Seven African highlights to stream on Showmax this August

Seven African highlights to stream on Showmax this AugustFrom a record-breaking true crime documentary to a Michelin-starred chef, here are seven African highlights to stream on Showmax.

by Erene Roux

13-08-2021

in SA TV and Film

Image: Supplied

From record-breaking true crime to a Sundance short, from an Olympic Gold medalist to an award-winning adventurer to a Michelin-starred chef, here are seven African highlights to stream on Showmax.

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DEVILSDORP | Showmax Original | Binge now

The first Showmax Original true-crime series, Devilsdorp, launched on Thursday, 29 July 2021 to five-star reviews, topping Showmax's SA Top 20 and setting a new record for the most hours watched in its first four days of launch of any film or series ever on Showmax outperforming the likes of Game of Thrones, The Real Housewives of Durban and The River.

Produced by IdeaCandy, the four-part docu-series investigates the 11 Krugersdorp Killings between 2012 and 2016, separately known as the Appointment Murders and the Satanic Murders, and how they were all traced back to Cecilia Steyn and the Electus per Deus (Chosen by God) cult.

The result of an 18-month research process, Devilsdorp shows again that truth is stranger than fiction, especially in South Africa, says director David Enright. This is the story of the events that rocked an entire community and forever changed the lives of those involved, especially the families of the victims. What started as a group of devout Christians trying to help a former satanist escape the satanic church ended in a murderous spree involving a killer mom, her two children, and a cult with more victims than members. It may all sound too far-fetched to be believed, except it really happened just down the road from us.

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In a South African first, Showmax also launched Devilsdorp: The Official Companion Podcast, presented by Nicole Engelbrecht of True Crime South Africa, who also narrated the audiobook version of Jana Marx's The Krugersdorp Cult Killings: Inside Cecilia Steyn's Reign of Terror. The podcast quickly topped Apple's South African charts and is currently at #3 on Spotify. Stream it here or wherever you get your podcasts.

TEMPTATION ISLAND SOUTH AFRICA | Showmax Original | Thursdays from 26 August

At the end of January 2021, The Real Housewives of Durban set a new overall Showmax record for first-day views. At the end of June 2021, another reality series broke that record: Uthando Lodumo, about Babes Wodumo and Mampintsha's marriage.

On 26 August 2021, more records may fall when Showmax's first international reality TV series format, Temptation Island South Africa, puts a local spin on Banijay's Teen Choice-nominated pop culture phenomenon, which has been adapted 25 times and counting.

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The ultimate relationship test, Temptation Island South Africa follows couples at a crossroads in their relationship, where they must mutually decide if they are ready to commit to one another for the rest of their lives - or go their separate ways.

Together, the couples experience a luxurious holiday in paradise (aka Knysna), where they live separately with 20 sexy single men and women who are looking for love. This last taste of the single life is meant to help answer their most difficult questions about their relationship, like, Are we meant to be? and Is there someone better out there for me? .

Afrokaans Film & Television (Survivor SA) is producing the 12-episode Showmax Original, which is hosted by Phat Joe (The Real Housewives of Durban reunion).

AFRICA & I | First on Showmax | Stream now

Twenty-year-old Othmane Zolati had never left his home country of Morocco when he started his nearly four-year journey to Cape Town, South Africa, with just $80, a small backpack, and a borrowed cheap pocket camera. Africa & I, a 90-minute documentary about his trip, is the story of how Othmane walked, hitchhiked, cycled and skateboarded over 30 000 km through 24 countries.

Othmane directs and executive produces Africa & I, using the 100s of hours of footage he taught himself to shoot along the way. He's collaborated with a team of award-winning South African creatives he met at the end of his trip: co-director Chris Green (writer and producer on the 2021 South African Film and Television Award [SAFTA] winner Chasing the Sun and co-showrunner of the two-time International Emmy-nominated MasterChef South Africa); Both Worlds, the production company behind the two-time International Emmy-nominated Puppet Nation ZA; and composer Daniel Eppel and editor Kirsten de Magalhaes, both SAFTA winners.

Early reviews are glowing, with Saturday Star calling Africa & I an unrivalled glimpse into life on the continent , Spling exhilarating a beautiful and stirring mashup of people, culture and places, News24 breathtaking. It reminded me just how beautiful the African continent is, Vamers a thrilling trip through unseen Africa , and Dispatch a terrific film that puts a lot into perspective.

KIPCHOGE: THE LAST MILESTONE | Stream now

On the morning of 12 October 2019 in Vienna, Kenya's marathon legend and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge shattered the last barrier to modern athletics by running a marathon in under two hours, the first human to do so.

Directed by Emmy winner and Grammy nominee Jake Scott (American Woman) and executive produced by Oscar nominee Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), Kipchoge: The Last Milestone is an intimate portrait of Kipchoge as he prepares for his record-shattering feat. With unprecedented access to the humble man BBC calls the great marathon runner of all time , the documentary follows Kipchoge's journey from his training grounds in Kenya, to the high-tech facilities in Europe, to his record attempt in Vienna.

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