kykNET Silwerskerm Festival to preview thrilling new TV series
The pilot episode of exciting international drama series Invisible, based on Deon Meyer’s Blood Safari, in association with MultiChoice, a Canal+ company and ITV Studios, and the exclusive world premiere of Spinners Season 2, a co-production of MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, in association with StudioCanal, with three Afrikaans documentary series that DStv subscribers can look forward to will be showcased at this year’s kykNET Silwerskerm Festival.
Directed by Jozua Malherbe, Invisible promises edge-of-your-seat suspense featuring a star-studded cast led by Australian actress Abbie Cornish (Limitless, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Scottish actor Dougray Scott (The Hack, The Crow Girl), alongside local talent including Tim Theron (Trackers, Heart of the Hunter), Tumisho Masha (Isibaya, Silverton Siege), Frank Rautenbach (Summertide, Beter as gister), Kim Engelbrecht (Reyka, Dominion), Chi Mende (Generations: The Legacy, Queen Sono) and Siv Ngesi (The Woman King, Unseen).
The critically-acclaimed South African series Spinners will also premiere its second season at the festival. A StudioCanal and MultiChoice co-production, the series is created and showrun by Benjamin Hoffman, directed by Jaco Bouwer, and written by Matthew Jankes and Sean Steinberg, with producing credits to Joachim Landau (for Federation Middle East, Africa and Caribbean) and Ramadan Suleman (for Natives at Large). The Underdogs have become massive spinning stars living a new life in Joburg, but Ethan (Cantona James) will soon realise that he cannot escape his past, as it comes calling when Hercules needs him for one last job, and he will be confronted by the biggest crime family in Soweto when its troubled son, Sayi, becomes his main spinning rival.
In addition, three diverse and thought-provoking topics are explored in documentary series for kykNET; Die Bom lifts the veil on South Africa’s former nuclear weapons programme; Meer as warm gloede examines women’s experiences with menopause; and Tweespalt investigates the divided loyalties within rugby fandom – supporters of the Springboks versus the All Blacks.
Invisible
When London-based public relations consultant Emma le Roux receives a desperate call from her brother who disappeared decades earlier, she returns to South Africa. She is drawn into a deadly conspiracy involving poaching, political corruption, and the mysterious death of a Mozambican presidential candidate. With the help of her bodyguard, Martin Dekker, and police detective Colonel Jack Phatudi, Emma begins uncovering a network of power, violence and long-buried secrets in the Lowveld – secrets that have remained hidden for more than twenty years.
An exhilarating rollercoaster ride: all the depth and drama, thrill and action, with a sprinkle of steamy romance one can expect from Meyer at his best.
Director: Jozua Malherbe
Writers: Deon Meyer, William Schneider, Amy Jephta
Cast: Abbie Cornish, Tim Theron, Tumisho Masha, Dougray Scott, Kim Engelbrecht, Frank Rautenbach, Chi Mende, Siv Ngesi and others
The pilot episode of Invisible will screen at the Silwerskerm Festival on Wednesday 19 August and will premiere on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) from 14 October.
Spinners S2
The Underdogs have become massive spinning stars living a new life in Joburg, but Ethan will soon realize that he cannot escape his past, as it comes calling when Hercules needs him for one last job, and he will be confronted by the biggest crime family in Soweto when its troubled son Sayi becomes his main spinning rival.
Director: Jaco Bouwer
Featuring: Cantona James, Braedon Buys, Dillon Windvogel, Nahum Hughes, Chelsea Thomas, Clementine Mosimane, Aphiwe Mkefe, Luyanda Zwane, Mondli Makhoba and others
The pilot episode of Spinners S2 will screen at the Silwerskerm Festival on Friday 21 August and will premiere on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) on 25 October.
Die Bom
The world has never been closer to nuclear war than it is today. The so-called “Doomsday Clock” stands at 85 seconds to midnight. South Africa remains the only country in the world to have built its own nuclear bombs and then voluntarily dismantled them. It is a story of extreme secrecy, espionage, terror and political intrigue. The series also examines the country’s nuclear energy programme, including Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
Pieter Steyn, a journalist and documentary filmmaker with more than 20 years’ experience, explores a range of issues in the series. These include concerns about Namaqualand, where South Africa’s nuclear waste is stored; questions surrounding traces of radioactivity found in Australian sheep, and what became of the highly enriched uranium used in the country’s nuclear weapons programme.
Director: Pieter Steyn
Featuring: Prof. Jo-Ansie van Wyk, Prof. André Buys, Prof. Anna-Mart van Wyk, Rodney Wilkinson, Barend du Plessis, Abdul Minty, Mike Kantey, Lydia von Wielligh-Steyn and Riaan Cruywagen
The pilot episode of Die Bom will screen at the Silwerskerm Festival on Thursday 20 August and will air on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) from Wednesday 23 September at 20:00.
Meer as warm gloede
Meer as warm gloede breaks the silence and dispels myths surrounding menopause. Through Antoinette Louw’s personal journey, viewers meet South African women who speak openly and honestly about every aspect of the transition – from sleep patterns and emotions to brain function, identity, relationships and intimacy.
Experts explain the physiological aspects of menopause and, although there is no one-size-fits-all treatment or approach, the series offers valuable insight into the role of hormones. Practical advice on lifestyle adjustments is shared, while women are encouraged, with hope and humour, to embrace themselves and this new phase of life.
Director: Hanneke Schutte
Featuring: Antoinette Louw, Marianne Thamm, Melanie Verwoerd, Elsabé Brits, Lucinda Bosch, Zelda la Grange, Dr Renscha van den Berg, Dr Liana Roodt
The pilot episode of Meer as warm gloede will screen at the Silwerskerm Festival on Friday 21 August and will air on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) from Wednesday 9 December.
Tweespalt
Tweespalt explores one of rugby’s greatest rivalries through a uniquely South African lens. It tells the story of Springbok and All Blacks supporters living on the same soil, yet not united by sport.
The series delves deeply into questions of identity, loyalty, history and division. Why do so many South Africans passionately support the All Blacks? Through interviews with former players, journalists and supporters, Tweespalt uncovers decades of tension shaped by apartheid, politics and personal convictions. Through iconic matches and raw personal stories, the documentary reveals a rivalry that extends far beyond what is reflected on the scoreboard.
This doccie series is produced by IdeaCandy.
Director: Janina Oberholzer
Featuring: Wynand Claassen, Benna October, Breyton Paulse, Victor Matfield, Marco Botha, Heindrich Wyngaard
The pilot episode of Tweespalt will screen at the Silwerskerm Festival on Friday 21 August and will air on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) from Wednesday 9 September.
The 14th kykNET Silwerskerm Festival will take place from 19 to 22 August in Camps Bay, Cape Town. Tickets for film premieres, television pilot screenings, and