
31 October 2018
SA thriller Girl from Nowhere is a surprise success for Showmax
Showmax execs have been thrilled by the success of their recent acquisition Girl from Nowhere. With no prior cinema release, no marketing budget, and a miniscule production budget, Girl from Nowhere managed to fend off even big-budget Hollywood movies to become the most watched film on the platform for nearly two weeks after its launch.
After its debut on 1 July 2018, the grindhouse thriller stayed in the top 10 position for 10 weeks. At the time of writing, Girl from Nowhere was the 11th most popular movie of year on Showmax so far, across both local and international titles.
In Girl from Nowhere, a Cape Town couple, Katherine and Hugh (Tamryn Speirs and Scot Cooper), are headed to their private mountain getaway in the Cederberg, when they pick up a hitchhiker, Liza (Christia Visser in her debut film role – you can also see her in the docu-drama Alison, which launches on Showmax on 1 November), who carries a gun. Liza is invited for lunch, but soon the couple can’t get rid of her.
Director Mark Jackson says: “I’m really grateful to Showmax for taking this chance on my no-budget indie movie, when it was unfortunately overlooked by local distributors. I think perhaps it’s done so well in part due to its gritty look and feel, and to the strong, natural performances of the cast. And perhaps audiences are wanting something different, that might feel more authentic to them than some of the big-budget Hollywood films. I really hope it inspires other guerrilla filmmakers to look beyond their budgets.”
SA celebs open up about divorce on Untied
The action heats up on Empini
More Mzansi gold

20+ addictive South African reality shows to stream
Stream The Catch, The Real Housewives of Durban, The Mommy Club, and more of South Africa’s best reality shows on Showmax.

Mablerh returns to host The Real Housewives of Durban reunion
Mablerh returns to host The Real Housewives of Durban reunion for the third year in a row. The Season 5 reunion drops in two parts on Showmax, premiering 4 July and 11 July 2025.

Obstruction S1
A fiery netball superstar dreams of being noticed by the Gauteng provincial coach and playing for the national team… until her mom uproots her to a new school.

Khanyisa Jam Jam opens up in Laugh Africa Comedy Club special
Comedian Khanyisa Jam Jam talks about being part of the Laugh Africa Comedy Club special, now available to stream on Showmax.