Fashioning Modern Africanism

Now streaming on Showmax,  Outlaws  is the story of two families at war with each other: the Zulu, cattle-farming Biyela clan and the Basotho, cattle-raiding Ts’eoles.  South Africa’s first modern day Western series,  Outlaws  is created by Tshedza Pictures’   Phathu  Makwarela  and Gwydion Beynon, who’ve won five Best Scriptwriting SAFTAs in the past four years for smash-hit shows like  The Republic  and  The River , which was also nominated for an International Emmy.  Outlaws  is Tshedza’s second Showmax Original, building on the success of  Adulting , which set a record for the most first-day views of any drama on the streaming service.   Fresh faces Lehlohonolo Mayeza and Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku co-star as Leruo Ts’eole and Sihle Biyela. Also look out for two-time SAFTA nominee Siyabonga Shibe ( Shaka iLembe ,  The Wife, Gaz’lam ) as the Biyela patriarch and Mmabatho Mogomotsi (Snowey in  Yizo Yizo ) as the Ts’eole matriarch, not to mention the likes of SAFTA winner Nolwazi Shange (

Johannesburg, South Africa  – As the fifth edition of the Joburg Film Festival, presented by Multichoice, nears its close, the official awards ceremony was held last night at The Theatre on The Square in Sandton, Johannesburg. The international jury named the Egyptian feature film  “Feathers, ” directed by Omar El Zohairy, as ‘ Best Film ’ of the festival.  This absurdist tale about a patriarch transformed into a chicken has a lot to say about Egyptian culture and the role of women. The evocative black and white Ethiopian documentary ' Faya Dayi',  directed, written, starring and produced by Jessica Beshir took home the  ‘Best African Film’  award. The film is a spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar that is immersed in the rituals of khat 'Best Documentary'  was awarded to the explosive film “ Nous, étudiants (We, Students”)  from the Central African Republic from debut director Rafiki Fariala.  In it, the filmmaker turns the camera on himself and his friends, c