DOCUMENTARIES

ONE STRANGE ROCK – 4 March (National Geographic, DStv channel 181) There isn’t much information available about this documentary film, only that it was created by director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Mother!) and this description: “One strange rock is the story of Earth as you’ve never seen it before.” Sounds intriguing.

PLANET EARTH 2 – date to be confirmed (Showmax) David Attenborough takes you on an enthralling odyssey across our planet, from the frozen tundra in the north to the sprawling forests of the equator.

The original Planet Earth was the first natural history documentary to be filmed in high definition.

Now 12 years later, improved technology has made it possible to capture further details, from elusive animal behaviours to previously inaccessible remote landscapes.

JANE (one-episode special) – 25 March only (National Geographic, DStv channel 181) This has been hailed as one of the best documentaries of 2017. Drawing from more than 100 hours of never-before-seen footage that’s been tucked away in the National Geographic archives for more than 50 years, award-winning director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionised our understanding of the natural world.

GENIUS Season 2 – 1 April (National Geographic, DStv channel 181) The first season told the story of Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush), and was based on Walter Isaacson’s biography Einstein: His Life and Universe. This time the life of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso is brought to the small screen with Antonio Banderas in the lead role.

The previous season boasted 45 million viewers. Film director Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Rush) is at the helm again.

TROY: FALL OF A CITY – date to be confirmed (Netflix) This eight-part BBC-commissioned series was shot in Cape Town. It’s a retelling of the legendary decade-long siege of Troy, which is said to have taken place in the 12th or 13th century BC, and focuses on the love affair between Trojan prince Paris (Louis Hunter) and queen Helen of Sparta (Bella Dayne).

Be on the lookout for a few local faces such as Christiaan Schoombie, Carl Beukes and Lemogang Tsipa.