9 April 2021
A chocolate box full of Afrikaans shows and movies
With COVID-19 still swinging the axe and a third wave of infections looming on the horizon, we are just over a year into the South African lockdown. Sure, we’re only on level 1.2b amended version 8 beta and we feel a little more cautiously optimistic since the driest Krismis in history, but I came to the shocking realisation that I have not seen the inside of a movie cinema or smelled that buttery popcorn in more than a year!
Streaming from the safety of our homes was (and still is!) our saving grace and if you’re anything like me, the biltong, microwave popcorn (it is not the same, FFS!), glass of wine and chocolates are less than an arm’s length away when I become one with the couch and grab that smart TV remote.
Late last night was no different, and as I popped a handful of Smarties in my mouth, it got me thinking: “What would each of these eight colours of Smarties represent in terms of Afrikaans movies and series on Showmax?”
I’m delighted to share my research with you…
Red is for excitement, high energy, passion, love, desire and danger
In Ons Midde is a docuseries that retraces how passion led to murder and the subsequent lifetime of grief that followed.
Wow, that basically covers everything in the red zone, but let’s add Karen Zoid on the high energy side of things with Op Die Oomblik. Zoid also has the ability to write unpredictably delicate songs and her compositions serve as a soundtrack to this visual album.
Orange isn’t the new black
Orange is for balance, enthusiasm, creativity, warmth and vibrance and you will find all of this in these two special series.
Klankbord is a celebration of South African talent, stories and destinations that are brought together by the two creative genres of food and music. Ah, now I get it! “Klank” (sound) and “bord” (plate) – that’s moerse clever.
Orange also symbolises a demand for attention and flamboyance. That’s totes Nathaniel, so make sure to watch his brand new lifestyle program, Toegang.
Blue is for peace and tranquility but we’re into darker blue
Blue also flies the flag for coldness, trust, truth and security or the lack thereof and depression. Hello darkness, my old friend. Wow, and a lot of people reckon this schizzo is their favourite colour?
In Spoorloos we meet three investigators determined to lay a cold case to rest.
In Wolwedans in die Skemer, a remake of Leon Van Nierop’s classic radio drama, a woman arrives on a Lowveld farm, with no memory of why she’s there, while the owners reckon she’s their new receptionist. Can she trust them?
Let’s go super dark blue. Siembamba follows the story of Chloe who thought that her depression was caused by her child’s birth but then starts to suspect that something evil is haunting. Of course nobody believes her.
Green is for luck, health, wealth and all its opposites
Talking about both sides of the same coin, Miemie is the unluckiest woman in town, abandoned by her superstitious friends when a meteor heads for Earth. Her kak is booked, it seems. Her only option is to ride out the storm with the luckiest guy she knows in the hopes that their karma will even things out.
Knysna is right on the money, telling the story of an average Joe from the wrong side of a small beach village who falls desperately in love with a beautiful girl from a super-wealthy neighbourhood in Knysna. With his simple life, will he be able to start a relationship with someone who is used to luxury?
Leandie du Randt (South Africa’s first Love Island presenter) takes care of the healthy side of things with Slank, a 13-episode documentary lifestyle series, aimed at helping and motivating participants, who have already tried every diet and health drink on the shelf, to lose weight. Jimmy Abbot, who recently passed away, was making some great progress in one of the episodes!
Yellow?
“Yes, I’m here for the joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.. Yellow? Are you still there?”
Let’s highlight “imagination” then with Langsaan – she lives in her own imaginary world while her parents work for a better future. A quiet dream lives deep inside her, but this fragile world can dash dreams in an instant and all this happens in 12 minutes…
For the rest of the yellow attributes, Liefling: Die Movie, should cover it because all the stops are pulled for this musical sensation. Jan has his eye on the life-loving Liefling, but fate, jealous exes and many songs all conspire to keep them apart. Yup, that’s literally everything on the yellow list.
No, brown isn’t the “poop” Smartie
Brown is a lot of things, notably the earth, outdoors, comfort, inspiration and simplicity. Let’s then roll with the wholesomeness in Groen Natuur: Akwarium ‘N Lewe Onderwaters where we delve into the inner workings of the Two Oceans Aquarium and meet the team that keeps the machine running.
Farmers can be modern, hoor? Ons Boere, Ons Inspirasie is proof of that. The show visits the dynamic group of modern farmers and diverse groups of people to show that a world built on determination, style, and passion can be found between dust and vineyards, orchards and hay bales of the plaas. Also, you should eat some spinasie for inspirasie. Not because it rhymes but because it is good for you.
Purple is your hopes and dreams, and represents the future
Ekstra Medium is a good example of this, because in a disastrous attempt to forget about his divorce, Bertie opens a cocktail bar, which is basically built on dreams. Will it secure his future?
Kompleks, on the other hand, is a love story that spans years and universes. In one, Sean and Mica are very different school kids, looking at the stars. In the other universe, they’re lonely adults, looking for love. Essentially the story of two different futures?
Pink is more than just Aerosmith’s favourite colour
It symbolises femininity, love, romance, caring and tenderness, but let’s focus on the lesser known significance of the colour pink: acceptance.
Kanarie deals with a young gay man’s journey to discover who he really is through hardship, camaraderie, love and music and all this while completing his compulsory military service in the South African defence force during the tumultuous 80s.
Moffie – the name says it all, doesn’t it? Again, set in Apartheid South Africa, this powerful film follows a young man who has been recruited to the army during the war on the Angolan border. He is hiding the secret of his sexuality – something that could get him killed. (It’s been nominated for a 2021 BAFTA – stream the awards at 22:00 on Sunday, 11 April on DStv online if you want to see if it brings it home.)
