With startling storylines set in the fast-lane world of investment billionaires and a sterling, diverse cast, this new daily, designed for DStv’s Premium audience, is destined to become the talk of the town when it launches in September 2020.

Executive producer and Director of M-Net Channels, Jan du Plessis, describe this format as follows: “Imagine the Machiavellian mega-rich characters living dysfunctional lives in the award-winning HBO series Succession in a fresh, distinctly South African context. Add a daily dose of The Bold and The Beautiful, colour the concoction with pure escapism in the topical and aspirational style of the best Brazilian telenovelas, and you have Legacy in a nutshell.”

This is the first time in many years that M-Net viewers can come home to the magic of a daily local drama. Legacy is M-Net 101’s very first telenovela.

Legacy’s locus of conflict is an upmarket investment empire that was established by Sebastian Price, the patriarch of the super-wealthy Price family, decades ago, when he was in his early twenties. Now he is a silver fox approaching retirement and it is clear that a family member will soon have to take over the reins. But who will it be? And, at what cost? Sebastian’s bitter ex-wife and ruthless first-born daughter will do whatever it takes to ensure that Sebastian’s second wife, Dineo, does not push her playboy son into the position of CEO.

Of course the power struggle turns nasty. A witches’ brew of betrayal, secrets, lies and revenge.

Stepping into the roles of the current Mrs Price, Dineo, and Sebastian’s ex-wife, Angelique, a former lawyer who is now a woman of leisure, are two of South Africa’s most formidable leading ladies: Kgomotso Christopher and Michelle Botes, both known for creating unforgettable soap characters.  After a long stint on Isidingo, Kgomotso this year clinched her third SAFTA award for her performance in Scandal. She is cut out for the role of Dineo, a beautiful yet tragic second wife with a heart of gold beneath all the Gucci. Michelle rose to fame in the eighties with star turns in series like Arende and Konings, and ruffled the feathers as At Koster’s wife in kykNET’s  Binnelanders. And who will ever forget how she called the shots as Isidingo’s super-bitch, Cherel de Villiers?

In Legacy, Mary-anne Barlow will be the villain everybody loves to hate – Felicity, Sebastian’s eldest daughter. Mary-anne has proved her mettle in shows like Egoli, the British drama Wild At Heart and 1 Magic’s The River, for which she scooped a Best Supporting Actress SAFTA award.

Seasoned film, television and theatre actor Deon Lotz is Legacy’s Sebastian. Deon had a starring role in Skoonheid – South Africa’s Academy Award entry for 2011. He also played government kingpin Kobie Coetsee in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and boasts a long list of accolades for his work in kykNET films.

The charming stud who will set the hearts aflutter with his dazzling good looks is Sebastian’s wastrel son, SJ. The role fits Anton David Jeftha like a glove. He has made international inroads in US series filmed in South Africa – most notably Strike Back, Homeland and Dominion.

The rest of the cast will be announced in due course.

Legacy is the brainchild of Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon from the multiple-award-winning production company Tshedza Pictures.  Their latest feat, The River, made a clean sweep at this year’s SAFTA awards with ten Golden Horns. Johnny Barbuzano, who directed Still Breathing, shares director’s duties with Catharine Cooke and Krijay Govender. Trevor Brown is the director of photography.

Legacy will be screened in September 2020 on M-Net Channel 101. DStv Premium viewers can also catch the series on Catch Up, or stream the episodes live via their mobile devices on DStv Now. Follow all the breaking news around the show on the M-Net Website , and join the conversation with #LegacySA.

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Schultz and Lika Berning won the Huisgenoot Tempo Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress in 2017 respectively, for their roles in the first season, as Colonel Piet van Bijl and Captain Lena Evans.

Loosely based on the real life South African super detective Piet Byleveld, who passed away in 2017, Piet van Bijl is a brilliant detective who specialises in serial killers – and a workaholic who will do anything for those closest to him.

In Season 2, which is set five years later, Byl’s relationship with Advocate Nicky van As, is on the rocks, while Captain Lena Evans is now married and mother to a young son. The team’s offices have had a makeover and in the lab, Dr. Fritz Barnard has a new assistant, Dr. Shani van Rooi, which is played by Trudy van Rooy.  Ellie Bonthuys, played by Avanti winner Barbara-Marié Immelman, once a journalist only looking for sensationalism, is now the police unit’s spokesperson.

The series also stars Vita award winner Tertius Meintjes as general Neels van As, Marvin-Lee Beukes as captain Juan Stuurman, and Rolanda Marais as Byl’s ex-wife, Carien.

The nail-biting crime series is being produced by Marche Media and features guest appearances from the likes of SAFTA winners Denise Newman, Deon Lotz, Marius Weyers, and Jody Abrahams, who stars in the first episode as Captain Willem Ruiters, called in to help Byl and his team investigating the deaths of six members of the Sons of Samson, a Cape Flats gang.

Die Byl, Season 2, will stream on Showmax, as from 15 July 2019.  Showmax is available free of charge to all DSTV Premium customers, as well as on https://www.showmax.com/eng/welcome/za

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M-Net’s first English language drama series in more than a decade, Deon Meyer’s thrilling crime story, Trackers, rocketed to the top of M-Net’s ratings for the year and received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. Following the success of this magnificent production, M-Net 101 will boost its broadcast schedule with a host of exhilarating local series in 2020.

Coming up next on the slate of proudly South African stories is a 13-part family drama, Still Breathing, currently being filmed in and around Johannesburg. From 27 February, Still Breathing will be screened in the popular M-Net 101 Thursday night slot at 20:00, just after the new season of The Bachelor SA, which starts on 13 February at 19:00.

While Trackers pumped adrenaline with high-octane car chases, flying bullets and blood-curdling crime investigation, Still Breathing sets out to push a totally different set of buttons: the ones of the heart. Love, friendship, complicated relationships, betrayal and long-kept secrets form the emotional crux of a tale about a circle of former friends who have drifted apart with the passage of time but are drawn together again when tragedy strikes. In short, it’s all about love, death – and the mess in-between.

The main themes echo those of international hits such as Brothers and Sisters; This is Us, and Parenthood, but it is spun around the challenges faced by authentic, modern-day South Africans.

What makes Still Breathing extra special, is that it showcases passionate local families in more ways than one – both on and off-screen! In the director’s chair is multiple SAFTA award winner Johnny Barbuzano. The script is the creation of Johnny’s wife, Tiffany Barbuzano, who also co-produces the series with her hubby, and is part of the cast.

In the series, Tiffany plays mom to their real-life offspring, up-and-coming stars Jamie and Jess Barbuzano!

The impressive cast also includes formidable leading ladies: Fleur de Cap winner Kate Liquorish, SAFTA winner Lorcia Kumalo and Naledi winner Shannon Esra. These three actresses feature in the Still Breathing marketing teaser, now aired on M-Net. And if you spotted some other familiar faces, Ty Keogh will indeed set the screen on fire as one of the male leads. One of his co-stars from the Showmax original The Girl from St Agnes, Jane de Wet, also nabbed a part.

Still Breathing is produced by BBZ Films for M-Net.

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Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service, has started production on its first original African series, Queen Sono, an action-packed spy thriller produced by Johannesburg-based Diprente.

Pearl Thusi is to star in the title role as an unconventional spy working for an undercover South African agency devoted to protecting the people of Africa.

The series will include an all-local cast including Vuyo Dabula playing Shandu, an ex-spy who has taken a different path. Sechaba Morojele will be seen as Dr Sid, director of the SOG, with Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, and Rob Van Vuuren, playing agents on his team. Kate Liquorish’s character will be Ekaterina, heiress of an oligarch family with ulterior motives. Khathu Ramabulana will play Queen’s childhood friend, William, now in a relationship with Enhle Maphumulo’s Nova. Mazet, played by Abigail Kubekha, is Queen’s beloved Gogo, who has always supported Queen no matter the trouble she gets herself into.

Rounding out the talented supporting cast are Connie Chiume, Otto Nobela and James Ngcobo.

The six-part series is being produced by Diprente, the Johannesburg-based production company behind Catching Feelings and International Emmy nominated Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola. Showrunner and Director Kagiso Lediga, who was singlehandedly named as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People 2019, will be joined by Director Tebogo Malope with both directing three episodes each. Impressively enough, is that Malope is in his own right an award-winning director with accolades from Cannes Lions and SAFTA awards under his belt. The team will be led by Executive Producer Tamsin Andersson.

So get your Netflix subscription, and your cuddle-buddy ready, because next year, Netflix and Chill will become Locally Lekker.

The series is expected to launch globally in 2020.

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Nommer 37, ’n rolprent deur Gambit Films, word gedurende die week van 9 tot 16 Maart 2018 op die grootskerm bekendgestel by die SXSW-rolprentfees in Texas. Dit is een van slegs 44 films, deur debuutfilmmakers, wat hiervoor gekies is uit 8 160 inskrywings van regoor die wêreld. Die kortfilm is reeds in 2016 bekroon met ’n SAFTA-toekenning vir Beste Kortfilm en dié projek beloof voort te bou op hierdie sukses, plaaslik en oorsee.

Nommer 37, wat afspeel in ’n fiktiewe woonstelblok genaamd Haven Mansions in Dumisa se weergawe van ’n buurt op die Kaapse Vlaktes, bied ’n kykie deur die oë van ’n verbitterde eks-krimineel wat deur die wêreld waarvan hy eens so deel was opgekou en uitgespoeg is.

Irshaad Ally speel die rol van Randal Hendricks wat onlangs deur ’n ongeluk gestrem gelaat en nou rolstoel- woonstelgebonde is. Hy is kniediep in die skuld by ’n sosiopatiese geldskieter met die naam Emmie (Danny Ross), wat sy pond vleis eis. Wanneer sy toegewyde meisie, Pam (Monique Rockman), vir hom ’n verkyker present gee kan hy sy bure dophou en sien hy op ’n dag hoe ’n gevaarlike bendeleier, Lawyer (David Manuel), ’n moord pleeg en besluit om hom af te pers vir geld. Met verraad en gierigheid om elke hoek en draai, neem die gebeure wat volg hulle op ’n lewensgevaarlike reis, soos wat die wêreld rondom hom verder en verder in chaos gedompel word.

Irshaad Ally, wat bekend is as Rhafiek in Suidooster en Gasant in Four Corners, is baie opegwonde om deel te wees van hierdie produksie. Die storie, wat hoofsaaklik vanuit Randal se woonstel vertel word totdat die speurder opdaag, is slim saamgestel om die bouende spanning en gevoel van disfunksie in die fliek enduit te handhaaf. Die talent van verskeie plaaslike akteurs, waaronder Sandi Schultz, Deon Lotz , Elton Landrew, Ephraim Gordon, Danny Ross, David Manuelj en Amrain Ismail-Essop word ten toongestel, terwyl Monique Rockman ook beïndruk in haar eerste hoofrol op die grootskerm.

Nommer 37, is ’n spanningsbelaaide grootskerm-ervaring, wat kykers op die punte van hulle stoele sal hou tot en met die laaste toneel

Die rolprent is vervaardig deur Gambit Films in samewerking met kykNet Films, M-Net en Die Departement van Handel en Nywerheid. Dit word plaaslik, op 1 Junie 2018, vrygestel deur Ster-Kinekor Entertainment en sal ook internasionaal versprei word deur XYZ Films.

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Inspired by the shenanigans in the South African Parliament, Point of Order is a comedy panel show that allows SA’s top comedians and special celebrity guests to talk politics like real MPs, perhaps with a little more sense and sensibility. The panellists also get to debate important and vital new laws – like why South Africa would be a better place if singing in the shower featured 90% local content or if there was a limit on the number of white people songs at karaoke.

https://youtu.be/xHsHEaFH9hs

Point Of Order is produced by Both Worlds, best known for ZaNews’ Puppet Nation, the 2-time, International Emmy nominated production.  Comedian Tumi Morake hosts Point of Order as Madam Speaker, being nominated herself for the SAFTA for Best TV Presenter last year.

Upcoming guests include:

• DJ Fresh, on 15 January
• Zapiro, on 22 January
• Karl Ahari, on 29 January
• Leanne Manas, on 5 February
• Nikki Jackman, on 12 February
• Cameron Dugmore, on 19 February
• Mpho Osei-Tutu, on 26 February
• Rebecca Davis, on 5 March
• Lerato Tshabalala, on 12 March
• Jeannie D, on 19 March
• John Maytham, on 26 March
• Mahendra Ragunath, on 26 March
• Raenette Taljaard, on 9 April
• Chester Missing , on 16 April
• Phumzile van Damme, on 23 April
• Tim Noakes, on 30 April , in an episode to diet for.

You can also expect all your favourite South African comedians, including Savanna Comics Choice’ winners Deep Fried Man, Loyiso Gola, and Mark Banks to defy the Point of Order.

 Facts you’d want to Know:

Point Of Order, the 2017 SAFTA winner for Best Game Show, is now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes available weekly.

Morake refers to the show as Sophisticated wit and Silly Nonsense.

There is an Afrikaans version of Point of Order, called Parlement Parlement, which is hosted by Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, and can be seen on kykNET, DStv channel 144.

You can now get Showmax for free, if you are a DStv Premium Subscriber.

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