Movies To Look Forward To On M-Net Movies AfroCinema Pop-up Channel

When the M-Net Movies AfroCinema pop-up channel launches on Friday, 21 May, DStv viewers will not only be treated to a showcase of excellence and creativity in the African film industry but also a glimpse of the continent’s diversity.

Prepare to journey through the continent’s vast countries, each with its own culture, history, ideologies, and experiences, all of which are expressed in a variety of ways in the films. From South Africa to Nigeria, Angola to Zambia, here are some of the films that will reflect the continent’s diversity and provide valuable insights into the countries.

  • SEW THE WINTER TO MY SKIN (South Africa) – Set in apartheid-era rural South Africa in the 1950s, a journalist recounts the epic tale of John Kepe, a Robin Hood figure who was subject of a massive hunt by the authorities.
  • BED OF THORNS (Uganda) – This film delves into the issues that women face every day in their relationships. Stella enters into marriage thinking that will bring her happiness, but it instead brings her pain and grief.
  • PAYBACK (Zambia) – This is a tale of betrayal and love gone wrong. It tells the story of a man who learns that his cousin’s friend is about to marry the girl who jilted him, causing him to pursue the ultimate act of revenge.
  • PROMISES (Kenya)Promises is a moving story about a boda-boda driver who struggles to raise his children after the death of his wife during childbirth.
  • I AM NOT A WITCH (Zambia) – This film tells the story of Shula, a young girl from rural Zambia who is accused and convicted of witchcraft.
  • TRAIN OF SALT AND SUGAR (Moz/Angola) – This is a film set in Mozambique during a civil war where a single train connecting the country to Malawi sees passengers risking their lives to travel on the train to escape.
  • THE GHOST AND THE HOUSE OF TRUTH (Nigeria) – Follow Bola Ogun, a single mother and a dedicated reconciliation counsellor who grapples with what it means to forgive when her daughter goes missing.
  • ENSULO (Kenya) – In Ensulo, the king of an imaginary traditional kingdom becomes gravely ill, and his daughter is forced to lead the kingdom. But her ability to rule is put to the test when a water bottling company discovers the kingdom’s sacred water supply.
  • VAYA (South Africa) – Three people board the train bound for Johannesburg. Strangers, each on their own mission, with a simple task to complete and in search of family to help them.
  • MOMS AT WAR (Nigeria) – The story revolves around two successful mothers who take things to the next level in order for their children to succeed.
  • AIR CONDITIONER (Moz/Angola) – A security guard and housemaid set out to retrieve their boss’s ac after air-conditioners abruptly drop to the ground in city of Luanda. 
  • 94 TERROR (Uganda) – This is a Ugandan war drama set during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Keza, a Tutsi and Hutu genocide survivor, tells how she barely survived the massacre and riskily made it out of Rwanda to Uganda.
  • AUTOMEDIC (Kenya) – The short film portrays an inventive young man who builds a life-support system out of a truck to keep his sister alive. An adventure ensues after the makeshift system runs out of petrol.
  • KUSHATA KWEMOYO (Zimbabwe) – This film sheds light on the long-term psychological effects of child abuse. It is about a woman who is forced to confront her dark past when her abusive step sister pays an unexpected visit.
  • MIRAGES (Botswana) – Leano, a fourteen-year-old naïve but brilliant young girl from Lobatse, makes an online friend named Sye, but their budding online friendship takes on a dark and sinister complexion for her. Who can pull her out of this cosmic black hole?
  • SAVANNAH SKIES (Southern Africa) – After being forced into marriage, an intelligent young woman must defy her conniving mother-in-law in order to pursue her education and reunite with her love. It is a story of love and betrayal.
  • THE PAINTING (Southern Africa) – KALENGA (32), a pregnant abstract painter lives with her husband KULA (35) and their son NIZA (9). She struggles to sell her work because they are not ‘African’ enough.
  • HERITAGE AFRICA (Ghana) – This is a political drama set in 1955 during the violent run-up to Ghanaian independence. It follows Kwesi Atta Bosomefi, who has embraced English culture and has risen to the position of district commissioner, but he has done so to the detriment of his African heritage and everything that he holds dear.
  • SYLVIA (Nigeria) – It’s about a man who is tormented by an imaginary girlfriend he’s had since childhood. His troubles begin when he meets someone, and this someone is real.

The AfroCinema pop-up channel will be available to all DStv customers, from Premium to Access, until Sunday, 30 May. The pop-up channel will be open every day between 10 a.m. and 4 a.m. the following morning. Viewers can watch the channel on the DStv App, and all films from the pop-up channel will be available on DStv Catch Up until Wednesday, 30 June.

Visit the M-Net Website for exclusive content and join the conversation on Twitter @mnetmovies, Instagram and Facebook using #MMAfroCinema and #MMpopup. 

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb