cry from Boondogle Films’ recent works, such as fiction feature Tess and documentary 1994: The Bloody Miracle, but the new film promises lots of great South African humour.

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Here a serial streaker and a paramedic set the stage for the Afrikaans romcom of the year. The movie was filmed in East London and makes its on-screen debut on 24 September, 2021.

Produced by Boondogle’s Paul Egan and Meg Rickards (also director), Kaalgat Karel tells the story of Karel Venter, a guy who loves the thrill of streaking during sports matches – and the accompanying social media stardom.

He falls head-over-heels for the paramedic who saves him after a streak gone wrong, but there’s a problem; she’s a strait-laced single mom who has no interest in his streaking shenanigans.

As for casting, Paul and Meg worked closely with casting director Christa Schamberger and held ‘chemistry’ auditions to see how different actors would work together.

The film stars Francois Jacobs (Donkerland, Vir die Voëls, Pad Na Jou Hart) as Karel, Schalk Bezuidenhout (Kanarie, Hotel, Sara se Geheim) as his friend and roommate Flip, Christia Visser (Tess, Ballade vir ’n Enkeling, Hollywood in my Huis) as no-nonsense single mom and paramedic Rita, Siv Ngesi (Knuckle City, 24, Black Sails) as Vuyo, Karel’s streaking rival, well-known comedian and singer, Tracey-Lee Oliver (The Voice, Project Fame) as Rita’s fellow paramedic and Eden Classens (Suidooster, Dancing with the Stars) in the role of the glamorous plastic surgeon Jean-Pierre du Toit.

The film also features Rosebelle Clasen, daughter of Neels and Eloise Clasen, in the role of Bella, Rita’s daughter.

Kaalgat Karel is available at all cinemas across SA.