11 February 2019

Where to stream the best South African movies and series

The nominees for the 2019 SAFTAs (South African Film and Television Awards) are out and Showmax and DStv Now have all the best local content.

The 1Magic telenovela The River is far and away the SAFTA frontrunner this year, with a massive 18 nominations. The first Showmax Original, Tali’s Wedding Diary, has received a slew of Comedy nominations, while Five Fingers for Marseilles got seven nods in Feature Film categories.

Of course, being the SAFTAs, the nominations went to local shorts, series and movies broadcast on SABC, or streamed on Showmax and DStv Now – with Showmax making a particularly strong showing as the home for world-class local content. Here’s where you can stream the nominees.

The River: 18 nominations

Drama, drama, drama! 1Magic’s The River is in the running for Best Telenovela. Among other nominations, Moshidi Motshegwa as Malefu and Sindi Dlathu as Lindiwe are both up for Best Actress, while Presley Chweneyagae as Cobra and Hlomla Dandala as Zweli will compete for Best Actor in this drama-packed telenovela. Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Isibaya: 13 nominations

Mzansi Magic’s highly popular series is in the running for Most Popular TV Soap/Telenovela and Best Soap as well as Best Actress for Nomzamo Mbatha as Thandeka, and Best Actor for both Pallance Dladla as Jabu and Sdumo Mtshali as Sbu. Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Ring of Lies: 13 nominations

Bare-knuckle boxer Neo leaves rural Limpopo to follow his dream of becoming a champion in Johannesburg but he is thrust straight into a world of secrets, betrayals and lies in this Mzansi Magic drama. Watch it on Showmax.

Lockdown: 8 nominations

Set in a women’s prison where power and survival mean everything, Mzansi Magic’s Lockdown will take you into the lives of the inmates as they battle demons that hold them prisoner in every sense of the word. Watch it on Showmax.

Five Fingers for Marseilles: 7 nominations

Don’t miss this brilliant South African gun-slinging western about a member of the infamous Five Fingers gang who returns to the rural town of Marseilles after 20 years. Watch it on Showmax.

Tali’s Wedding Diary: 7 nominations

From the creators of SuzelleDIY, this hilarious mockumentary stars Julia Anastasopoulos as Tali, a Joburg princess who moves to Cape Town – and she’s getting married! Watch it on Showmax.

Isithembiso: 6 nominations

This popular Mzansi Magic youth drama that tells the story of two young people from rural SA trying to make it in the dazzling city of eGoli but all that glitters is not always gold. Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Is’thunzi: 4 nominations

Follow Winnie, Londi, Noxolo and Thishiwe as they pursue their dreams and form a bond that will not only push them over the edge but also grow them in ways they never could have imagined. Watch it on Showmax.

Suidooster: 4 nominations

Three Cape Town families make their living in the shopping centre Suidooster, in the fictional suburb of Ruiterbosch. This soapie is about a multicultural community and their challenges and triumphs and is in the running for Most Popular TV Soap/Telenovela. Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Getroud Met Rugby: 4 nominations

The popular kykNET series-turned-soapie is packed with battles on and off the rugby field. From new babies to new books, everyone is trying to win and some will pay any price to make that happen… Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Hotel: 3 nominations

The Afrikaans mockumentary about a middle-aged hotel manager, Ferdie Kruger (James Borthwick), struggling to keep the doors of his Mpumalanga hotel open. Also starring the very funny Schalk Bezuidenhout as Danny, the hapless bell-hop. Watch it on DStv Now and Showmax.

Elke Skewe Pot: 3 nominations

There is a soulmate out there for everyone. Finding them is the job of these four women and their matchmaking agency in this hilarious comedy series. Watch it on Showmax.

Fynskrif: 3 nominations

Set in Cape Town, Fynskrif revolves around the events and staff members of law firm Van Wyk & Partners. There’s no courtroom drama though, as the firm focuses on civil, non-criminal matters. But expect heaps of out-of-court drama as the characters’ personal lives overflow into the office. Watch it on Showmax.

Knapsekêrels: 2 nominations

This kykNET series is set in Johannesburg and tells the story of four diverse families. The Bekkers, Zimmermans, Davids and Fortuins get to know one another better when a member of each family gets caught in a struggle for survival in the big city. S1 is on Showmax.

Binnelanders: 2 nominations

This long-running kykNET soap opera set in and around a fictional private hospital in Pretoria follows the trials, trauma and tribulations of the staff and patients. Stream Binnelanders on DStv Now and Showmax.

Wonderlus: 1 nomination

After a wedding ceremony falls to pieces, a devastated groom unexpectedly discovers the light of his life in this wonderful kykNET film that takes a brave look at love. Watch it on Showmax.