What are good movies about or made in post-apartheid South Africa?

May 15, 2013 5:47 PM

What are good movies about or made in post-apartheid South Africa? Assume I've seen the ones that have had moderate success in the US, like District 9, Tsotsi, and Invictus.
posted by benbenson to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Safe House was filmed in Cape Town, but has nothing whatsoever to do with the country itself. But Ryan Reynolds does speak some Afrikaans.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:53 PM on May 15, 2013

Best answer: Africa Is A Country (don't worry, the name is very tongue-in-cheek) does a great job of keeping track of interesting new films and directors coming out of Africa the continent, including South Africa the country.
posted by spamandkimchi at 6:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Not a movie but the television science fiction series Charlie Jade is set in South Africa and was a joint Canadian/South African production. Available on Netflix btw.
posted by XMLicious at 9:19 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: You should check out Searching for Sugar Man if you haven't already.
posted by oulipian at 9:23 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]

Not sure if 1993 can be construed as properly post-apartheid, but Dust Devil is a visually imaginative horror film.
posted by Sticherbeast at 9:30 PM on May 15, 2013

I saw Hijack Stories during it's small UK theatrical run. I remember liking it a lot, but it could be kinda hard to track down these days.

Also, I'd be remiss not to mention Blue Crush 2 which takes place and was filmed almost entirely in South Africa. Probably not what you're looking for, but I doubt anybody else knows about it.
posted by dogwalker at 3:48 AM on May 16, 2013

I saw Nothing but the Truth at FESPACO in 2009. It was quite good (and won second place), though I've no idea how easy it would be to get a copy of.
posted by solotoro at 7:24 AM on May 16, 2013

Disgrace
posted by perhapses at 9:43 AM on May 16, 2013

Best answer: In My Country is great, as is Amandla! (but that's a musical documentary that goes through apartheid and beyond).

I also enjoyed Faith Like Potatoes (I'm not sure this is post-apartheid though, and is very very Christian in theme), Red Dust, and Cape of Good Hope.
posted by guster4lovers at 5:01 PM on May 16, 2013

Best answer: I haven't see this one, but it fits your description: Tengers.
posted by guster4lovers at 5:03 PM on May 16, 2013

Best answer: Argh, I keep finding more! Malunde and Boy Called Twist.

There's also a new drama called Winnie, focusing on Winnie Mandela, coming out soon.
posted by guster4lovers at 5:14 PM on May 16, 2013