South African actress Marié Botha has a role in the second biggest show in the world right now, ‘The Penguin’ starring Colin Farrell! Not only this, but her episode has achieved the pinnacle of IMDb ratings with a 9.6/10 score:

Global (15 October 2024) — Fans of Batman’s world and all its various spin-offs are likely already very familiar with the latest rollout from Gotham, ‘The Penguin’ starring a hardly recognisable Colin Farrell. In fact, even if you aren’t necessarily a fan of the notorious fictional city’s stories but simply can’t resist an intriguing show with thick plot lines, you might’ve picked up on the fact that the series is revealing itself to be quite the hit. According to IMDb, it’s the second-biggest show in the world right now!

All of this is hardly bad for the mood for South African actress and self-proclaimed ‘boeremeise’, Marié Botha who nabbed the role of villain Magpie in the show that’s already made the 100 top-rated series of all time list!

As a matter of fact, the episode Marié is in (episode 4) has been hailed as ‘the best episode of The Penguin yet,’ per Esquire. By IMDb standards, the episode has also reached the gold standard, thanks to a rating of 9.6/10.

It’s a big deal in the world of dreams for Pretoria-born Marié, who certainly deserves her flowers.

Born in Pretoria, Marié left home at 18 and headed off to the Big Apple to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Following her BFA degree (which she earned with honours) Marie enrolled in the masters programme at Yale’s school of Drama—a position only 17 other students achieved despite thousands of applicants.

Equipped with an MFA—the jet fuel of her acting dreams—Marié began working as an actress in New York. With countless auditions, indie films, commercial voice-overs and Off-Broadway productions under her belt, Marié finally got her big break after 14 long years.

“I play Magpie, a villain with a split personality and a penchant for shiny things,” shares Marie. “When we see flashbacks of Sofia Falcone in Arkham Asylum, we meet Magpie. She befriends Sofia, but eventually paranoia takes over and Sofia starts to see Magpie as a threat and a spy. This is the first time we see Sofia truly pushed to the edge and the outcome is dire.”

Marié explains that the role was complex but a gift:

“Playing Magpie was like walking a tightrope. In one way, she is this beautiful, dreamy, childlike creature, and on the other side of her sits darkness, trauma and vengeance. It’s a gift to get to play characters that call on me to transform and put myself in parts of a psyche very unlike my own—Magpie is like that.

“She is troubled, haunted by childhood trauma, yet still trying to maintain positivity and look for beauty in her life. It’s sort of sweet and deeply sad. She is very dear to me.”

Marié refers to the callback process as being the ‘most intense’ of her life.

“I was visiting my family in South Africa at the time and had just extended my trip when I got the callback. It was to be on Zoom with the director of episode 4, Helen Shaver. I logged on at midnight, 6pm New York time, and the most intense callback of my life ensued. We worked for ages on the first Magpie scene, doing it this way and that, almost to a point where I thought, “Am I messing this up? I don’t know which way is up anymore.” Right after the audition I was certain that was the end of the road on this one. But the next day I got a call from my agent that I had booked the job and needed to be on a plane back to New York the next morning for a hair and makeup test!”

For the Batman fan, it was a dream role and one of many complex characters she hopes to play.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been attracted to playing villains. And for as long as I can remember, I have been a Harry Potter fan,” says Marié of her ‘dream role’.

She adds that she’d love to play Bellatrix Lestrange but also doesn’t feel ready to say goodbye to Magpie.

“It excites me that Matt Reeves is cooking up a lot more in the DC Universe, and I do feel that this incredible character has a lot more story to offer. Fingers crossed!”

As for her South African roots, Marié shares that despite the length of her life in New York and identifying as a New Yorker in her soul, she will always be a South African at heart.

“It’s impossible to let go of the Afrikaans ‘boeremeisie’ in me, and I would never want to. The moment I step off the plane in Cape Town and smell the sea air, hear the melting pot of languages, step through immigration like a local and see my parents waiting to take me to Hermanus, I know I’m home, always.”

You can catch The Penguin on Showmax and M-Net with new episodes every Monday! You can catch the trailer below:

Sources: Supplied

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The world can’t get enough of South African stories! In exciting news for the land of local television, the hit show ‘Spinners’ has been selected for the new series-loving festival in Berlin, ‘Seriesly’.

Berlin, Germany (19 September 2024) — Following the applause-worthy news that local production ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ was an acclaimed smash-hit at the Toronto Film Festival, the land of local TV series is also having its moment in the global spotlight with ‘Spinners’ at the centre.

‘Spinners’ has been selected to be a part of the new Berlin series festival dubbed ‘Seriesly‘, a creative celebration of series culture focused on changing the industry for the better.

Those who have fallen in love with the proudly South African show starring Cantona James need no explanation as to why the series has taken the world by storm. But, to give those who haven’t binged the story yet some context, it has enjoyed sold-out premieres, became the first African series selected in competition at Canneseries, was praised as the ‘gold standard for local productions’ and beat out Emmy-winning Succession in Shangai for Best Foreign TV Series at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards earlier this year amongst other big wins.

Spinners tells the emotive story of teenage driver Ethan, who works for a local gang in Cape Town largely to support his little brother. However, when our lead discovers a gritty talent for spinning (the kind of motorsport no one should try at home), his world begins to quite literally spin as he realises this might be his way out of gang life.

Spinners’ merit as a top-tier local production earning international praise left, right and centre isn’t just a nod to our television industry but to stories that resonate with many South Africans and quite simply couldn’t be told from any other place in the world.

You can catch Spinners on Showmax.

Sources: Various (Linked Above) 

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The international cinema scene gave a South African production all the nods of approval! ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ has earned critical acclaim and was spotlighted as one of the top cinematic works of the year at the Toronto Film Festival.

Toronto, Canada (18 September 2024) — We said that ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ would be the talk of Toronto, and we’re over the moon to report that it was!

This year’s edition of the Toronto Film Festival saw South Africa dazzle in the spotlight after the local production by Rose and Oaks Media earned critical acclaim and rave reviews.

The film festival—one of the biggest and most respected in the world—ran earlier this month and concluded on 15 September. ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ was screened on 12 September and, much to the delight of director Embeth Davidz, the cast, crew, production house and South Africa was dubbed a cinematic smash-hit.

For Embeth, it was a particularly successful time, considering this was her directorial debut.

“It is a heartwarming and remarkable moment to have my directorial debut being recognised as one of the best films at this year’s TIFF. This recognition is a result of the hard work and joint effort of everyone who was involved in the project. I am incredibly appreciative of this honour and motivated to continue telling more authentic stories,” Embeth reflects.

For Rose and Oaks Media, founded by Anele Mdoda, Frankie Du Toit and Paul Buys, the time in Toronto was equally inspired and testament to the power of South Africa’s place in the global cinema scene.

“Our hearts are beaming with pride following the exceptional reception that our film received during its screening at the TIFF,” shared Anele.

“We are filled with immense joy to see our film being received so well at an international stage,” adds Paul. “We are proud to have been a part of this prestigious film festival and to receive positive feedback from industry critics globally. This is a profound moment for all of us and it is truly an honour to represent the South African film industry so well.”

Sources: Supplied 

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Despite their hectic schedules, two lifelong friends collaborated to create a documentary that celebrates Siphe Mbaza’s culinary journey and Zach Heynes’ fascination with capturing the pursuit of one’s passion.

Cape Town, South Africa (17 September 2024) – From preschool and primary all the way through to high school Zach Heynes and Siphe Mbaza have been lifelong friends from Gqberha, who share a story of the power of friendship, passion, and perseverance.

The friends, who are now third-year students, have remained united by their desire to achieve their dreams and pursue their passions in film and food, respectively.

Both of these career fields are what film student Zach and culinary student Siphe have always wanted to pursue.

This year, they reconnected and combined their passions in a documentary project called Handling the Heat.

Since entering his 20s, Zach has been fascinated with the pursuit of one’s passion in life. This has been spurred on by his creative career path, as he has always engaged in creative endeavours and continues to do so.

Filmmaker and Chef cook something special.

After experimenting with narrative short films and particularly invested in Siphe’s journey at culinary school, Zach wanted to try out documentary-style filmmaking, moving him to reach out to Siphe to create some magic together!

Fortunately, Siphe was super keen to make it happen. Over the total course of nine months, the short film was created and shot entirely on Zach’s iPhone.

A clash in schedules.

The filming process was dependent mainly on Siphe’s availability, as his schedule as a chef was especially demanding. The editing process was more dependent on Zach’s schedule, including university assignments, external creative endeavours, and extramural commitments.

They first met to film in January, but because of the gruelling and demanding lifestyle of a chef, paired with Zach’s university schedule of constant due dates, it was difficult to arrange a time to capture the next crucial part of the project – footage of Chef Siphe in action.

However, when Siphe and two friends launched a pop-up kitchen chef group in Cape Town, ‘Off Day Off’, Zach seized the opportunity and tagged along at their first event in May to get some footage.

One observation Zach made was that, in the interviews, one of the goals Siphe mentioned was shining the spotlight on South African cuisine in his cooking journey.

Appropriately so, their menu in May featured creative delights such as a Malva Koeksister with Custard Ice Cream. In this way, Siphe’s dreams came to fruition during the creation of the documentary.

During this period, some of Zach’s creative goals also came to fruition in the documentary’s creation, as two of his short films were selected for local film festivals. This sentiment of dreams became the focus of the documentary’s story.

Bringing a culinary story to life.

The trickiest part of the filmmaking process after having the footage was defining the story to tell and finding the best way to tell it. It got difficult and confusing; with hours upon hours of footage and interesting content, the refining process was strenuous.

There were countless rearrangements and overhauls. However, once this dominant theme of dreams/passions emerged, so did the framing of the documentary – and from there, the project was pushed to its completion.

Many times when the documentary could have been cancelled or forgotten or indefinitely postponed, it refused to be put away.

During the nine-month process, the two childhood friends continued to achieve the goals they had set for themselves and advance in their respective fields.

Inspiring others to go after their dreams.

“My main wish is for Handling the Heat to be a story that inspires those who watch it. I think it’s so important for people to spend their lives doing something meaningful to them, something that truly matters and gives them purpose in life. I believe this story is a great example of this, and it applies to everybody, not just to people in the culinary industry. There is an undeniable strength in hope.

I also want to highlight the importance of support – support those around you and the dreams they have, and most of all, support & believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to clap for others, and don’t forget to clap for yourself,” said Zach who inspires us all to go after anything we want in life.

In both its narrative and its creation, the documentary represents what it means to follow our dreams.

Handling the Heat is now available on Zach’s YouTube channel.

Sources: Supplied

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Local production ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ is set to showcase at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival!

Johannesburg, South Africa (10 September 2024) — In exciting news for local productions making a mark on international audiences, ’Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ will soon be the talk of the Toronto International Film Festival!

The film, directed by Embeth Davidz and produced by South Africa’s Rose and Oaks Media, will enjoy its screening on the 12th of September, with the festival set to conclude its run on 15 September.

No stranger to the international film community, ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ made its first public screening at another celebrated event—the prestigious Telluride International Film Festival.

Based on the best-selling book of the same title by Alexandra Fuller, the film has been described by industry critics as a “harsh, intense character drama with no one coming out unscathed.” In addition, it also offers a a profound connection to Embeth’s South African heritage.

“Making the film has been a gratifying experience. This incredible story has been brought to life by the richness of Southern Africa’s history and heritage. Our exceptional cast and production team have also been a pleasure to work with. I commend them for their remarkable dedication and heart,” reflects Embeth.

Of the cast, ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ stars 8-year-old Lexi Venter as Bobo, Embeth as Nicola, Bobo’s grief-filled mother, alongside actors Zikhona Bali, Fumani N. Shilubana, Rob van Vuuren and Anina Reed.

“We are incredibly honoured to see one of our productions featured at such prestigious film festivals such as Telluride and Toronto,” adds the film’s producer, Paul Buys.

“This project has been a journey for us, and the film speaks to our commitment to telling groundbreaking stories that resonate deeply, not just with South African audiences, but with a global viewership.”

Executive Producer Anele Mdoda echoes these sentiments, adding, “We relish our collaboration with directors that have such distinctive creative voices as Embeth Davidz.”

Sources: Supplied 

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The 2024 SAFTA nominations have been announced with a tally of triumphs for numerous nominees in the land of local film and TV!

South Africa (10 September 2024) — The South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) recently announced their nominations for the 18th edition of the awards show! For creators, movers and shakers in the land of local content, SAFTA nominations are a huge feather in one’s cap, a testament to the diverse talent and level of quality from South Africa. And for those who simply need to know what to add to their watch lists, they provide fantastic recommendations.

With a whopping 347 entries received this year, the judging process began in June to select the official nominees.

They will vie for numerous categories, including five new ones—Best Achievement in Visual Effects (VFX)—TV or Film, Original Song—Telenovela, Original Song—TV Drama and Original Song—Feature Film. In addition, he Animation category has also made a triumphant return.

Tally Triumphs for Nominees

• ‘Outlaws’ and ‘The River’ (Tshedza Pictures) earned eleven nominations each.
• ‘Miseducation’ (Burnt Onion Productions) received ten nominations.
• ‘Shaka ilembe’ (The Bomb Shelter Film Company) scored seventeen nominations.
• ‘iNumber Number: Jozi Gold’ (Quizzical Pictures) welcomed thirteen nominations.
• ‘Yoh! Christmas’ (BBZEE Films) embraced ten nominations.
• ‘Skeem Saam’ (Peu) got seven nominations.
• ‘Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story’ (Orange Films and Star Films) garnered three nominations along with ‘Fatal Seduction’ (Ochre Media).

Nominees

Winners will be announced on 26 October, and you can catch them on Mzansi Magic and SABC3.

Sources: The National Film and Video Foundation 

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Fans of ‘The Office’, get ready for a local spin of the only show that’s ever made people want to work at a dull paper company! South Africa’s version has officially been announced, set to be filmed in Afrikaans.

South Africa (05 September 2024) — There are two types of people in the world—those who are die hard fans of ‘The Office’ and those who have been meaning to jump on the bandwagon. If you fall into either category, we’ve got all the more reason for you to indulge in the show (even if it is for the umpteenth time!).

In news that will make South African fans as giddy as the Dunder Mifflin staff when they get to leave work early, a South African spin of the hit show has been announced to be in the works!

Set to be locally produced, Showmax has announced a new format agreement that will see the BBC Studios’ famed mockumentary—created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant—to be re-envisioned with South African flair.

This will also make for the first African version of ‘The Office’, following several other international adaptations that range from France to Chile and India to Poland.

While the actual filming part is still very much just a twinkle in the eye, 2025 will reportedly mark the start of production for the yet-to-be-named show.

It’s also been revealed that the South African spin will primarily be filmed in Afrikaans and will be ‘hyperlocalised’—leaving much to the imagination of how the show will unfold (just imagine an Afrikaans version of Dwight or a dancing security guard for that matter).

We also know that the show will be accessible on kykNET, as well as on Showmax.

Sources: Showmax 

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Afrikaans TV series are having a big moment in Asia with the news that another hit show is up for a Best International Series Award from Seoul!

Global (06 August 2024) — Look out Charlize Theron, there might be many more people taking up Afrikaans thanks to the rise of Afrikaans TV series including ‘Spinners’ and ‘Wyfie’ taking continents like Asia by storm.

Afrikaans TV series are having a big moment in Asia with the news that another show (Wyfie) is up for a Best International Series Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards!

This comes after Spinners beat out Emmy-winning Succession in Shanghai for Best Foreign TV Series at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards in June.

Wyfie will now go up against legendary Chinese auteur Wong Kar-Wai (‘In the Mood For Love’, ‘The Grandmaster’) and his multi-award-winning series Blossoms Shanghai for the Best International Series accolade. It’s a big moment not just for Afrikaans television, but for South Africa as a whole and one we hope will be added to our tally of film and television victories from this year!

Where Spinners tells the emotive story of a teenage driver who trades working for a local gang, for spinning (an extreme motorsport); Wyfie is all about four mismatched koshuis roommates who must learn to navigate everything from power to crushes and res-life.

Directed by SAFTA winner Johan Cronjé, new director Eva du Preez and rising star Emilie Badenhorst, Wyfie is said to be captivating and “boundary-pushing” for an Afrikaans TV Series (per Terloops).

The Seoul acknowledgment marks the third nomination for Wyfie in a row.

“It fills me with so much pride that Wyfie got recognised on an international level,” Eva beamed. “It is an honour to be nominated, as it just confirms what we have accomplished. May Wyfie live on to become the literature of our time.”

Emilie adds: “I’m really grateful for the recognition of the show and especially thankful that the hard work the entire family of creatives have put in is being acknowledged and getting the praise it deserves.”

You can catch all Season 1 episodes on ShowMax and Season 2 starts today with episodes to be rolled out weekly every Tuesday.

Sources: Supplied 

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A new and thrilling documentary dubbed ‘Outside Lane’ is here to invite us into the swimmer’s world; spotlighting South Africa’s new generation of Olympic swimming superstars (Kaylene Corbett, Pieter Coetzé, Erin Gallagher and Matt Sates) on their epic journey to Paris which began decades ago:

South Africa (01 August 2024) — As we marvel at the Olympians from the comfort of our homes, it’s easy to find ourselves forgetting the sheer amount of work that went into these athletes’ journeys to Paris. We aren’t often privy to the many hours of training, the sacrifices and extraordinary efforts that make for greatness. But for those who love a backstory and a deep dive of this kind, a new and thrilling documentary aptly titled ‘Outside Lane’ is here to invite us into the swimmer’s world, spotlighting South Africa’s new generation of Olympic swimming superstars.

The four-part documentary follower four South African swimmers (Kaylene Corbett, Pieter Coetzé, Erin Gallagher and Matthew Sates) and their quest for success that started decades before they boarded the plane to Paris for the games. It’ll take us through their training, give us a look into their mental positions, their emotions, dynamics and of course, their drive to succeed in Paris.

Brought to us by the same producers who created School Ties, Steinheist and Devilsdorp, ‘Outside Lane’ shows us firsthand what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the sport in which South Africa has achieved its greatest Olympic success since re-admission—swimming.

The four swimmers are not yet household names in comparison to the likes of Ryk Neethling, Chad le Clos or Tatjana Smith, but they are well on their way; precisely what makes ‘Outside Line’ so exciting is that these will be South Africa’s next legends in swimming.

But it’s not just about the athletes. The coach behind generations of South African swimming talent is the legendary Rocco Meiring, Head Coach of Tuks Swimming at the University of Pretoria, who presides over what has come to be known as SA’s ‘Pool of Gold’.

“The outside lane of the pool is the most difficult position to compete from, relative to centre lanes. Swimmers need to work extra hard to overcome this disadvantage—a metaphor for the South African swimmers who have to go beyond to become world beaters,” explains Series Director Richard Finn.

Richard adds that 16 of 37 South African Olympic medals have been won in the pool.

“And we’re working with a fraction of the resources of teams like the USA. It shouldn’t be a fair fight but the indomitable South African spirit, incredible natural talent and the world-class expertise of Coach Rocco all combine to deliver swimmers who are punching well above their weight.”

You can catch ‘Outside Lane’ on DStv Premium on M-Net (Channel 101) from 15 August as well as on Catch Up and Stream.

Sources: Supplied 

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The second season of One Piece is underway as the cast return to South Africa to shoot the next part of the chart-topping tale!

Cape Town, South Africa (04 July 2024) — The first season of One Piece (the beloved anime turned live-action series) saw great success last year as the show even made it to the number one spot on Netflix’s Top 10 Global Chart.

For South Africa, it meant a great deal of opportunity for those in the television industry. The first season was filmed on home soil (and sea) in different parts of Cape Town which all played a unique role as the iconic settings that helped the story come to life.

Of course, to know that One Piece was so well-received to the point that it was quickly renewed for a second season, was a proud occasion for the Rainbow Nation.

In great news for South Africa on the silver screen, One Piece’s second season is bound to be filmed in Cape Town once again—in fact, the Straw Hats have already reunited to begin filming the next part of their famed adventure.

@onepiecenetflix It’s happening, Nakama! From around the world, our Straw Hats have reunited to begin filming their epic Season 2 adventure! There’s no better place to start this journey than the deck of the Going Merry with Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Gibson and Taz Skylar! #OnePieceLiveAction ♬ original sound – One Piece Netflix

While it’s too early to expect an official release date, fans are naturally already eagerly anticipating the next stretch of the story, which means many eyes are on South Africa and all our country has to offer to the world.

Meanwhile in other exciting news from the land of film and television, a South African docu-fiction, ‘The Keeper of the Heart’ (Umgcini Wentliziyo), won gold at an international festival!

Sources: Netflix One Piece 

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