South African highlights on Showmax in April

There’s a diverse range of local and lekker South African content coming to Showmax this April, from hit rom-coms (Happiness Is A Four-Letter Word) to SAFTA-winning dance films (Hear Me Move), from top stand-up comedians like Jason Goliath and Joey Rasdien to hard-hitting documentaries about lions being bred to be killed (Blood Lions).

Here are 10 of the best

Happiness Is A Four-Letter Word

In this number one box office hit, Mmabatho Montsho, Khanyi Mbau and Renate Stuurman play three friends trying to find love, happiness and success. It’s based on Cynthia Jele’s breakthrough novel, which was described as Sex and the City: Sandton and won the 2011 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best First Book: Africa and the M-Net Literary Prize. Thabang Moleya’s film adaptation took home the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award for Lance Gewer’s cinematography; was nominated for an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best First Film; and was up for two SAFTAs: Best Supporting Actress (Stuurman) and Best Make-Up and Hair (Diane Allen). Watch now »

Hear Me Move

This local sbujwa dance movie follows Muzi, the son of a pantsula dancer, searching for the truth behind his father’s death… and finding so much more. It won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Editing (CA Van Aswegen), from five nominations, and a SAFTA for Best Sound Design (Basiami Segola), from three nominations. Watch now »

Jason Goliath Live at Lyric Theatre

Three-time Comics Choice nominee Jason Goliath brings his unique sense of humour and unbridled energy to the stage in this comedy special, filmed at the Lyric Theatre in 2017. Joey Rasdien’s Lyric Theatre performance will also go live on Showmax on 16 April 2018. Watch now »

Living the Dream with Somizi Season 1

The extended, uncensored and uncut version of the Comedy Central Roast of Somizi will reach Showmax on 8 May 2018. In the meantime, you can indulge in Somgaga’s reality TV show, getting an inside look at the highs and lows of his fast-paced and flamboyant celebrity lifestyle. Watch now »

Watch: Living the Dream with Somizi Season 5, first on Showmax on 4 May 2022

Planet Earth S2

Filmed 10 years on from the original, Planet Earth II is an immersive exploration of the jungles, mountains, deserts, islands, grasslands and cities of the world. IMDB’s top ranked TV series, Planet Earth II won Emmys for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and Cinematography, among other prizes. A number of sequences were shot across Africa, including this epic scene of a Great White Shark breaching and taking down a Cape Fur Seal – watch below. Watch now »

Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week S2

The toughest show is back. This time contestants must survive the training of Poland’s GROM, the US Green Berets and SA’s Recces, who ambush them fresh off the plane en route to base camp and put them through 48 hours of misery in the South African bush, where drinking the stomach contents of a freshly-killed springbok is just a starter… Watch now »

Vallei van Sluiers S4

Vallei van Sluiers is the story of three fruit-farming families in Ceres. The Afrikaans drama was nominated for SAFTAs for Marc Degenaar’s cinematography, Stef Albertyn’s sound design and the script by Johan van Jaarsveld and Louis Pretorius. Watch now »

Coming soon

Impunity (due 23 April 2018)

Starring Alex McGregor (Blood Drive, Spud) and Bjorn Steinbach (Generation KIll) as young lovers on a murderous rampage, Jyoti Mistry’s Impunity was inevitably compared to Natural Born Killers by The Hollywood Reporter after its world premiere at Toronto, where the festival called it “an eye-opening jolt, casting an unwavering gaze on South Africa’s increasingly troubling surrender to the banality of violence.”

Blood Lions (due 23 April 2018)

Every single day in South Africa at least two to three captive bred or tame lions are being killed in canned hunts; hundreds more are slaughtered annually for the lion bone trade. Environmental journalist Ian Michler takes a hard-hitting look into the reality of the highly lucrative farming of lions – bred to be killed. Named Best Documentary at the International Environment Film Festival (FICMA) in Barcelona and winner of the Genesis Award from the Humane Society in the USA, Blood Lions is a compelling call to action to have these practices stopped.

Once Upon A Road Trip (due 26 April 2018)

Sean’s death leaves behind a twin brother, a lover and a good friend. His last will and testament insists that the three get together on a road trip to plant a cross where he died  – and also to try and get along.
Directed by David Moore (Going Nowhere Slowly) and starring Tobie Cronje, Louw Venter and Graham Weir, Once Upon A Road Trip was nominated for four Africa Movie Academy Awards and won Best Make-Up.