Best South African drama movies

After an inspiring chance encounter with his idol, rookie journalist Jay Bahadur uproots his life and moves to Somalia looking for the story of a lifetime. Hooking up with a local fixer, he attempts to get embedded with the local Somali pirates, only to quickly find himself in over his head.

As a child, Ali Neuman narrowly escaped being murdered by Inkhata, a militant political party at war with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. Only he and his mother survived the carnage of those years. But as with many survivors, the psychological scars remain.

A young South African boy from the Johannesburg ghetto named Tsotsi, meaning Gangster, leaves home as a child to get away from his helpless parents. Now a teenage thug, Tsotsi finds a baby in the back seat of a car he's just stolen. He decides that it is his responsibility to care for the infant and in the process learns that maybe the criminal life isn’t the best way.

When Sawa's mother and policeman father are found victims of a grisly double homicide, she begins a ruthless pursuit for the man who murdered them. With the help of her father's ex-partner, Karl Aker, and a mysterious friend from her past, she becomes a merciless teen assassin, blasting her way through the dark world of human trafficking only to uncover a devastating truth

After a failed sabotage mission, a trio of anti-apartheid freedom fighters ends up in a tense bank hostage situation. Based on a true story.

A young man in 1981 South Africa must complete his brutal and racist two years of compulsory military service while desperately maintaining the secrecy of his homosexuality.

Over the course of one fateful day, a corrupt businessman and his socialite wife race to save their daughter from a notorious crime lord.

When two corrupt police officers investigate the brutal murder of a young girl, tensions come to a head in their small, racially-segregated town.

It's South Africa 1990. Two major events are about to happen: The release of Nelson Mandela and, more importantly, it's Spud Milton's first year at an elite boys only private boarding school. John Milton is a boy from an ordinary background who wins a scholarship to a private school in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Surrounded by boys with nicknames like Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man and Mad Dog, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home. Along the way Spud takes his first tentative steps along the path to manhood. (The path it seems could be a rather long road). Spud is an only child. He is cursed with parents from well beyond the lunatic fringe and a senile granny. His dad is a fervent anti-communist who is paranoid that the family domestic worker is running a shebeen from her room at the back of the family home. His mom is a free spirit and a teenager's worst nightmare, whether it's shopping for Spud's underwear in the local supermarket

This South African movie tracks the rise of a once-petty criminal to the heights of the criminal underworld. After cutting his teeth on hijacking, before moving onto bigger game, an ambitious man hits a setback when most of his gang are shot.

Director Alfred Hitchcock is revered as one of the greatest creative minds in the history of cinema. Known for his psychological thrillers, Hitchcock’s leading ladies were cool, beautiful and preferably blonde. One such actress was Tippi Hedren, an unknown fashion model given her big break when Hitchcock’s wife saw her on a TV commercial. Brought to Universal Studios, Hedren was shocked when the director, at the peak of his career, quickly cast her to star in his next feature, 1963’s The Birds. Little did Hedren know that as ambitious and terrifying as the production would be to shoot, the most daunting aspect of the film ended up coming from behind the camera.

The year is 1991, and Spud Milton's long walk to manhood is still creeping along at an unnervingly slow pace. Approaching the ripe old age of fifteen and still no signs of the much anticipated ball-drop, Spud is coming to terms with the fact that he may well be a freak of nature. With a mother hell-bent on emigrating, a father making a killing out of selling homemade moonshine, and a demented grandmother called Wombat, the new year seems to offer little except extreme embarrassment and more mortifying Milton madness. But Spud is returning to a boarding school where he is no longer the youngest or the smallest. His dormitory mates, known as the Crazy Eight, have an unusual new member and his house has a new clutch of first years (the Normal Seven). If Spud thinks his second year will be a breeze, however, he is seriously mistaken.

A mother and her three daughters — romantic Bee, sensible Evie, and child of nature Daisy — occupy the titular glass building, which has been completely sealed off to protect its occupants from a dementia-inducing toxin called the Shred that’s poisoning the air outside. Fearful of becoming like the lost souls who wander the abyss outside, the family keep a grasp on their past by performing sacred rituals. When Bee breaks the rules and lets an injured stranger into their midst, the family dynamic is shattered forever, as hidden truths upend the illusions the women have worked so hard to protect.

Years ago, the young Five Fingers fought for the rural town of Marseilles against brutal police oppression. Now, after fleeing in disgrace, Tau, one of them, returns to Marseilles, seeking only a peaceful life. When he finds the town under new threat, he must reluctantly fight to free it.

When young Litha is introduced to the magic of a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, they are ambushed by poachers. In the ensuing battle to save the rhinos, Litha discovers a terrible secret.

A wildlife biologist working on fostering the protection of wildlife in Africa is forced to team up with a theme park designer who wants to create an over-the-top safari attraction

Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South Africa during the apartheid era.

Frank Rautenbach leads a strong cast as Angus Buchan, a Zambian farmer of Scottish heritage, who leaves his farm in the midst of political unrest and racially charged land reclaims and travels south with his family to start a better life in KwaZulu Natal,South Africa.

Eastern Cape, South Africa. A lonely factory worker, Xolani, takes time off his job to assist during an annual Xhosa circumcision initiation into manhood. In a remote mountain camp that is off limits to women, young men, painted in white ochre, recuperate as they learn the masculine codes of their culture. In this environment of machismo and aggression, Xolani cares for a defiant initiate from Johannesburg, Kwanda, who quickly learns Xolani's best kept secret, that he is in love with another man.

Amandla is an anti-apartheid resistance slogan and means power. Apartheid in South Africa is still in full force when, in 1987, the two brothers Impi and Nkosana grew up on a farm as the sons of servants. The white owners are liberal people who aren't too particular about racial segregation. Black Africans have it relatively good there. Even a tender love bond develops between Impi and the blond daughter Elizabeth. But they have to be on their guard when neighboring farmers come to visit. When three racist upstart Boers arrive on the farm one day, tragic incidents occur with terrible consequences. The two Zulu boys are now on their own. Several years after surviving this childhood tragedy, the now grown brothers each find themselves on the opposing sides of the law. One is a gangster, the other is a police officer. A heinous gang crime tests their loyalty to one another.

Turning forty was meant to be a low-key event for Princess, but when her best friend throws her an unforgettable party, her entire world is shaken up.

1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.

François van Heerden, a mid-40s Afrikaans family man, has become devoid of any care or concern for his own measure of happiness, and so convinced of his ill-fated existence, that he is wholly unprepared when a chance encounter unravels his clean, controlled life.

After falling ill, Yesterday learns that she is HIV positive. With her husband in denial and young daughter to tend to, Yesterday's one goal is to live long enough to see her child go to school.

A grieving British girl unravels her murdered mother's secrets connected to a South African witch doctor's curse. She wants to put an end to this haunting hex by traveling to South Africa, but instead it casts her deeper into sinister depths.

A couple's seemingly perfect relationship falters when one of them learns about the other's infidelity — but who said that relationships were easy?

The movie forsaken is a true story about a young pastor’s son that called upon God when his 2 year old daughter fell sick and eventually had to fight for her life. His faith in god stood fast, and he believed that God can and will heal his daughter. But time could become a man’s worst enemy! As his daughter became Weaker and weaker, she eventually knocked on death’s door. The man’s faith started to fade away and he kept questioning God. The young father eventually broke down and gave up hope. With the bible against the wall in an act of desperation, he called out that there is no god. For the next 30 seconds he felt what it was like without God. It shocked him back to reality as he experienced this cold, silent and lonely time. He eventually came to a point when he realized that if he weighed up eternal life to His earthly circumstances, that choosing God was a given.

Childhood friends, Nina and Hugo chose different paths in life. Years later, Hugo returns to his hometown unbeknownst to him, the day before Nina's wedding. Events on the wedding day throw them back together and they embark on a new adventure.

Thami has recently lost his job at a top firm following accusations of fraudulent activities. This is the last straw for his wife Noluthando who, fearing a drop in her standard of living, abandons her marriage, taking their daughter Lerato with her. Thami is desperate to maintain a relationship with his daughter, while Noluthando does everything in her power to ensure that Thami is denied access to Lerato. After exhausting all known avenues, and desperate to be reunited with his daughter, Thami kidnaps Lerato from school, intending to flee Johannesburg for Kimberley by bus. This is an ill-conceived move which angers Noluthando and puts him on a collision course with the law. Thami’s actions put his life, that of Lerato and their fellow passengers in danger and leads to a high-stakes hostage situation on the bus. Then a shot rings out…

Kanarie (Afrikaans for 'Canary') is a coming-of-age musical war drama. Drafted into the South African army during apartheid, a young soldier joins the military's traveling choir, and romance on the battlefield causes him to deal with his long-repressed sexual identity through hardship, camaraderie, first love, and the liberating freedom of music, the true self can be discovered.

This sequel to "Happiness is a Four-Letter Word" finds Zaza, Princess and Zim living new chapters of their lives amid loss, family grudges and new love.

In post-apartheid South Africa, Tsidi, a single mother, is forced to move in with her own estranged mother Mavis, a live-in domestic worker caring obsessively for her catatonic white ‘Madam’. And as Tsidi tries to heal her family, a sinister spectre begins to stir.

When Chili Ncgobo, an honest but ambitious undercover cop, is cheated out of a major reward by his corrupt superiors, he infiltrates a cash-in-transit heist gang, and instead of busting them, he decides to participate in a one off score. He must face off against his partner who refuses to let him do it and one of the gang members who recognizes him as a cop.

Zanele and Andile have been best friends since day one. But now that Andile is married with kids, is Zanele destined to be in the friend zone forever?

Lu left South Africa and her Zulu-Sotho heritage behind to become a dancer in America, and when she falls in love with Tex, she knows he’s the man to marry. But when she brings Tex home to meet her family, she discovers she’s been promised since birth to a Zulu king. Caught between two men, two families, and two countries, Lou has to come to terms with who she is so she can fight for what she wants.

A group of young friends on a camping trip, deep in the South African countryside wake up to discover they have all swapped bodies.

Treurgrond tells the painful story of a farming community in South Africa trying to survive the numerous farm attacks confronting farmers almost every day. These gruesome acts affect not just those closely related to the victims, but set in motion a chain of events. Amidst the pressure and anxiety increased by the growing number of farm murders, Lukas Van Staden tries to protect his family, his friends and his farm.

A meeting of two world famous climbers, one an experienced mountaineer the other a sport climber, and a journalist (Ivan) results in a bet on which of the two is the best climber. Roger (the mountaineering expert) states that Martin (the sport climber) wouldn't survive a day on a 'real' climbing expedition, although he is considered to be the world's best sport climber (having just won an indoor 'world championship,' an event depicted in the opening scene). They plan to climb 'Cerro Torre,' in the Patagonia region of South America, near the Argentinian/Chilean border, one of the world's most difficult mountains, especially considering the extreme weather conditions common to the area.

Based on the true life story of Bernard Baaitjies who grew up in Hanover Park.

Joshua, lives in an informal settlement with his grandmother and father, a well-educated black man and single parent who was forced to flee his home as a result of Zimbabwean politics. Once a scholarship student with a great future, Joshua dreams of winning a BMX cycling championship as a means to finding a better life than the spaza shop which his father owns, can provide. But, even this dream is shattered when he narrowly survives a vicious xenophobic attack during which his father and grandmother lose their lives.

When sex worker Tess falls pregnant, she has to fight to keep her past from swallowing her whole.

A sci-fi film about futuristic Africa, 35 years after World War III, 'The Water War'.

A 70-year old man abducts his dementia-suffering wife from her retirement home and goes on the run from both the police and his adult children.

Anya du Plessis returns to Philadelphia, South Africa from New York to repair the fractious relationship with her father Marius, and to help with the struggling farm. She finds her father's crutch for dealing with her mother's passing, is an obsession with his beer brewing hobby, he believes is the answer to their financial woes. When leaving New York, Anya is also leaving behind Jacob, her boyfriend and work colleague, and the last thing she expects is to fall for a suave, charming stranger. Ruan is on a mission from his Brewing Company, to identify a new winning beer recipe with which to enter the annual craft beer competition, and comes across Marius' farm and special brew, the only thing standing in his path to craft beer glory, is the feisty daughter of the farmer.

1981. Apartheid is taking a heavy toll on South Africa. Townships are burning, and on the border with Angola, a war is raging. Young men are called up to military duty right after school, and sent to battle the "Rooi Gevaar" the threat of communist oppression. Paul is one of those boys. He is smart, handsome, and ambitious, with dreams of becoming a medical doctor one day. The story starts during the summer holiday, after Paul has matriculated. He is determined to enjoy these few weeks before he has to report to the military. In January, Paul leaves for the Army, basic training,and finally, the war on the border. During a skirmish with the enemy, Paul is seriously wounded. He gets sent home, and everything is in jeopardy. Can Paul put together the very broken pieces of his life?

Mr. Conradie is a conventional music teacher who lives for his singing group, Die Bekfluitjies. Die Bekfluitjies represent the outcasts of their sports-crazy school. Circumstances force them to fight for what they believe in - their music - because when they sing, life just makes more sense!

A poignant tale of friendship and resilience between two South African children, Tsepo and Jannie, set against the contrasting backdrops of rural Africa and 1970s New York City. Their bond faces trials as they navigate the challenges of injury and the quest for healing.

When 16 year old Otelo Buthelezi, his best friend, New Year, and his 12 year old brother, Ntwe, are invited to the beach-house of their new friend, Tau Modise, they step into a world previously closed to them. It is exactly the opposite of their township- a place under a constant and growing threat from political violence, driven by Inkatha hostel dwellers on one side and township United Democratic Front comrades on the other. Soon, everyone recognizes that Otelo is gifted on the water, a god in waiting for his purpose.

24-year-old child marriage activist, Sali, is on a mission to end the harmful practice of child marriage. She seems to be the only person able to help the 14-year-old, soon-to-be child bride, Adi, living in a rural West African village. The tale of Adi's uncertain future and Sali's painful past shows the devastating impact child marriage can have over multiple generations as well as the bravery it takes to speak out against it.

I am Luna van Wyk. A 14 year old girl. This is the story of Mignon "Mossie" Van Wyk, my older sister. Oh and her best friend Adriaan Prinsloo, who I think she should marry. But that's just me. For some weird reason Mossie falls in love with older guys - enter Leon Rossouw - obviously without a shirt. This is a story about love, naturally, but it's more about being a teenager and how rough life can be. It's a story about monsters and running shoes. About letting go and holding on. About friendship. It's a story about my sister and how she learns to fly.

Through a year of 30th birthdays, four best friends navigate relationships, heartbreak and a shocking situation that threatens to tear them apart.

Set in the 1940's, Ouma Se Slim Kind is an honest tale of the foibles of humanity, love and friendship, set against the often harsh, yet strikingly beautiful rural South African landscape.

A bleak and violent story of delinquency and broken family ties. Christiaan MacDonald escapes from the reformatory where he has been serving a sentence for car theft and asks his sister Dina for help. When his father tells Christiaan he is adopted, and furthermore is banished from the MacDonald family, the young man responds with criminal behavior that rip the family apart.

Follows the deterioration of an Afrikaner family isolated and shunned in the small community of Toorwater. Nothing seems to happen. Then a circus train loses its way and comes to rest in Toorwater, and a mysterious clown brings fresh magic to the stagnating family, but he also poses a threat to the rest of the community.

In jail, a man discovers that he has a gift for telling stories and becomes the prison 'cinema' which earns him respect and status whilst his best friend becomes the concubine of the cell boss.

Timeless tale of Beauty and the Beast set in the period of the Vikings. Freya, a warrior and the beautiful daughter of a Viking king, is held prisoner on an island castle by a Beast whom has been cursed by his god Odin.

While struggling to adapt to a new environment, Siyabonga, a 12-year-old boy discovers the impact of reading letters to people. One day a letter with bad news lands in his hands.

Caught between her family and her free spirit, Mayi begins to question her upcoming nuptials when she meets a charming and passionate saxophonist.

Abraham, a dedicated husband and father, struggles to provide for his young wife, Katie, and their four-year-old daughter. But, through his creative determination, he finds patronage in Jong Jans and Jong's wife, Almeri. Abraham and Katie settle into their new home, working for Jong and Almeri, but Katie's battles with mental illness and alcoholism rock the boat. Abraham staunchly supports his wife, but his own ambitions as an artist make him restless. Abraham is a dreamer who wishes to rise above his station in life and make his mark on the world, but the realities of his circumstances get in the way of happiness. In Afrikaans language with English subtitles.

This movie is of Hally, an adolescent white South African. He is stuck between his intolerant father's outlook of him and those of his caretaker, Sam. Sam is a black waiter and Hally's friend and teacher. Hally is required to laugh at his father's racist jokes, by contrast, Sam exposes Hally to uplifting experiences. One day Hally was terribly humiliated by his father and Sam shows Hally how to be proud of something he can achieve.

HARTSBEGEERTES deals with every day circumstances with the focus on two families and their struggles with life and its greater purpose. Through the lives of the two main characters, Pieter (Renier Weideman) and James (Jacques Gombault), the reality of life’s circumstances are being sketched. In their darkest hour they discover hope, love and a greater purpose in life.

When Clara Brand discovers that her husband is cheating on her with her friend and colleague, she plots her revenge, all the while juggling new friendships, new romances and the rediscovery of her passion for food.

A young, emigrated, South African man comes back to South Africa to sell his mothers farm.

Faan se Trein is about a simple-minded man living in a tiny Karoo community. When his father dies, leaving all his possessions to Faan and the church, greed rears its head and divides the community... Until love restores their sanity.

The Pro tells the story of a young surfer, Tiaan Nothnagel that has to come to terms with the accidental death of his best friend, Dirkie Lawrence just before their last year at school.After Dirkie’s death, Tiaan swears off surfing for good, as he can’t stand to be reminded of everything that he and Dirkie shared. But then, Dirkie’s twin sister (who went to live with their dad after their parents split up the previous year) arrives in town on a mission: to be selected to go on Wave-Seekers, a fictional World Surf Tour and something that Tiaan and Dirkie dreamt of doing.

An 8-year-old boy and his dog are left to face a vast desert wasteland alone after a plane crash, while an army of men and machines penetrate the desert searching for them. Based on true events.