Looking for new African movies and TV shows to watch as you wind down the year? December is packed with a diverse mix of titles from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya to stream on Netflix, Showmax and Amazon Prime Video. Here’s a list of what to check out:
Kenya
Twende
The first Showmax Original 2D animated series, Twende follows a boda-boda-riding pangolin of the same name, the slowest moving animal in the savannah.
Twende is voiced by Junior Nyong’o (Too Early for Birds, Hamlet), while June Gachui (Crime and Justice) plays his unlikely best friend and navigator, Nuru – a whip-smart bird who always looks out for her bestie, even if his chilled-out vibe drives her crazy sometimes.
Twende is now streaming on Showmax.
A Merry X-Mess
In A Merry X-Mess, the second-ever Kenyan Christmas feature, the Nyatis have to get through the seven days of Christmas without killing each other. Chaos erupts when the competitive family matriarch Zawadi invites her equally competitive sister from the village to help her win the annual family Christmas choir competition at church. Meanwhile, Zawadi tries to meddle in her son’s love life, while her daughter, visiting from America, grapples with the African traditions that her uncle tries to impose on her children, as well as the allure of moving back home for good.
Written by Damaris Irungu and directed by Gilbert Lukalia, it stars Melissa Kiplagat (Country Queen), Bruce Makau (Kina), Sheila Munyiva (Rafiki), Regina Re (Pieces of Us), Mufasa Kibet (Crime and Justice), Joel Kennedy Otukho (Country Queen) and Naomi Ramtu (Kiu).
A Merry X-Mess lands on Showmax on 15 December.
Villains in the Metropolis
Directed by Dancurf Brown, this crime thriller follows Sarah Hassan (Crime and Justice) as a young physician who embarks on a bloody crime spree after a fateful encounter. Villains in the Metropolis also stars Lucarelli Onyango (Single Kiasi), Raymond Ofula (Country Queen), Pierra Makena (Just in Time), Mwaura Bilal (Uradi), Vikash Patni, Aseem Sharma and June Wainaina.
The film on Netflix on 15 December.
Read our ‘Villains in the Metropolis’ review here.
Volume S1
Directed by Tosh Gitonga, Volume is a music drama series that follows a talented young musician from humble beginnings who gets entangled in dubious dealings while chasing his dream. Though the series revolves around music, it is really the story of boys becoming men. The hood where they live represents the challenges all young people face, the music which pumps through their veins, represents hope and a future.
The cast of Volume includes Brian Kabugi (Salem), Francis Ouma (Sincerely Daisy), Stephanie Muchiri (Second Family), Serah Wanjiru (Second Family), Brahim Ouma (Pepeta), Blessing Lung’aho (Country Queen), Michelle Tiren (Famous), Ugandans Natasha Sinayobye and Tania Kankindi and more.
Volume premieres on 20 December.
South Africa
Adulting S2
Set in Johannesburg, Adulting explores the parallel universes of four varsity friends as they go through the hoops of life, love and everything else. Their strong bond has held them together even as their journeys in life have taken them in very different directions.
The eight-part 18SN drama is the first Showmax Original from Tshedza Pictures, the production company behind the International Emmy-nominated telenovela The River and the SAFTA Best TV Drama winner The Republic.
Adulting S2 is now streaming on Showmax.
Yoh! Christmas
Taking over from the popular series How to Ruin Christmas, new series Yoh! Christmas, an adaptation of Norwegian series Home for Christmas, follows Thando (played by Katlego Lebogang) who’s successful in everything except love. Single, 30 and under pressure, she lies to her family that she has a boyfriend. Now she has 24 days to bring one home for Christmas.
Yoh! Christmas premieres on Netflix on 15 December.
Shaka iLembe S1
Set in the 1700s, this12-part epic drama tells the story of the making of the iconic African King with iterations from his early childhood through to adulthood. The series explores the powers that influenced and shaped Shaka – the drama unfolding from the time of his conception, his unmatched bravery as a young man, the early attempts on his life – and the subsequent years of exile with his mother.
Shaka iLembe is now streaming on Showmax.
Read our ‘Shaka iLembe’ review here.
Convict Conman
This Showmax Original true-crime series follows the investigations into Dawie de Villiers, a supposed model agency boss accused of multiple rapes, and shadowy publisher Michael O’Connor.
The series is produced by IdeaCandy, the production company behind Showmax record-breakers Devilsdorp, Rosemary’s Hitlist and Steinheist,
Convict Conman is now streaming on Showmax.
Trompoppie S1
A new girl faces plenty of challenges where she joins the school cheerleading squad – like gossip, backstabbing … and murder.
When Luna, a talented gymnast, is awarded a bursary to a prestigious private school she could never afford, she is thrust into the cut-throat world of an elite group of drum majorettes, aka “trompoppies”. After a hazing ritual goes badly wrong, cheerleaders start turning up dead and the seemingly perfect facade of the community begins to crumble.
Trompoppie premieres on Showmax on 7 December.
Kwa Mam’Mkhize S2
The first season of reality series Kwa Mam’Mkhize followed South Africa’s fave bougie mom Shauwn MkhizeShauwn Mkhize as she reclaimed her maiden surname and navigated life as an Mkhize.
Kwa Mam’Mkhize now returns for Season 2 giving fans an all-access glimpse into the life of the businesswoman and her close family members, including her son Andile, daughter Sbahle, and daughter-in-law Tamia Mpisane.
Kwa Mam’Mkhize S2 premieres on Showmax on 14 December
Die Onderonsie
When five ex band-mates come together for their annual reunion, a dead body stirs up suspicion and violence among the friends. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Die Onderonsie is now streaming on Showmax.
The Mommy Club Reunion
The Mommy Club is a reality show that sees five glamorous Jozi momfluencers navigating the challenges of parenting – and the cutthroat world of “it moms”. The women who include Mrs Mops, Tshego Manche, Her Majesty, Nunurai and Ratile takes us into their elite world where everything is a statement and even their kids are treated like little princes and princesses. And of course, there is a tribe of loyal and loving nannies making everything happen behind the scenes.
The two-part Mommy Club reunion is now streaming on Showmax.
Sports Wives S1
Showmax’s latest reality show Sports Wives gives you a front-row seat into the lives of the wives, girlfriends and exes of South Africa’s sporting greats. The six women whose lives are explored in the series include banking app manager and mother of two Bomzi September; sports manager, masseuse and lecturer Christa Kgamphe-Jane, married to Banyana Banyana star Refiloe Jane; entrepreneur and mother Clarrisa Manaças; Yummy Mummy Apparel owner Dipuo Maloi; Tsholo Makgalemele-Mbane from Tembisa, a stay-at-home wife to Banyana Banyana player Bambanani Mbane; and shore excursion officer Sisanda Cetyiwe.
Sports Wives is now streaming on Showmax.
Nigeria
Blood Vessel
From Charles Okpaleke and Play Network Studios, Blood Vessel is a crime thriller film that follows a group of six friends who find themselves caught in the crossfire and attempt to flee to South America as stowaways on a ship as unrest grows over a mega coup plotting in their hometown along the Niger Delta.
Blood Vessel arrives on Netflix on 8 December.
Wura S2
Back for a second season, Nigeria’s hit telenovela Wura follows the titular Wura-Amoo Adeleke, a perfect wife, a loving mother of two, and the ruthless CEO of Frontline Gold Mine. In the eyes of her family, Wura is faultless and a saint, but when it comes to running her business empire, she is the ultimate iron lady who doesn’t care whose ox is gored in her path to get what she wants.
Like Kenya’s Kina, Wura is an adaptation of the award-winning South African telenovela The River.
Wura S2 is now streaming on Showmax.
Breath of Life
Breath of Life, a faith-based story, revolves around a clergyman who has lost his sense of purpose until an encounter with a young man who changes his life and destiny.
Breath of Life lands on Prime Video on 15 December.
WAR: Wrath and Revenge
From Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Studios, WAR is a spin-off of the popular drama series Sons of Caliphate. It follows Nuhu Bula’s rise to the governorship of Kowa, treacherously orchestrated by his wife Binta, who would stop at nothing to see her husband succeed. When Binta discovers her husband is about to take a second wife, the wrath of a woman scorned will stop at nothing to protect her love.
WAR premieres on Netflix on 28 December.
Agu S1
Witchcraft has a case in Showmax’s six-part legal drama series Agu that explores the lives of three key characters as they find themselves entangled in murder case. Nothing is as it seems on the case, and as the trial unfolds, the series sheds light on the characters’ complex relationships and dark secrets, while also exploring the struggle between belief systems
Agu lands on Showmax on 14 December.
Looking for more than just African titles? Here’s a full list of what to watch on Netflix in Kenya and a full list of what to watch on Showmax in Kenya.
