(“Dora's
Peace” - Khabonina Qubeka)
As people stay at home across the country,
streaming platforms are offering a variety of top local films for every taste.
From heists to drama, and action to comedy,
some of the best in South African films – released in cinemas by Indigenous
Film Distribution over the years are available on digital and on-demand
platforms as people across South Africa brace themselves for a 21-day lockdown
to tackle the spread of the new coronavirus.
(Left: “The
Wound”)
“There’s something for everyone –
thrillers, dramas, action,” says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film
Distribution. “Given the current circumstances, we are pleased these films are
available on digital for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.”
In Assignment
Kathleen (Kat) Jacobs, a renowned conflict journalist returns home to
Johannesburg after her assignment is cut short by a near-fatal incident in the
Congo. She discovers an incredible scoop, one which pitches her squarely
against major political forces. Kat finds herself on the run. What ensues is
the most dangerous cat-and-mouse chase of Kat's life. Not only her career and
reputation are on the line, but also her life and her family's as well. Assignment stars Sandi Schultz, Gert van
Niekerk and David Dennis.
In Charlie Vundla’s How to Steal Two Million, Jack comes out of prison having spent
five years there for a robbery gone bad. His partner Twala never got caught and
Jack never talked. But Twala is as treacherous as Jack is honourable. He’s
married Jack’s former fiancée. Jack wants to go legit but after being rejected
for a loan he needs a new source of capital. Twala presents him with an
opportunity a job with a R2 million take. The heist films stars Menzi Ngubane,
Terry Pheto, and Rapulana Seiphemo.
A must-see for political history fans,
Mandla Dube’s Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu, tells the story of the
Mamelodi township schoolboy-hawker who, after the events of June 16, joins the
military wing of the ANC to fight against the brutal oppression of the
Apartheid regime and ends up becoming an icon of South Africa's liberation. The
film stars Thabo Rametsi, Thabo Malema, and Welile Nzuza.
In iNumber
Number, starring S'Dumo Mtshali, Presley Chweneyagae and Mncedisi Shabangu,
Chili and Sello, undercover cops, are cheated out of a large reward by their
corrupt superiors. Chili infiltrates a gang as it prepares to rob an armoured
car, and instead of busting them, he convinces Sello to participate in the
score.
Wonder
Boy for
President tells the story of a charismatic young man from the Eastern Cape
who is coerced into running for president by two corrupt characters. It’s a
political satire that delves into political dynamics and challenges that arise.
Directed by John Barker, it stars Kagiso Lediga, Tony Miyambo and Ntosh
Madlingozi.
Coming in April is Four Corners, directed by Ian Gabriel. Fatherless and raised by his
grandmother, 13-year-old Ricardo Galam lives in the Cape Flats, a unique and
volatile sub culture dominated by two Number gangs, the 26s and 28s. Ricardo's
future as a chess prodigy is threatened by his growing interest in the 26s
whose local leader is grooming him as a potential member. It’s a gripping drama
set against the backdrop of a gang war which has been raging for 100 years.
On Showmax, women fight back in Dora’s Peace, a story about a Hillbrow
prostitute who shields a gifted young boy from the violent clutches of
organised crime. In the process she discovers aspects of her own lost humanity
with Kabonina Qubeka.
(Right: “Five
Fingers For Marseilles - Vuyo Dabula)
If you’re into westerns with an African
twist, Five Fingers for Marseilles
looks at how lives change forever when Tau, a young lion, kills two corrupt
policemen in a South African shanty town. It stars Vuyo Dabula, Zethu Dlomo and
Hamilton Dhlamini.
In ‘Inxeba
(The Wound), Xolani, a lonely factory
worker, travels to the rural mountains with the men of his community to
initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. The controversial film stars
Nakhane Touré, Bongile Mantsai and Niza Jay.
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