South Africa's parliament demands answers from Canal+ over film industry job losses caused by shutdown of MultiChoice streamer Showmax

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's parliament wants to look into how many job losses there will be in the country's film and TV industry because of Canal+'s shutdown of MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, with parliament's portfolio committee on communications set to do special oversight visits to MultiChoice and eMedia's e.tv as commercial broadcasters.

Canal+ announced it's shutting down Showmax and replacing it with its own Canal+ app, noting that the loss-making Showmax "would have brought down MultiChoice".

According to the agreement with South Africa's Competition Commission, Canal+ and MultiChoice are not allowed to do any retrenchments within MultiChoice for a period of three years from September 2025.

About shutting down Showmax, Canal+ in a statement said that "The decision to discontinue Showmax will not involve any retrenchments. The group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options".

While not allowed to get rid of Showmax staff, Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice are however, allowed to decrease the production spending budget or what was spent on productions that made shows specifically for the streamer as Showmax Originals, which might lead to fewer production companies having commissioned projects, and fewer overall people employed by those production companies.

Sixolise Gcilishe, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of parliament, requested Khusela Sangoni-Diko, chairperson of the parliamentary committee, for an investigation of MultiChoice in terms of Showmax and the coming job losses for the local industry that its closure will cause, and what the impact will be for local TV and film production.

According to Sixolise Gcilishe, Canal+'s decision to shut down Showmax "raises significant concerns relevant to our committee's responsibilities, particularly regarding the support of the local creative industry, job retention, and adherence to transformation goals within our digital economy".

"Showmax has been crucial in contributing to our national identity and pushing the South African narrative by providing a platform for local producers, actors, writers and technical teams."

"Its discontinuation poses a serious risk of diminishing a critical distribution avenue for local content, potentially resulting in a cultural landscape overly influenced by international programmes."

We need to hear from MultiChoice about the future of local productions currently featured on Showmax and the status of existing production contracts. South Africa is grappling with severe unemployment."

"Any significant corporate changes by a major entity like MultiChoice will likely result in job losses, affecting not just the company but also the wider creative sector, including writers, directors, editors and freelance workers reliant on streaming services for income."

Sixolise Gcilishe says MultiChoice executives in their presentation to parliament must give a specific timeline and reasons for ending or restructuring Showmax, as well as a thorough assessment of the potential job losses - both at MultiChoice and also within the wider film and TV industry.

MultiChoice must also answer about the future of existing Showmax Original productions and the accessibility of these productions to South Africa's viewers.

According to Sangoni-Diko, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), as well as the Competition Commission, will brief the committee on Tuesday, 17 March, on the regulatory conditions, public interest commitments and the compliance requirements which are all linked to Canal+'s final approval for taking over MultiChoice.

"Following this, the committee is working on scheduling a special oversight visit to the broadcast sector on 31 March and 1 April 2026, covering e.tv, MultiChoice, and other commercial broadcasters."

Cancelled shows win at NFVF's embarrassingly bad 19th South African Film and Television Awards (full winners list)

by Thinus Ferreira

The National Film and Video Foundation's belatedly held 19th South African Film and Television Awards, awkwardly awarded prizes to a litany of cancelled shows.

As an inept, mistake-riddled and badly done show which ran over by almost an hour on Saturday night as a live broadcast, the 19th SAFTAs, again produced by Black Swan Media, ironically held up a mirror of a troubled industry in crisis.

The director and TV, film and stage producer Bobby Heaney, involved with the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) academy, as well as actor Magic Hlatshwayo, both received long-overdue Lifetime Achievement awards.

Multiple category winners were complete no-shows on stage at the 19th SAFTAs without any explanation.

Category wins went to channels like kykNET and Mzansi Magic on MultiChoice's DStv, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video's last local production in South Africa, the SABC, as well as e.tv.

Cancelled shows, from Youngins as a Showmax Original, to Scandal! and Kelders van Geheime on e.tv, and iThonga and Genesis on Mzansi Magic, collectively won several awards, leading to cringe-worthy recipients who had to thank their channels that cancelled them. 

The award-winning writer, director and producer Karen Jeyes from Both World Pictures, who accepted an award for the Amazon MGM Studios comedy series The Morning After, said: "Thanks Amazon Prime. Please come back and make more TV in this country".

Interestingly, Cara Roberts appeared on the SAFTAs stage twice on Saturday to accept awards on behalf of both her parents: First her dad Ian Roberts who was a no-show after winning for Best Actor in a feature film for A Kind of Madness.

She returned to stage to accept the posthumous win of her late mom, Michelle Botes, who clinched the award for Best supporting actress in a TV drama for the first season of Netflix South Africa's Afrikaanse drama series Tuiskoms.

Best supporting actress in a TV drama

Michelle Botes (Tuiskoms)

Production House: Infinity Films

Best achievement in sound - documentary

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey

Practitioners: Barry Donnelly, Corne Van Niekerk & Jabu Msomi

Production House: Water Creature Media

Best achievement in editing - documentary

Chasing the Sun 2

Practitioner: Christiaan Scheepers

Production House: T+W

Best achievement in cinematography - documentary

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey

Practitioners: Steven Dover, Warren Smart & Gareth Thomas

Production House: Water Creature Media

Best achievement in directing - documentary

Zef: The Story of Die Antwoord

Practitioner: Jon Day

Production House: Orange Films

Best documentary short

Mathonga Elizwe (Spirits of the Land)

Production House: Uhuru Productions

Best made for TV documentary or documentary series

School Ties

Production House: Idea Candy

Best documentary feature

Zef: The Story of Die Antwoord

Production House: Orange Films

Best children's programme

Behind the Rainbow

Production House: Storytown Productions

Best educational programme

Ingono Yomsamo

Production House: Barleader TV

Best factual programme

Confessions of an Assassin: Why I killed Chris Hani - An Annika Larsen Special Report

Production House: e.tv

Best competition reality show

Plaasjapie (Seisoen 2)

Production House: Afrokaans

Best structured soapie reality show

Young, Famous and African S2

Production House: Urban Brew Studios & APOP Media

Best structured or docu-reality show

Umkhonto Ogwazekhaya

Production House: Devandile Media

Best youth programme

On The Base Roundtable

Production House: VIS Studios

Best online content

Four Walls

Production House: Weldun Media

Best lifestyle programme

Elders: Ligtoringroete

Production House: Bonanza Films

Best current affairs programme

Carte Blanche

Production House: Combined Artistic Productions

Best made-for-TV movie

Mr Easy Loo

Production House: Black Brain Pictures

Best international format

Deal or No Deal Celebrity

Production House: HBC Broadcast Solution

Best entertainment programme

Yash'ingoma season 3

Production House: Skepe Entertainment and Urban Brew Studios

Best variety show

Unfollowed Season 2

Production House: Goat

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV comedy

How to Ruin Love season 1

Practitioner: Bongi Mlotshwa

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioner: Mariechen Vosloo

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in sound - TV comedy

How to Ruin Love season 1

Practitioner: Guy Steer

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best achievement in art direction - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioner: Kate Van Der Merwe

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in editing - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioners: Björn Johansen & Gordon Midgley

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in scriptwriting - TV comedy

Magda Louw

Practitioner: Desire Gardner

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best achievement in cinematography - TV comedy

Mabaso Family Reunion

Practitioner: Gaopalelwe Kabe

Production House: Black Brain Pictures

Best achievement in directing - TV comedy

Magda Louw

Practitioner: Johan Nel

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV drama

Reyka season 2

Practitioner: Theola Booyens

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV drama

Niggies

Practitioner: Mariechen Vosloo

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in art direction - TV drama

Catch Me A Killer

Practitioner: Warren Gray

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best achievement in special effects (SFX) in hair and make-up - TV

White Lies

Practitioner: Natasha du Toit

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in sound - TV drama

White Lies

Practitioners: David Oosthuizen, Declyn Strydom

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in original music/score - TV drama

Niggies

Practitioner: Pierre Henri Wicomb

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in an original song - TV drama

White Lies

Practitioners: Edward George King, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in editing - TV drama

GO!

Practitioner: Jeremy Briers

Production House: Ten30 Pictures

Best achievement in visual effects (VFX) – TV

Soon comes night

Practitioner: Shaun Hillary

Production House: Ochre Media

Best achievement in cinematography - TV drama

Reyka season 2

Practitioner: Tom Marais

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in scriptwriting - TV drama

Law, Love & Betrayal (LLB)

Practitioners: Alex Xolo, Lwazi Mvusi, Dorette Nel, Chisanga Kabinga & Oratile Mogoje

Production House: Ramathesele Media and Communications

Best achievement in directing - TV drama

Catch Me A Killer

Practitioners: Rene van Rooyen, Brett Michael Innes

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV soap/telenovela

Skemergrond

Practitioners: Waldemar van Rensburg

Production House: Penguin Films

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV soap/telenovela

Genesis season 1

Practitioners: Sylvia Gegana

Production House: Singavision Productions

Best achievement in art direction - TV soap/telenovela

Suidooster

Practitioner: Beatrix van Zyl

Production House: Suidooster Films

Best achievement in editing - telenovela

Youngins

Practitioners: SC Nhlumayo, Natalie Varoy, Siwelile Mbanjwa, Lubabalo Mayaba, Nandi Mehlomakulu, Nonhlanhla Nxumalo

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best achievement in original music/score - telenovela

Youngins

Practitioner: Brendan Jury

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best achievement in an original song - telenovela

Kelders van Geheime

Practitioner: Loki Rothman

Production House: KFilms

Best achievement in sound - TV soap/telenovela

Blood Legacy

Practitioner: Lubabalo Bozo

Production House: Gambit Films

Best achievement in scriptwriting - telenovela

Inimba

Practitioners: Siphosethu Tshapu, Kirsten Adams, Sacha-ann Stokes, Nombulelo Mcwerah, Khanyisa Jali, Vanishia Kisten, Sinethemba Keleku, Mpolokeng Hope Bogatsu, Sibusiso Kumalo

Production House: The Milton Empire

Best achievement in cinematography – telenovela

Blood Legacy

Practitioner: Sunel Haasbroek

Production House: Gambit Films

Best achievement in directing - telenovela

Suidooster

Practitioner: Pieter Francois Retief Scholtz

Production House: Suidooster Films

Best achievement in directing - TV soap

Scandal!

Practitioners: Sithembiso Mathenjwa, Antony Coleman, Philasande Malunga, Sphamandla Ngcobo, Christo Davids, Mamohato Askew

Production House: Ochre Media

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - Feature film

The Fix

Practitioner: Nicola Roodt

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in costume design - Feature film

Just Now Jeffrey

Practitioner: Danielle Knox

Production House: Bioscope Films

Best achievement in production design - Feature Film

Just Now Jeffrey

Practitioner: Kerry von Lillienfeld

Production House: Bioscope Films

Best achievement in special effects (SFX) in hair and make-up - Feature Film

The Fix

Practitioners: Nicola Roodt, Clinton Aiden Smith

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in sound design - Feature film

The Fix

Practitioners: David Oosthuizen, Geoffrey Kock

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in editing - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Eva Du Preez

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best achievement in original music/score - Feature film

A Kind of Madness

Practitioner: Loki Rothman

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in an original song - Feature film

Sabbatical

Practitioners: Bokani Dyer, Siyabonga Mthembu

Production House: Diprente

Best achievement in visual effects (VFX) – Feature film

The Fix

Practitioner: Kelsey Egan, George Webster, Sam Alessandri, Charles Tait, Andre Steyn, Lee Gemmell, Phillip Keong, Randall Makhanya, Tristan Brown, Mike Louw

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in cinematography - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Devin Toselli

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best achievement in scriptwriting - Feature film

A Kind of Madness

Practitioner: Christiaan Olwagen, Wessel Pretorius

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best student film

Leapt Niches

Institution: The Animation School

Best animation

Jungle Beat 2 The Past

Production House: Sunrise Animation Studios

Best supporting actress in a TV soap

Vele Manenje (Skeem Saam)

Production House: Peu

Best supporting actor in a TV soap

Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane (Scandal!)

Production House: Ochre Media

Best supporting actress in a telenovela

Zenande Mfenyana (Inimba)

Production House: The Milton Empire

Best supporting actor in a telenovela

Anele Matoti (Gqeberha - The Empire)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best actress in a TV soap

Londeka Sishi (Scandal!)

Production House: Ochre Media

Best actor in a TV soap

Aubrey Poo (Generations: The Legacy)

Production House: MMSV Productions

Best actress in a telenovela

Nelisiwe Sibiya (iThonga)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best actor in a telenovela 

Bonko Khoza (iThonga)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best TV soap

Scandal!

Production House: Ochre Media

Best telenovela

Youngins

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best supporting actress in a TV drama

Michelle Botes (Tuiskoms)

Production House: Infinity Films

Best supporting actor in a TV drama

Jabulani Mthembu (Catch Me A Killer)

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best actress in a TV drama

Gail Mabalane (Unseen - season 2)

Production House: Gambit Films

Best actor in a TV drama

Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord-Kaap season 2)

Production House: Nagvlug Films

Best TV drama

Reyka season 2

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best supporting actress in a TV comedy

Shoki Mmola (How to Ruin Love season 1)

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best supporting actor in a TV comedy

Tobie Cronjé (Pronk Primêr)

Production House: Sonvelt Media

Best actress in a TV comedy

Desire Gardner (Magda Louw season 2)

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best actor in a TV comedy

Hannes van Wyk (Magda Louw season 2)

Production House: homebrew films

Best TV comedy

The Morning After

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best short film

Why The Cattle Wait

Production House: Zarafa Pictures, Yellowbone Entertainment

Best supporting actress in a feature film

June van Merch (Die Kwiksilwers)

Production House: Sanktuary Films

Best supporting actor in a feature film

Neels van Jaarsveld (Snake)

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best actress in a feature film

Sandra Prinsloo (A Kind of Madness)

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best actor in a feature film

Ian Roberts (A Kind of Madness)

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in directing - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Ian Gabriel

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best natural history and environmental programme

Day of the Dragon

Production House: Earth Touch

Best TV presenter (public vote)

Fezile Mkhize (Top Travel)

Production House: Cardova Productions

Most popular TV soap/telenovela (public vote)

Inimba

Production House: The Milton Empire

Lifetime Achievement awards

Bobby Heaney

Magic Hlatshwayo

Conservation biologist Dr Steve Boyes on new National Geographic documentary film Ghost Elephants: 'We look for historical genetic connections'

by Thinus Ferreira

Just like the iconic scene from the first Jurassic Park movie, where a real T-Rex ends up in the visitor's centre main rotunda in its massive glory as a banner glides down, Dr Steve Boyes stands in front of a display of an elephant at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., in Ghost Elephants.

But he isn't after a dinosaur.

The South African National Geographic Explorer and conservation biologist is trying to track down a creature far more elusive. 

In Ghost Elephants, a new documentary film from acclaimed director Werner Herzog, Dr Steve Boyes - a real modern-day Indiana Jones - goes to the museum's rotunda, and later into its archives to extract a DNA sample, to examine "Henry", the largest elephant ever killed.

Directed, written and narrated by Werner Herzog, and produced by Ariel León Isacovitch and Herzog, Ghost Elephants is from Sobey Road Entertainment, The Roots Production Service and Skellig Rock.

Ghost Elephants is available on Disney+ and premieres on National Geographic Wild (DStv 182) on Wednesday, 11 March at 18:00 and in the forest of Angola, Dr Steve Boyes is determined to prove their existence.

With the film's release comes the coffee table book "Okavango and the Source of Life" by Dr Steve Boyes, which expands the journey beyond the documentary film, with more than 100 striking photographs, detailed maps, and Boyes’ personal reflections from years of gruelling expeditions to the Angolan headwaters of the Okavango. 

During the course of Ghost Elephants, Dr Steve Boyes and a crew travel into the mysterious Angola highlands searching for proof of the existence of a missing "tribe" of large elephants - part legend, part hope, part superstition and part of Africa's unsolved secrets: The ghost elephants of Lisima.

Teaming up with fellow National Geographic Explorer Kerllen Costa and three KhoiSan master trackers – Xui, Xui Dawid, and Kobus – they venture into a world where technology fails and that requires human eyes and human intuition to try and track down the potential living descendants of the largest land mammal ever recorded.

I had the opportunity to speak to Dr Steve Boyes about Ghost Elephants and got to ask him two questions.

"For National Geographic, this year is the 10th anniversary of the Okavango Wilderness Project," he says, giving a "bigger picture" overview of what he's been busy with.

"We have discovered and documented over 275 new species through science, new populations of endangered species up in these same highlands in Angola, working with the local Luchazi, the Chokwe and the Mbundu hunters and traditional leaders there," Dr Steve Boyes told me.

"So this is a long-term programme and we work across genetics, environmental DNA, detailed river surveys and storytelling to explain those findings to not just people in Angola and in Africa, but people globally, since science needs translation".

Seen done in Ghost Elephants, I also asked him to weigh in on modern humanity's ability to use things like supercomputers to do genetic analyses from a 70-year-old elephant skull and make genetic comparisons that help in these scientific quests and, although not out in the real world, aid scientists in finding proof of things we never would have been able to get before.

"We have the largest freshwater fish collection in the Southern hemisphere, so we can now employ new technology to help us. With one litre of water, we can tell you every single fish that's been in it during the last two weeks," he explains.

"Computers are allowing us to do this - taking air samples, taking water samples, we can tell you everything. So these databases we already use, and as computing power increases, our opportunities for analysis increase."

"What we're really doing is to look at all of the elephants across Africa - they're all split up now from each other, disjunct from each other."

"And we look at historical genetic connections, where corridors need to be created to connect them again, to see how these animals moved around 100 years ago. And all of that is told through genetics."

"Science advances," Dr Steve Boyes tells me.

"A lot of my expeditionary work, we consider ourselves as working for future scientists. We take simple water samples and have a water bank that we keep for scientists in 2050 who might be looking for something. The advance of science is moving really quickly."

Ghost Elephants is on Disney+ and premieres on National Geographic Wild (DStv 182) on Wednesday, 11 March at 18:00.

Gus O'Brien upped as new NBCUniversal International Networks boss from April

by Thinus Ferreira

Gus O'Brien is replacing Ken Bettsteller, with NBCUniversal Media Group moving him to president of International Networks and direct-to-consumer (DTC) from 1 April, as Ken Bettsteller is replaced and shifted to an advisory role.

NBCUniversal is also expanding Hendrik McDermott's scope, who has been leading Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Networks & DTC, to now oversee all international DTC operations as managing director for international DTC & EMEA, as well as Canada. 

NBCUniversal Networks & DTC runs the international versions of TV channels like Universal TV, Studio Universal, Telemundo, Bravo, DreamWorks and the aggregation service Universal+, which are available in South Africa on DStv through Canal+'s MultiChoice.

Matt Strauss, NBCUniversal Media Group chairman, in a statement in a press release, says, "Our International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) portfolio brings some of our most beloved brands to audiences around the world, including a suite of popular networks, the hybrid linear/non-linear service Universal+, and the all-reality SVOD service Hayuu."

"Gus is a worthy successor to Ken Bettsteller – who has been a formidable leader in our company for over two decades – and I'm excited for Gus to bring his innovative leadership to the broader group, working with the international management team to further strengthen and support these brands."

Monsters In Africa: Why the continent waits for its own global fantasy and sci-fi breakthrough

by Thinus Ferreira

While Netflix's Squid Game did it for Asia and put Korea on the global map for genre content, the Nordics found success mining folklore, and Latin America booms with producing "telefantasy", the one continent that is still waiting for its local Wakanda-like breakthrough on the worldwide stage is Africa.

While Africa is rich in stories, folklore, writing talent and creativity, the execution and production in successfully birthing an African-type of Squid Game that garners global appeal has so far remained elusive.

In September 2024, MultiChoice's Showmax, which Canal+ is now shuttering, released Subterranea, Kenya's first-ever sci-fi series as a psychological thriller that never would have seen the light of day if it weren't for the African streaming service that took a big swing with the Nairobi-based Kibanda Pictures on the bunker-set series.

When it comes to quality, engrossing and smart science fiction and fantasy, home-made in Africa and resonating with global viewers, Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng, says the lack of buzzed-about genre content is because Africa underestimates itself.

The South African writer, director and producer who co-founded Gambit Films, says, "I have many opinions on this".

She spoke as a panellist at the 8th Joburg Film Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she implored Africa's biz to take a new look at genre content and to take the risk with sci-fi and fantasy stories, and to start trying it out on a small scale.

While  Comic Con Cape Town is set for 30 April and Comic Con Africa 2026 is marked for 24 September in Johannesburg and while both fan-driven events on African soil have found success and support from sci-fi and fantasy lovers, the content and stars it rests on are primarily international. 

"This is for me where I think it's a case of 'don't under-estimate our audiences'. I think in this particular area, I do feel we have under-estimated our audiences," she says.

"2009's District 9 science fiction action film from Neill Blomkamp came out several years ago. If you asked me what film I wish I had been a part of, that would be it without a question," Dumisa-Ngoasheng noted.

"While it wasn't a South African production in that it wasn't a South African company or South African studio or anything like that, what it did highlight is that our audiences are absolutely hungry for it. Our audience absolutely wants it. And then nothing."

"When District 9 came out, I was absolutely convinced that it was the dawn of a new era - that something new was coming. We had big things we were pitching. We had all or spec sci-fi's. And then the conversations were always ''Our audiences don't understand it'. Which I don't believe."

"We've seen it time and time again - scifi and fantasy as genre work. I think the misconception and where we falter is in thinking it requires a crazy budget because it requires a crazy, massive world and everything is big."

"I think it comes back to the same thing about knowing what you won't compromise on. There is nothing wrong with starting small, for example, an Ex Machina. Her. These are grounded scifi's where yes, the budgets in Hollywood are spent on Joaquin Phoenix and so on but we don't have to do that."

"It takes a high concept, that is grounded with an element of these genres, that we slowly start to explore and that we start to play around with and take some risks. It's also a question of who do we take risks with? Who has already displayed an understanding of the genre?"

Dumisa-Ngoasheng says "What I also think sometimes happens if we are navigating and going into genres with partners who haven't necessarily attempted it even on a small scale, then there's a higher risk, as opposed to 'maybe they have shorts that have already been done in this way.' Maybe the story isn't so good but the technical is good - let's partner with a great storyteller or use a piece of IP to build the thing."

"I can't stress enough how I feel there's an audience, myself being one of those audience members, who are greatly underserved in the genres of sci-fi and fantasy. I mean fantasy! Africa's storytelling is grounded in fantastical stories but we never get to go there." 

TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Netflix SA did nothing for One Piece season 2 to properly liaise with media. And now wants what, coverage?

by Thinus Ferreira

On Sunday, 8 March, just after having held a wonderful Netflix mixer event during the 8th Joburg Film Festival in Sandton, Netflix South Africa had a media premiere for the second season of One Piece at The Ostrich open-air event field near Philadelphia in Cape Town.

With some of the local actors and international stars flown in, Netflix's PR company Lucky 8 in South Africa did absolutely nothing to alert or communicate beforehand with several South African news media about the One Piece screening and fan event who would have done something, would have arranged interviews or would have, at the very least, been alerted and have liaised with Netflix about the show.

It's not the media's responsibility to know, with no information or communication, what is happening or what Netflix SA is doing or rolling out content-wise. 

Netflix has a publicity division tasked to contact and communicate with media, and pays money to PR companies, like Lucky 8 (previously it was Eclipse Communications) in South Africa to actually liaise, partner with, and talk and communicate about Netflix content and media events, screenings and interviews.

Why is this not happening properly?

After covering the 8th Joburg Film Festival last week extensively for several media outlets, including going to the Netflix mixer event in Sandton, it was hugely disappointing to discover that suddenly Netflix had a One Piece event as a screening, fan event and media premiere, but that nobody from Netflix or Lucky 8 ever bothered to reach out to tell about it.

At the most bare-bones basic level, the expectation is that people paid to communicate should do so - in whatever area - to liaise about what opportunities exist to work together, what interviews may or may not be possible and for the media to know what is going on and happening.

Now Netflix and a PR company like Lucky 8 presumably want coverage for One Piece's second season filmed in Cape Town, South Africa at Cape Town Film Studios. 

The big question is: How? From what? When? 

How are journalists and media supposed to create something or coverage, or the type of coverage that works for their publications, and presumably for Netflix SA and Netflix globally, from out of nothing and no communication beforehand? No heads-up? No PR at all?

American actors like Julia Rehwald and Joe Manganiello, Callum Kerr from Scotland, and writer and producer Joe Tracz were in South Africa for Sunday's One Piece screening, alongside the South African actors appearing in episodes of this second season like Alan Foulis, Jazzara Jaslyn, Anton Jeftha, Aiden Scott and Ty Keogh, who portrays the character of Dalton.

Where (when?) was the One Piece season 2 press day for South Africa? Were there round-table interviews held? Where are all those interviews, assuming there were press opportunities?

What happened at Sunday's One Piece event? What was said there by whom, and the cast?

Somebody who did attend on Sunday told me Jeanne D was the MC.

On Monday morning, I asked publicist Sethu Colo at Lucky 8 about this, but a day later haven't heard back anything.

I also asked several other journalists and media in South Africa - also covering film and TV sphere - if they had ever heard anything from, or about the second season of One Piece, beforehand, or about the screening. They all said no.

Sadly, it's once again an opportunity lost for Netflix, for One Piece as a production and a show, as well as for South African media, to try and cover something where it's win-win-win, instead of lose-lose-lose.

Swiss period drama Silent Rebellion wins 8th Joburg Film Festival as biz takes SA government to task: 'Films are not a side project - it's an economy' (full winners list)

by Thinus Ferreira

The Swiss period drama Silent Rebellion (À bras-le-corps) scooped both the Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography prizes at Saturday night's award ceremony for 2026's 8th Joburg Film Festival in Sandton, with Variations on a Theme (pictured) winning as Best African Film.

Directed by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, the World War 2-era drama Silent Rebellion received a Nguni Horn alongside winners from a range of selections at the awards show held at the Theatre on the Square.

Veteran producer Harriet Gavshon was presented with the lifetime achievement award for her contribution over decades to the South African TV and film industry.

Tim Mangwedi, founder and director of the Joburg Film Festival, said he "wanted to acknowledge the context we are all working in".

"The South African film and television industry has been under pressure for a while."

Addressing the South African government, Tim Mangwedi said the Joburg Film Festival will continue "in a way that sustainable, that is advocating for an industry environment that works. It means partnerships that work. It means that films are not a side project - it's an economy. It's a real business. It's a serious business."

His remarks came as South Africa's government still seems to do little about the shambolic state of the country's film rebate system, which sees international producers no longer opting to film here, costing jobs and large projects, while local producers are also starved in rebates they quality for.

The government department of trade, industry and competition (DTIC) owes the sector over R600 billion in unpaid film rebates which were approved and haven't done any new further adjudications for producers to qualify for funding since February 2024. 

On Saturday night "Shirley Adonisi, channel director for local entertainment at Canal+'s MultiChoice, on stage said "African storytelling is one of the most exciting creative forces anywhere in the world".

Shirley Adonisi said that new MultiChoice owner Canal+ will continue to invest in African content and will remain a supporter of the Joburg Film Festival "because our missions are aligned".

"We want to see African and South African films take up more space - not quietly but boldly, the way we do it as Africans."

"We know that local content matters, local languages matter, authenticity matters, the presentation matters. Our audiences want to see themselves fully and truthfully on the screen and we are committed to delivering that across our channels and our broader entertainment platforms."

"We continue to invest in new productions, telenovelas, miniseries, films, documentaries and many more. These are not just shows - they are jobs, playing grounds, springboards and cultural stepping stones."

"We will continue to unearth new talent and emerging voices, and broadcast stories that shift perspectives and open possibilities."

Here are the 8th Joburg Film Festival category winners:

Best Feature Film - Silent Rebellion

Best African Film - Variations On A Theme

Best Cinematography - Silent Rebellion

Best Edit - Broken Voices

Best Documentary - Let Them Be Seen

Best Short Film - Stero

Best Student Film - The Silent Inheritance

Young Voices Competition Winner - Umxoxiso

Special Recognition - Harriet Gavshon

Show ax: Canal+ shutters MultiChoice's flopped Showmax video streaming service

by Thinus Ferreira

After acquiring MultiChoice, Canal+ is shutting down MultiChoice's hugely loss-making Showmax video streaming service after 11 years.

Canal+ announced the "discontinuation" of Showmax that MultiChoice relaunched two years ago in partnership with Comcast's NBCUniversal. 

Canal+ said it had done a "comprehensive review of its streaming activities". The shuttering comes after Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO, in January said on an investors' call that Showmax was a flop.

According to Canal+, the decision to axe Showmax "was made by the Showmax board of directors and reflects the continued focus of MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, on financial discipline and investment optimisation, in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive global streaming environment".

"The substantial annual losses experienced by the Showmax business have proved unsustainable. The decision to phase out Showmax reflects our focus on building a sustainable, competitive business for the long term in an increasingly demanding global streaming environment."

Canal+ is unable to let go of any staff working at MultiChoice for Showmax, since one of the agreements with the Competition Competition of South Africa for the takeover of MultiChoice was that there won't be any retrenchments for three years.

"The decision to discontinue Showmax services will not involve any retrenchments," Canal+ says in its statement. "The group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options."

Ending Showmax is, according to Canal+, "also consistent with the ambition of MultiChoice to deploy its in-house large-scale streaming platform capable of meeting the expectations of African and international consumers".

"Canal+ will continue to invest in premium content for MultiChoice subscribers, technological innovation and strategic partnerships to consolidate its leadership in the African entertainment market."

"Further details regarding our expanded content offering and platform upgrades will be shared in due course. We want to reassure our Showmax subscribers that they are our priority as we evolve our services to deliver a superior streaming experience."

Showmax was launched in August 2015 and relaunched in February 2024 in partnership with NBCUnviversal holding a 30% interest in the venture. 

Since then MultiChoice and NBCUniversal have collectively poured billions of rand in the loss-making streamer that failed to reach the extremely ambitious subscriber growth targets that MultiChoice promised to investors before launch.

MultiChoice execs reaffirm commitment to authentic storytelling at 8th Joburg Film Festival: 'Quality doesn't only come from budget'

by Thinus Ferreira

The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) held its MultiChoice Talent Factory Day at 2026's 8th Joburg Film Festival in Johannesburg, where MultiChoice executives reaffirmed that whatever is happening after Canal+'s takeover of the pay-TV company, authentic storytelling and authenticity in on-screen work will always continue to matter immensely.

Held at the Theatre on the Square in Sandton, on stage were the MultiChoice executives Tebogo Matlawa, head of scripted content: middle & mass South Africa; Waldimar Pelser, director of premium channels; Shirley Adonisi, channel director for local entertainment; and Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen, executive head of content strategy.

Tebogo Matlawa said "The question with each show that is pitched is always which local market it will satisfy first".

"Think local, be global. If it doesn't have a market here or in our African territories, it's a no-go. But sometimes you come across a story and you immediately know it can travel."

Shirley Adonisi said "At the core of it is authenticity".

" If our audiences do not identify with the characters or the stories we create, then that is an epic fail on our part. It's not about how much the show costs. It's about how rich the story is and how people connect with it and say, 'that looks like me'."

The panel discussion also explored how the changing media landscape is reshaping the way stories are developed and consumed.

Tracy-Ann van Rooyen said "When you are thinking about content strategy, you can't think about it in isolation".

"You have to believe in your story first and know that it has a market. Scale means opportunity, and for African creators, that opportunity is growing."

Waldimar Pelser noted that the creative direction when commissioning content remains rooted in local insight.

"Commissioning across Africa remains locally led," he said.

"Finding the right stories to back is a team sport, and we rely on storytellers and producers to help us understand our audiences."

"Quality doesn't only come from budget. It comes from the quality of a story, the authenticity of a story, and whether it speaks to somebody specific."

This is the fourth consecutive year that MultiChoice is a partner of the Joburg Film Festival, with MultiChoice Talent Factory alumni who premiered the film Keletso at the festival this week.

The Keletso screening highlighted the growing impact of the film academy and showcased how graduates are moving from training environments into professional filmmaking and bringing their work to major industry platforms.