This is an exciting time of the year, kids are on school break, and many parents are wrapping up work and business engagements as the festive holiday officially kick in.
If you’re a film lover and never got a chance to visit your local cinema house or never got to watch that movie that you downloaded a few months ago, now is the time to unwind and enjoy some of the top locally brewed productions.
IOL Entertainment has compiled a list of must-watch local movies of 2022.
Surviving Gaza
Award-winning “Surviving Gaza” is a tale of 17-year-old Phuzi, played by Botlhale Mahlangu, who just lost his mother and is now caught between an uncertain dream of becoming a kwaito star, love, and possible life of crime.
Phuzi and his friends, who also dream of stardom, wind up using Phuzi’s skills as a locksmith to steal a recording device to make a demo for Mdu Masilela (as himself).
The robbery goes wrong, resulting in murder.
Phuzi wants to go to the police and confess all to Detective Tambo (Sekoati Tsubane) but if he does so, he’ll miss his chance to fulfil his lifelong dream of being a superstar.
Co-written by Naledi Bogacwi and directed by Vusi Africa “Surviving Gaza” bagged three Africa Movie Academy Awards including Best Director, Best Achievement in Visual Effects, and Best Achievement in Sound.
The prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards were hosted in Lagos, Nigeria, on October 26.
“Surviving Gaza” premiered on eMedia’s eVOD online streaming platform on February 24, 2022.
Silverton Siege
“Silverton Siege” is an action thriller inspired by true-life events of the 1980 hostage stand-off between apartheid police and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) members Wilfred Madela, Stephen Mafoko, and Humphrey Makhubo in a bank in Silverton, Pretoria.
The film follows a remarkable story of three young freedom fighters who seek refuge in a South African bank in Silverton, take the bank and its customers hostage and would only release them in exchange for the release of Nelson Mandela.
Based on true events of 1980, three MK Cadres, Stephen Mafoko, Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela; were allegedly on their way to carry out a planned MK sabotage mission on petrol depots at Waltloo near Mamelodi.
En route, the trio realised they were being tailed by the police. In an attempt to escape, they took refuge in a branch of Volkskas Bank in Silverton, Pretoria.
Directed by the legendary filmmaker Mandla Dube. “Silverton Siege” features a stellar cast which includes Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini, Stefan Erasmus, Arnold Vosloo and Tumisho Masha.
Amandla
“Amandla” revolves around Impi and Nkosana, two Zulu brothers whose lives have been marked by tragedy since childhood. Losing their parents to a heinous murder, the brothers struggle together to survive in the slums of Isando.
While Nkosana has chosen the path of righteousness, Impi has been forced to choose a darker one to put food on their plate. As fate tries to tear the two brothers, Impi and Nkosana, darker truths are revealed, and the brothers put their own lives at stake to safeguard their families, but in vain.
The film stars Lemogang Tsipa, Thabo Rametsi, Thabiso Masoti and Israel Matseke-Zulu.
Wild is the Wind
Directed by Fabian Medea “Wild is the Wind” centres around Vusi Matsoso played by Mothusi Magano, a corrupt police officer who wants to earn a lot of money through the illegal drug trade.
However, soon, an incident happens that compels Vusi to face his conscience and help his community. The plot thickens when Vusi and his fellow corrupt officer John Smit, played by Frank Rautenbach launch a murder investigation of an Afrikaner girl.
However, when a black person is wrongly accused of crimes and is put behind bars Vusi is forced to give up his corrupt ways to try to catch the murderer.
Thando
Thandoʼs life is hanging by a thread. Her entire community is fraught with gender-based violence, peer pressure, bullying and socio-economic challenges.
Thando meets an older man who introduces her to the finer things in life. Her affair with her “Blesser” crumbles when she falls pregnant, but it’s the viral video of her being bullied at school that sends her over the edge.
The film is directed by Kagiso Modupe and stars Thembi Nyandeni, Zikhona Bali, Mpho Sebeng, Gaisang K Noge and Siyabonga Shibe.