Best South African music movies

South African producer / director JON DAY spent the last 5 years making a documentary about the mysterious rap-rave group, DIE ANTWOORD. Art directed by surrealist photographer, ROGER BALLEN. Narrated by NINJA & ¥O-LANDI'S daughter, 16 JONES.

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.

In 1994, Whitney Houston took the stage in Durban, South Africa, making her the first major Western musician to visit the newly unified, post-apartheid nation following President Nelson Mandela’s winning election. This performance was more than a concert; it was a celebration of freedom, hope, and unity. Whitney’s powerhouse voice and emotional delivery brought joy and inspiration to a country newly liberated. Now, 30 years after the historic visit, The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) comes to the big screen for the first time. Digitally remastered in 4K and featuring newly-enhanced audio, the film captures every note, every cheer, every tear, immortalizing a night that transcended music and became a beacon of change and celebration.

The Eight "Afrikaans is Groot" concert. It is an annual concert where some of the biggest Afrikaans artist perform

The name of the film, Liefling, says it all. This is a love story that's been told by using evergreen Afrikaans songs from the 70's up to the latest hits of today. This musical is mainly about the life of Liefling Marais, a girl with a passion for life, who loves adventure. Liefling lives on a farm with her father Simon, mother Linda, grandfather Karel, brother Kobus and house keeper Katy. Simon is a professor at the university where we meet the 3 friends, Jan, Pieter and Gert in one of his classes. They also live in Hartbeespoort Jan lives with his grandmother Elsa Ferreira. The story starts during the December holidays. A spoilt rich girl, Melanie von Staden has one thing in mind and that is to reel in heart throb Jan Ferreira who has his eye set on Liefling. Fate unexpectedly brings lovers, friends and so called enemies together. This is a love story full of tears and laughter, song and dance.

The third "Afrikaans is Groot" concert. It is an annual concert where some of the biggest Afrikaans artist perform

U-CARMEN is a feature film based on Georges Bizet's 19th-century opera that was filmed on location in a modern South African township setting. The energy, compassion, and heat of township life in all its elements create a constantly visually interesting and dynamic background for the unfolding of the story, which owes part of its huge popularity to the thrilling combination of a violent gangster tale with a passionate, almost supernatural love story. As it unfolds, it explores issues of fame and wealth, the position of a strong and independently minded woman in a very masculine society and, perhaps most importantly, the incomprehensible attraction between abuser and victim. Bizet's opera, based on Prosper Merimée's novel, premiered in Paris on March 3, 1875. Set in a poor area of Seville, the story of the magnetic woman who seduces, loves, and ultimately destroys her lover and herself...

U2 perform the final show of their PopMart Tour in Johannesburg, South Africa via SABC 3 (March 21, 1998). SETLIST: Pop Muzik | Mofo | I Will Follow | Gone | Even Better Then Real Thing | Last Night On Earth | Until The End Of The World | New Year's Day | Pride (In The Name Of Love) | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For | Stand By Me | All I Want Is You | Staring At The Sun | Sunday Bloody Sunday | Bullet The Blue Sky | Please | Where The Streets Have No Name | Lemon (Mix) | Discotheque (We Are Family) | If You Wear That Velvet Dress | With Or Without You | Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me | Mysterious Ways | One | "40" [Bonus encore not included on unofficial DVD release; Original SABC Broadcast Only] (Orig. SA TV Runtime: 130 Mins.; DVD Runtime: 85 Mins.)

A talented young woman from a rural village travels to the "Big City" of Johannesburg, South Africa to become a Star. She lands a role in a musical play about Zulu Queen Mkabayi, Shaka's Aunt and searches for her identity as a Performer, a Zulu, a Woman and a Daughter. Will she be able to keep up with her more seasoned fellow performers, avoid the jealous machinations of the aging leading lady and survive the punishing rehearsal schedule to make it to opening night and shine like the star she is? "She is King" is a joyous celebration of Zulu culture in a glossy contemporary setting, showing off Joburg as the "Broadway of Africa".

A ragtag bunch of musicians are forced to rob a bank during the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival in the hope they will save their iconic, but in-debt nightclub in the Bo Kaap.

Three people who accidentally left to Jeju Island find an old woman next to their tent - an old woman who would never wake up. As they start wondering whether the old woman is asleep or dead, it becomes more obscure whether they are concerned about or waiting for the death. Five songs drift away while the contemplation for the death. This is a film, as well as a new album of musician, Yozoh.

fantasy tale about a young Zulu who leaves his village to go to the city, falls in love with the new music he hears there, and returns home to form a Zulu jazz band. The South African production and distribution company African Films followed up the success of Zonk! with Song of Africa. This is a fantasy tale about a young Zulu who leaves his village to go to the city, falls in love with the new music he hears there, and returns home to form a Zulu jazz band – which then goes to the city to compete with other bands, and comes out on top. As in the earlier films, the impact of American jazz and popular music is enormous. Like African Jim and Zonk!, Song of Africa draws on the best talent from the townships. Director Emil Nofal and director of photography Dave Millin ensure high production values, making it an above-average B-movie.

The film deals with Zelida, an eccentric spinster, whose jewellery is stolen. She and her cousin use the insurance money to undertake a cruise from South Africa to Venice. She is completely unaware of the fact that a fellow passenger, an ambassador, actually is a detective. Meanwhile, the robber, his beautiful girlfriend and the looted jewels are on the same cruise ship. In addition, an orphan stowaway is making matters worse.

A ramblin', gamblin', guitar-strummin' man from Dixie tries to strike it rich in the Kimberley diamond rush in 1880s South Africa.

A girl finds out her loving father is having an affair with his secretary and is devastated.

After a car accident, singing surgeon Dr Dawid Retief learns he will be blind within two years, while his daughter is paralyzed. In order to raise money for Marietjie's treatment in the United States Retief starts doing concerts.

The fifth "Afrikaans is Groot" concert. It is an annual concert where some of the biggest Afrikaans artist perform

Distraught after being fired from his job, Willi Willeboer leaves town for Oubaas du Toit's Paradise Game Reserve, where he falls for the owner's daughter, but she sees him as nothing more than a brother.

A BAFTA award nominated documentary featuring native African musicians and dancers.

A musical drama shot in black-and-white to lend an air of gritty realism, Africa Shakes follows British rock group, The Couriers, on a concert tour of South Africa.