An African feast for the eyes
THIS Africa Month, viewers can enjoy a change of scenery with Netflix’s “Made in Africa” collection.
The streaming platform will show Netflix originals as well as licensed films, series and documentaries from the continent.
Aside from developing a profound sense of appreciation for a powerful African narrative, viewers can also explore various landscapes and cultures, from Malawi to Zambia, and Mozambique to South Africa.
With more than 100 titles available – among them Queen Sono and Blood and Water – audiences can catch Jerusalema, King of Boys, Lionheart, Mokalik, the Oscar-winning Tsotsi, Uncovered, The Wedding Party, Tjovitjo, The Boy who Harnessed the Wind and Azali.
That’s not forgetting Holiday in the Wild, The Red Sea Diving Resort, Troy: Fall of a City, Blood Diamond and Leonardo Dicaprio’s The Ivory Game and Virunga, which bagged an Oscar nomination.
Ben Amadasun, the director of licensing and co-productions for Africa at Netflix, said: “The only criteria were that the titles selected were available on Netflix for our members to enjoy. Besides completely African titles from countries across the continent, the collection also includes international films and series that were filmed either predominantly or completely on the continent and highlighted African countries as prime shoot locations.
“All the titles, from the Netflix originals to the licensed titles, are just some of the ways Netflix demonstrates its commitment to investing in Africa’s creative industries.
“People are different, so what I enjoy about travelling the continent won’t particularly be the same as someone else. Just like the entertainment you choose on your Netflix, it’s a very personal thing and it’s mainly finding what sparks joy for you.
“That’s why Netflix is dedicated to giving each member a personal experience on the service so that each person finds the sights and sounds of Africa that captures their imagination.”
Before the lockdown, travel featured prominently on his diary.
“Part of my mandate at Netflix is to scour the continent for great stories to add to the service, so I travel around the continent to find these stories and meet creators and partners on the continent,” Amadasun said.
“It’s difficult to choose which particular country or place is my favourite. Of course, outside my own home country, Nigeria; Africa has so many places that I’ve been to, that I want to go back to and a lot more that I’ve yet to travel to.”
He shared his favourites, too. “As you can imagine, I watch a lot of Netflix content, not only because of work but because I’m an entertainment fan, and I must admit that I’ve been inspired to travel and explore more places on the continent and around the world by our content.
“Some of the ones that come to mind include The King Eternal Monarch from Korea; The Forgotten Kingdom, which showed off some truly majestic sights of Lesotho, then there’s 8, the South African horror movie which was shot in a small town called Karatara near Knysna. “I’m also a fan of documentaries and I’ve found that the subject matter and scenery on shows like The Ivory Game shot in Tanzania and Kenya as well, Our Planet and Virunga will inspire viewers to explore the planet in a sustainable way.”