The top 10 most popular Afrikaans movies and series of 2020 so far

Believe it or not, we are already halfway through 2020. To mark this milestone, we put together a list of Showmax’s most popular Afrikaans content of the year so far, in alphabetical order. Enjoy a lekker fliek or a hit series.

Boer Soek ‘n Vrou (Reality series)

Even though it began as a local version of an international reality series, the evergreen Boer Soek ‘n Vrou’s 13th series is currently in production – watch the first episode and meet next season’s eligible farmers on Showmax. While you wait for the rest of the season, binge Seasons 9-12. 

In each season, the host (Minki van der Westhuizen in S9-10 and Leah in S11-12) goes to visit ten single farmers who are searching for their perfect match. The farmers aren’t all young or macho – in S12, the show got plenty of attention for featuring its first gay farmer, Damian. 

Fynskrif (Legal drama series)

The lawyers at Van Wyk & Associates take their work seriously, but sometimes struggle to leave their personal lives at home. Every day they solve tough legal questions, and in between they have to deal with difficult relationships, family troubles and the challenges of parenting. 

SAFTA winner Louis Pretorius, who wrote the series along with Albert Snyman, describes it as a mix of Boston Legal, The Good Wife, Suits, Parenthood, and Brothers & Sisters. The pair created this series after the success of Die Boekklub, for which they also earned a SAFTA nomination for the script. Fynskrif’s second season got nods at last year’s SAFTAs for its sound and score. 

Fynscrif’s ensemble cast includes high-calibre actors like Neels van Jaarsveld (Binnelanders, Dwaalster, Griekwastad), Cintaine Schutte (Johnny is Nie Dood Nie and SAFTA nominated for Die Seemeeu), Chris van Niekerk (7de Laan, Vlug na Egipte), Tinarie van Wyk Loots (Dwaalster), Kim Cloete (Twee Grade van Moord), Beer Adriaanse (Wonderlus, Kanarie), en Edwin van der Walt (Die Pro, Wonderlus).

Hotel (Comedy series)

This workplace mockumentary about the staff at a struggling hotel in the fictional town of Fransenburg has already got four seasons for your mega binge. The sitcom, written and directed by Bennie Fourie (Vuil Wasgoed, Ander Mens) and Stiaan Smith (Sy Klink Soos Lente, Wonderlus), is like The Office meets Fawlty Towers in smalltown Mpumalanga.

Ferdie Kruger (played by James Borthwick) is an optimistic but inexperienced hotel manager, and Beer Adriaanse (Kanarie, Fynskrif) represents the luxury hotel chain that’s bought the hotel. Along with Simoné Pretorius (Vir die Voëls, Stroomop) behind the reception desk, Schalk Bezuidenhout (Kanarie) as ‘bellboy’, Mila Guy (Liewe Kersveesvader, Wonderlus) the waitress, and Martelize Kolver (Die Seemeeu, ‘n Pawpaw vir my Darling) as marketing manager Brenda, there are more than enough conflicts and love triangles. 

Hotel has earned three SAFTA awards: for Schalk Bezuidenhout and James Borthwick’s acting and  Bennie Fourie en Stiaan Smith’s scripts, as well as 13 nominations. 

Liewe Lisa (Romance movie)

Actor Hendrik Cronjé (7de Laan) makes his debut as writer and director in Liewe Lisa. After an extra-marital affair messed up his life plans, Daniel flees to a small town where he’s attracted to the simple life of a fisherman (played by Zane Meas from 7de Laan). 

Daniel must choose what’s important to him: the simple life, or honesty, his passion for writing, and love, in the form of Lisa (Elani Dekker, Jou Romeo, Vaselinetjie).

Jagveld (Thriller movie)

Leandie du Randt (Vuil Wasgoed, Mooirivier) shakes off her good-girl image in Jagveld. The film is directed by Byron Davis, with a script by seasoned writer Deon Meyer, who also wrote the script for Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee and Die Laaste Tango, as well as the novels Prooi, Dertien Uur and Spoor. Last year, Spoor was developed into the crime series Trackers, now streaming on Showmax. 

When quiet primary school teacher Emma crosses paths in the Karoo with violent drug dealers, she must fight to survive. Bit by bit she overcomes her soft nature and pacifism and a tough woman who knows how to defend herself emerges. 

Neels van Jaarsveld (Binnelanders, Dwaalster, Griekwastad), Edwin van der Walt (Die Pro, Wonderlus), and Tim Theron (Klein Karoo, Griekwastad) appear as the gang members. 

Emma is a mix of the bride in Kill Bill and Lara Croft from Tomb Raider. She is afraid of nothing, hit backs when necessary and is just as capable as any man in this Karoo survival western. 

O Vet! (Comedy movie)

Lisa is a journalist at a Christian magazine who’s fed up with her body and her creative ideas. She joins a weight-loss group where she meets three other women and a man who also want to change their lives. 

Bertha le Roux-Wahl (7de Laan) plays the main role, and along with Karin van der Laag (Suiderkruis, Isidingo), Solomon Cupido (Ek Joke Net), and Reine Swart (Die Pro), she tells an inspiring story about self respect and acceptance. 

Swaaibraai (Comedy short film)

In this short film from last year’s kykNET Silwerskermfees with the controversial, suggestive poster, Cintaine Schutte (Fynskrif, and SAFTA-nominated for Die Seemeeu) and Johann Vermaak (Die Spreeus, Vagrant Queen) as a couple trying to spice up their marriage. A new app lets them anonymously join a swingers’ party, where each person can choose to go home with someone else’s spouse. 

The comedy is hilarious and the production values are high. It is writer-director Gerhard Pretorius’s third short film, after Kloof and The Discovery of Fire. The cast is rounded out by SAFTA winner Louw Venter (Swartwater, Corne and Twakkie’s The Most Amazing Show) and Lara Toselli (Tali’s Wedding Diary, Chip Up), with Frank Opperman (Dominee Tienie, Queen Sono) and Chanelle de Jager (Projek Dina, Stroomop) as narrators. 

Sy Klink Soos Lente (Comedy movie)

Ben is a mechanic in Joburg, and when he meets Linda, he’ll do anything to impress her. He tells her he’s a singer in a band and when she asks to come to their next gig, he has to quickly make a plan to make his lie come true. To make things worse, his friends and colleagues, played by Bennie Fourie (Vuil Wasgoed, Ander Mens) and James Cunningham (Hotel, Vuil Wasgoed) have zero musical talent. 

Sy Klink Soos Lente has Stiaan Smith (Vuil Wasgoed, Wonderlus) and Amalia Uys (Vir die Voëls, Vergeet My Nie) in the main roles and Corne van Rooyen (Vaselinetjie, Alles Malan) in the director’s chair. There’s also an impressive local soundtrack and it scored Silwerskerm nominations for Best Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography. 

Thys en Trix (Comedy crime movie)

In the third-biggest box office hit of 2018, the over-careful Thys and rule-breaker Trix – brother and sister undercover cops – are forced to pretend to be man and wife to infiltrate a luxury golf estate in the hunt for the head of a smuggling ring. 

Bouwer Bosch (Vuil Wasgoed, Mooirivier) and Leandie du Randt (Jagveld, Binnelanders) are brilliant in the main roles and director Quentin Krog (Ander Mens, Vir die Voëls) balances the film’s comedy, tension and action. 

The other inhabitants of the golf estate are played by Zak Hendrikz (Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling), Dorette Potgieter (Die Kasteel), Chanelle de Jager (Projek Dina), Ivan Zimmermann (Alles Malan), Charlie Bouguenon (Vuil Wasgoed) and Deon Coetzee (Spoorloos), with Brendon Daniels (Four Corners, Cowboy Dan) as their captain. 

More South African shows to stream