2023 is turning into a landmark year for the South African film industry. As we pass the halfway mark, and look forward to the SAFTA nominations, here are some early best of the year local contenders from Showmax.
THE MOMMY CLUB S1 | A record-breaking reality show
After topping the Twitter charts at the end of June 2023, The Mommy Club set a new record for the most first-week views of any reality series on Showmax, ahead of even the Abuja, Durban, Lagos and Nairobi editions of The Real Housewives franchise.
A R250 0000 first birthday party in the first episode set the tone for the opulent series, which follows five glamorous Jozi momfluencers – and their 13 nannies.
The Mommy Club stars The Real Housewives of Johannesburg’s former breakout star Mpumi Mops, Tshego Manche, and Hermajesty, who each have three kids, as well as new mom Nunurai and mom-of-five Ratile Mabitsela.
Watch the trailer below.
ADULTING S1 | A record-breaking drama series
Released in March 2023, Adulting set a new record for the most first-day views on Showmax of any drama series, well ahead of The Last of Us and Succession – two of IMDb’s five best international series of 2023 so far.
Adulting follows four friends in Johannesburg – Bonga (Thembinkosi Mthembu from Shaka iLembe and The River), Vuyani (Luthando BU Mthembu from Big Brother Mzansi), Eric (Nhlanhla Kunene from The River) and Mpho (Thabiso Rammusi from The Suit). Their strong bond has held them together after varsity even as their journeys in life have taken them in very different directions. As they try to find love and success, they turn to each other for support.
Watch the trailer below.
ROSEMARY’S HITLIST | A record-breaking true-crime documentary series
After topping charts on both Showmax and Twitter, Rosemary’s Hitlist set a new record for the most first-day views on Showmax of any documentary series, ahead of true-crime phenomena like Devilsdorp and Steinheist.
The true-crime documentary series follows cop-turned-serial-killer Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu, who was sentenced in 2021 to six concurrent life terms for the murders of six members of her family, including her sister and the father of her only living child at the time. They were allegedly murdered for killsurance: funeral cover payouts worth over R1.4 million to Ndlovu. Ndlovu was also sentenced to an additional 30 years: 10 years each for fraud, incitement to commit murder, and the attempted murder of her mother, Maria Mushwana, her sister Joyce, and Joyce’s five children.
The jaw-dropping finale claimed that Ndlovu had taken out 28 other funeral insurance policies – including on her mother and her brother. The finale also revealed that Sergeant Keshi Mabunda was investigating Ndlovu for the alleged murder of her first child, Jaunty Khoza, who died of unnatural causes in 2008, age 13 – leaving his mother with a R12 000+ payout as the only remaining beneficiary of his father, Hand Khoza, Ndlovu’s deceased first husband.
Watch the trailer below.
RISE: THE SIYA KOLISI STORY | A Tribeca-winning documentary
In June 2023, Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story won the Audience Prize for documentary at Tribeca, one of the world’s top film festivals.
The 92-minute documentary reveals a different side to the Springboks’ first Black captain, who led South Africa to victory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. In addition to documenting his improbable rise to international stardom, the intimate documentary also sees Kolisi open up about his struggle with alcoholism and his rollercoaster relationship with his wife, Rachel.
Watch the trailer below.
THE WIFE S3 | Showmax’s most popular show ever is still getting nominations
Mbalenhle Mavimbela has just been nominated for Best Actress: TV at the 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards for her iconic role as Hlomu in all three series of the smash hit Showmax Original The Wife, which came to an end in April 2023.
Mavimbela was hailed by Twitter as “the national wife” for her breakthrough performance opposite first Bonko Khoza and then Wiseman Mncube as Mqhele Zulu. Their toxic love story forced Hlomu to choose between a life of uncovering the truth and a life of hiding it, as she transformed from a passionate investigative journalist into the matriarch of the Zulu brothers’ crime family.
Watch the extended trailer below.
Also see: Khanyi Mbau to host the Basadi in Music Awards ceremony
