Wyfie vs EastEnders at top London awards

The Showmax Original Wyfie is up for Best Soap or Telenovela at the 63rd Rose d’Or Awards, competing against the likes of seven-time BAFTA winner EastEnders and eight-time BAFTA nominee Hollyoaks. 

Billed as “the gold standard of excellence and achievement in Entertainment programming”, the Rose D’Or Awards will be held on 2 December 2024 at King’s Place in London. This year’s awards received more than 700 entries from more than 30 countries, with the finalists chosen by a jury of over 100 broadcast executives, distributors and producers from across the international television industry.

Produced by Homebrew Films (Trompoppie), Wyfie explores the friendship of four university roommates, played by Beáta Bena Green, Celeste Loots, Kristen Raath (above) and Mienke Ehlers.

This is the third international accolade for Wyfie. In Cannes in May this year, Wyfie was up for Outstanding Use of Locations at the Global Production Awards, presented by Screen International, losing out to Troll, which had been Netflix’s most popular non-English film of all time. In September 2024, Wyfie was also up for Best International Series at The Seoul International Drama Awards, competing against the likes of legendary Chinese auteur Wong Kar-Wai (In the Mood For Love, The Grandmaster) and his multi-award-winning series Blossoms Shanghai, as well as Turkey’s Another Love, last year’s Rose d’Or winner.

Locally, Wyfie won Best Newcomer (Ehlers) at the 2024 kykNET Silwerskerm Awards, as well as Best Supporting Actor (Marguerite van Eeden), and the Representation of LGBTQIA+ Award for a Scripted Series at MIP Africa’s Inclusive Lens Awards, among other nominations. As the Inclusive Lens citation says, “Wyfie masterfully portrays the complexities of university life for four young women. Balancing mischief and moral dilemmas, the characters’ journeys highlight resilience and personal growth… Wyfie captures the essence of youthful rebellion and the journey to adulthood.”

Showrunner Burgert Müller passed away in August 2024, so commissioning editor Lizette Khan dedicated the Rose d’Or nomination to him. “This one is for Burgert,” she says. 

SAFTA and Silwerskerm winner Johan Cronjé (Wonderlus) is the series director, leading a team of directors that includes Emilie Badenhorst, Eva du Preez, Ben Heyns and Koek’s Johannes Pieter Nel. 

Season 2 is currently streaming on Showmax, with new episodes on Tuesdays until 31 December 2024.

Watch the S1 trailer

Watch the S2 trailer

More international award winners on Showmax

Big Girl Small World wins at Dakar Series

At Dakar Series 2024, Big Girl Small World won Best Short Series, Actress (June Njenga) and Editing. This follows the success of another Showmax Original, Spinners at the 2023 edition, where it similarly won Best TV Series, Performance (Cantona James) and Editing. 

Big Girl Small World is a Kenyan romcom series that follows Ciku, a plus-size woman who stumbles through a journey of self-discovery after a humiliating scandal. In the process, she finds out what it means to live big in a world determined to shrink her. 

The 13-part series stars newcomers June Njenga and Daine Njuguna as Ciku and her former best friend Aisha respectively. Also look out for Emmanuel Mugo (Igiza), Fidel Maithya (Single Kiasi), Derek Bbanga (Second Family), and Kui Kabala (Njoro wa Uba).

Big Girl Small World is directed by Nick Mutuma, behind the Kalasha-nominated films You Again and Sincerely Daisy, and produced by Kevin Njue (AMVCA and Kalasha-winning film 18 Hours).

Business Daily Africa hails Big Girl Small World as “a very entertaining and well-written look at the struggles that plague your typical middle class Kenyan… ”

Watch the trailer for Big Girl Small World

Death in the Heartlands up for Sports Documentary of the Year at Broadcast Sports Awards

Death in the Heartlands, from Dark Side of Glory, is shortlisted as Sports Documentary of the Year – Over 60 Minutes at the Broadcast Sports Awards, which will be held in London this Thursday, 14 November 2024. The Showmax Original investigates the murder of three female runners in Kenya in 2021, including 10 000m world record holder Agnes Tirop. Death in the Heartlands is competing against documentaries with the likes of England striker Michael Owen, England’s first foreign football coach Sven-Göran Eriksson, and snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Watch the trailer for Death in the Heartlands

Die Brug up for International Emmy this November

kykNET’s Die Brug is up for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment at the International Emmys, taking place on Tuesday, 26 November 2024. Die Brug is now streaming on Showmax.

Watch the trailer for Die Brug

Matilda & Matthys screened at Heartland International Film Festival

In October 2024, Bibi Slippers’ Showmax Original romcom Matilda & Matthys screened at Heartland International Film Festival, one of MovieMaker’s ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’.

Watch the trailer for Matilda & Matthys

Sneak peek from New York Comic Con

Iyanu S1 | Premiering 2025

At New York Comic Con (NYCC), Cartoon Network, Max and Lion Forge Entertainment released an action-packed sneak peek for Iyanu, which will also be available on Showmax when it launches next year.

The animated series follows a teenage orphan girl, Iyanu, who spends her days studying history and ancient arts but yearns for a normal life. One day, responding to danger, she unknowingly triggers her divine powers, the likes of which have not been seen since the Age of Wonders. With newly discovered superpowers, Iyanu joins forces with two other teenagers, Biyi and Toye, as they embark on a remarkable journey to discover the truth about the evil lurking in her homeland. Throughout her adventure, she’ll uncover the truth about her past, her parents, and her ultimate destiny to save the world.

Based on Nigerian culture and mythology, the series is adapted from the popular graphic novel Iyanu: Child of Wonder, by Roye Okupe, published by YouNeek Studios and Dark Horse Comics.

The sneak peek made its debut during the “Iyanu: Lion Forge Brings African Fantasy to Cartoon Network” panel at NYCC.

Watch the sneak peek of Iyanu

Coming soon to Showmax

Youngins S2 | Fridays from 15 November 2024

When the gang of five returns to Olifantsfontein High for the second term, the outing of Principal Bae and the introduction of FW De Klerk as their new principal isn’t the only thing that’s changed. They walk onto the school grounds and find that they’ve become overnight heroes, especially to a student named TK.

Ayakha Ntunja, Kealebogo Masanga, Lebohang Lephatsoana, Thabiso Ramotshela, and Toka Mtabane co-star as the Olifants Five, with DStv Mzansi Viewers Choice Awards winner Sannah Mchunu also returning as Matron Lulu. 

Produced by iEmmy nominees Tshedza Pictures (Outlaws, Adulting, The River), Youngins was named Best South African Streaming Series at the Behind The Scenes Awards this weekend, having also been up for Media Award of the Year at The Feather Awards, Africa’s biggest queer award ceremony, and Best Newcomer (Masango) at the National Film & TV Awards South Africa.

The S2 teaser was viewed more than a million times in its first 24 hours online – a Showmax record.

Watch the teaser for Youngins S2

Streaming now on Showmax

The Station Strangler | Stream now

The latest true-crime feature documentary from IdeaCandy (Tracking Thabo Bester, Devilsdorp), The Station Strangler investigates the serial killer who is believed to have killed 21 young boys and one adult from the late 80s to the mid-90s on the Cape Flats.

Norman Simons, a school teacher, was arrested but only convicted of one of the murders. Twenty-eight years after his imprisonment, Simons was released on parole, opening up fresh wounds in a community where justice has been denied for too long.

The Station Strangler features interviews with family members of the victims, lead investigator JD Kotze, serial killer profiler Micki Pistorius (above), and Dr Allan Boesak, among others.  

Director Nadine Cloete won the Audience Award at Encounters for Action Kommandant, while her short Address Unknown won the SAFTA for Best Short Film. 

Sunday Times calls The Station Strangler “chilling”, adding: “Cloete is a formidable force in South African filmmaking, known for her fearless explorations of the country’s most poignant and untold stories … With The Station Strangler, she continues to challenge and redefine documentary filmmaking … infusing the documentary with a depth of empathy and meticulous storytelling.”

Watch the trailer for The Station Strangler

Devil’s Peak | Binge now

Devil’s Peak follows talented yet broken detective Benny Griessel (Hilton Pelser from Glasshouse), who is tasked with tracking down a vigilante killer whose crimes capture Cape Town’s imagination.

Sisanda Henna (Trackers) plays Thobela Mpayipheli, a grieving father who desperately seeks justice after the untimely murder of his son, while SAFTA winner Tarryn Wyngaard (DAM) plays Christine, who will do anything to achieve a better life for herself and her daughter.

Captain America: Brave New World writer Matthew Orton and Skemerdans creator Amy Jephta adapted Deon Meyer’s bestseller for the five-part series, a co-production between Happy Valley producer Lookout Point, Expanded Media Productions and M-Net, with Jozua Malherbe (Griekwastad) directing and Johann Knobel (Bad Sisters) producing. 

Also look out for SAFTA winner Masasa Mbangeni (The Republic) as detective Mbali Kaleni and Shamilla Miller (The Girl from St Agnes) as Benny’s wife, Anna Griessel.

Lookout owner BBC Studios is handling international sales, with Devil’s Peak already screening on BBC First and Prime Video, as well as Tubi in North America and Three in New Zealand.

Afrikaans TV site Terloops hails Devil’s Peak as a “commendable, almost tangible crime thriller with brilliant acting that lives up to the excellence of the book.”

Watch the trailer for Devil’s Peak

Taktiek S1 | Binge now

The hilarious kykNET series Taktiek is set in the fictional town of Schusterton. Like any other town in South Africa, Schusterton has a security company that looks after the safety of its residents. There are only two problems: nothing ever happens in Schusterton … and the company boss has been arrested.

Marion Holm (Trompoppie) won Best Actress: Comedy at the 2024 SAFTAs, where Taktiek was also up for Best TV Comedy and Supporting Actor (Schalk Bezuidenhout from Kanarie). The stacked cast also includes Showmax favourites like Keeno-Lee Hector (Spinners) and Melissa de Vries (Mince Jou Hare), as well as SAFTA winners James Borthwick and Deon Lotz. 

From Nagvlug Films (Donkerbos) and the award-winning writing team behind Hotel, Taktiek is directed by SAFTA winner Bennie Fourie (Hotel, Vuil Wasgoed) – who also co-stars – and Silwerskerm winner Beer Adriaanse (Buurtwag).

Watch the trailer for Taktiek

Blindelings | Stream now

Tim Pringle won Best Sound at both the SAFTAs and Silwerskerm for Blindelings, a thriller about René, a blind pianist with synesthesia. 

At the SAFTAs, Blindelings was up for Best Director (Ivan Botha) and Cinematography (Tom Marais), while SAFTA nominee Donnalee Roberts (Pad Na Jou Hart) and Wilhelm van der Walt (Donkerbos) were nominated for Best Actress and Actor at Silwerskerm last year. 

2024 Silwerskerm winner Jacques Bessenger (Koek, Donkerbos) co-stars as René’s husband.

IOL hails Blindelings as “a brilliant psychological thriller… so well-written that it has the audience glued to the screen from start to finish.”

Watch the trailer for Blindelings

Black & Blue S1 | Wednesdays

In a bold attempt to rebrand themselves and better appeal to the public, the Kenyan Police enlists a civilian as an Officer Commanding Station (OCS). This new OCS brings a unique civilian perspective to policing, turning things upside down at the experimental pilot station. A documentary team is hired to follow them and document the process, but inadvertently reveals the shenanigans the police get up to behind the scenes as they grapple with adjusting to the new reforms.

Black & Blue’s cast includes Kalasha winners Gitura Kamau (Mission to Rescue, Shimoni) and Annstella Karimi (Baba Twins, Sue na Jonnie) as well as Kalasha nominees Lydia Gitachu (Kina, Kidnapped) and Mwajuma Belle (Poacher). Andrew Ng’ang’a (Escape from Mogadishu), Lawrence Kimani (When the Gods Argue), Hillary Wamiti (Shimoni), Collins Koyo and Dennis Mutisya also feature.

The cop comedy is produced by Yare Production’s Abdi Shuria (Kalasha-nominated Showmax thriller Igiza) and directed by King Muriuki (Igiza and Showmax crime drama Faithless).

KBC calls Black & Blue “a brilliant police comedy”, giving it 9/10and saying it “just might become Kenya’s next comedy classic.”

Watch the trailer for Black & Blue

Princess on a Hill S1 | Thursdays

In Princess on a Hill, Onyinye Odokoro (Slum King, Adire) stars as Zara, a naive young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn after she wins the prestigious Lawson Group’s Leading Ladies reality show. 

With her newfound fame comes a heavy burden: saving the very company that catapulted her to stardom. Zara’s biggest challenge lies not just in adapting to the complex and cutthroat world of high-stakes business, but in standing her ground against the tyrannical CEO, Moyosore Lawson (Bimbo Manuel from Breath of Life, 2024 AMVCA winner for Best Movie). As she navigates the intricate web of corporate politics and personal ambition, Zara must dig deep to find the strength to resist manipulation, maintain her integrity, and ultimately prove that she is more than just a “princess on a hill”.

The corporate drama also stars two-time Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice nominee Efa Iwara (Seven, This Lady Called Life) and African Movie Academy Awards nominees Ireti Doyle (Fifty, Flawsome) and Femi Jacobs (Ajaga: The Yoke, The Meeting).

Princess On a Hill is co-created by Abiola Sobo and Tolu Ajayi. Ajayi’s debut film, Over The Bridge, premiered at the New York African Film Festival and scored 12 nominations at this year’s Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).

Watch the trailer for Princess on a Hill

Straat S1 | Binge now

How well do you really know your neighbours? 

The residents of Aarbei Straat are debating whether to build a wall around them to keep the danger out. Little do they know that a whistleblower in witness protection has just moved in.

Straat’s all-star cast includes SAFTA winners Morné Visser (Dis Ek, Anna) and Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, Trompoppie), SAFTA nominees Nico Panagio (Survivor SA) and Marisa Drummond (Getroud met Rugby, Elke Skewe Pot), and 2024 Silwerskerm nominee Amalia Uys (Die Byl). 

Filmed in Cape Town, the kykNET series is written by Paul C Venter (Arende, Torings, Mooiweer en Warm) and directed by Silwerskerm winner Morné du Toit (Lioness, Vuil Wasgoed).

Watch the trailer for Straat S1

My Fairytale Wedding S1 | Binge now

My Fairytale Wedding follows Mojisola, or MJ (two-time African Movie Academy Award nominee Ini Edo), a 29-year-old woman who, in a desperate bid to find love, turns to the mystical power of Kanyamata through a flamboyant seller, Madame Fantasia (Shaffy Bello from The Black Book). What starts as a dream come true quickly spirals into a whirlwind of hilarious and outrageous consequences, proving that magic may not always lead to a fairytale ending.

Produced by ChiChi Nworah (2024 AMVCA winner Slum King), the Nigerian romcom’s all-star cast includes Africa Movie Academy Award winners Ramsey Noah and Kanayo O Kanayo, Big Brother Naija favourite Mercy Eke, Carolyna Hutchings from The Real Housewives of Lagos, and Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards nominees Daniel Etim, Tina Mba and Uzor Arukwe.