African Couch Potato

Over the last 30 years or so, we have seen many films and TV productions that have, in different ways, looked at the issues of South Africa's troubled past, but very few have looked from the white, English-speaking perspective. 
The Reconciliation is an art-house drama about people who believe they’ve changed, until change asks something real of them. Anchored in a particularly South African context, the film explores the true costs of reconciliation when holding on to the past begins to suffocate the future. 
The story unfolds over a single Christmas Day at an old family home in an affluent suburb of Cape Town, where a mother tries to bring her fractured family together for what may be their final Christmas together. Determined to keep everyone at the table and preserve the appearance of unity, she finds her belief in reconciliation put to the test.
ACP managed to hook up over Zoom with independent filmmaker Jonty Acton, currently in Germany, to talk about the film, his own childhood experiences that had such an influence on the storyline, and what finally pushed him to look at "crowdfunding" as a way forward. 
The film asks a simple, but perhaps uncomfortable, question:
What happens when reconciliation becomes a way of avoiding real change?
You can find Jonty's project at the Indiegogo.com link below. They are at over 80% of the required funding at the time of writing. Check it out.
https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/jonty-acton/the-reconciliation----a-south-african-feature-film?ref=search

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Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
[email protected]

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026

Podcasthon! What is that? It is an international collection of podcasters who over this week will be dedicatig one episode of their show to a charity of their choice.
Podcasthon started in 2023 with 300 French-speaking podcasters. It grew in 2024 and hit the international podcast stage last year, which is when we got on board. As part of this year's over 1,500 podcasters doing their bit, we will be focussing on South Africa's Chaeli Campaign.
Born in Cape Town in the mid - 90s, Michaela “Chaeli” Mycroft co-founded The Chaeli Campaign when she was 9 years old. What started as a fundraising initiative to raise funds for her first motorised wheelchair to help her experience more independence has grown over the last 22 years, to becoming an internationally recognised foundation. Gino chatted with the vibrant Chaeli about her life with cerebral palsy, both growing up, the eventual establishment of the Chaeli Campaign and so much more . 
The Objectives of The Chaeli Campaign are to:

Promote and provide the mobility and educational needs of disabled children;
Use its facilities and resources to assist the disabled community in any way it sees fit;
Work in collaboration with other organisations for the advancement of the disabled community;
Act as a facilitator to other centres / organisations / communities.
 As Chaeli says, "funding is always needed" and you can get on board with this extremely worthwhile campiagn at Home - Chaeli Campaign 
You don't argue with a girl who did Kili in a wheelchair
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Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
[email protected]

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026

There are many people who play an integral part of any TV or film production, yet are often not noticed when it comes to fame and fortune. It is part of our mission at ACP to turn the spotlight on these people. On an ever-growing list of guests that are also SAFTA nominees comes someone who's role is often overlooked but you would think something was very wrong if his contribution wasn't there. Meet film composer Wesley West.
This week Gino connected with Cape Town–based composer, musician, and producer, Wesley, via Zoom, to talk about his musical beginnings, as a student and then a teacher, as well as his work, featuring over 25 movies among many other productions, notably his SAFTA nominated Reënboogrant. 
Inspired by Louise van Niekerk’s bestselling 90s novels, Reënboogrant is a Pretoria-based teen telenovela centred on the Brink family. It is an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through the world of authentic teenage drama, family conflicts, love, aspirations, and fierce rivalries. Catch all the highs and lows at Hoërskool Reënboogrant, now streaming on Showmax.
Wesley is also very busy planning his wedding and we wish him all the best. 

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Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
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WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews
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Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
[email protected]

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026

March already! It'll soon be Christmas at this rate.
Welcome to episode 35 of season 3 of African Couch Potato. This week we say Goodbye, Hello and Congratulations.
We say Goodbye to Eric Dane. Best known for his roles on Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, the American actor died less than a year after revealing he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a form of motor neuron disease. He was 53.
Dane starred as family patriarch Cal Jacobs in the hit teen drama Euphoria. Before that, he was perhaps best known as Dr Mark Sloan, or "Dr McSteamy", in Grey's Anatomy.
We say Hello to several series which are coming to Mzansi Magic, notably Youngins and Law, Love and Betrayal plus an extension to the popular Inimba.
We say Congratulations to the freshly-announced SAFTA nominees, many of whom have been in the hotseat as guests of ACP.
Gino also runs through a list of what to watch as we swing into March, including:
Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight - depicts 8-year-old Bobo's life on her family's Rhodesian farm during the Bush War's final stages. 
Pamela, A Love Story - Follows the life of pop culture icon Pamela Anderson, including never-before-seen archival footage and personal journals.
Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model  - a documentary look at how the glamorous competition became a pop-culture phenomenon marked by explosive drama, meltdowns, and controversies.
In The Moment - follows London comedian Mo Gilligan as he dishes on fame, family and being British in America.
Being Gordon Ramsay - follows the celebrity chef's journey to launch dining concepts at 22 Bishopsgate, London's second tallest building..
Taylor Tomlinson: Prodigal Daughter - her fourth Netflix special, following Quarter-Life Crisis (2020), Look At You (2022), and Have It All (2024).
March on!
Yes? No? Send us a text
Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
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[email protected]
WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews
YouTube; African Couch Potato - YouTube
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Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
[email protected]

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026

On November 28, 1987, South African Airways Flight 295, a Boeing 747-200 named Helderberg, was en route from Taiwan, to Johannesburg with a scheduled stop in Mauritius. Shortly after midnight, the aircraft reported smoke in the cockpit to Mauritian air traffic control. Communication was lost shortly thereafter, and the plane crashed into the Indian Ocean, killing all 159 passengers and crew on board. 
Helderberg is a locally produced 3-part documentary, and this week on ACP, Gino had the chance to chat to producer Elle Oosthuizen and director Tim Apter about how the series happened and just what goes into pulling together a story from almost 40 years ago. 
Over the years many documents and transcripts have been lost, people involved at the time have passed on, and the failure to reach a definite conclusion in the original investigation has led to all sorts of theories and speculations as to what actually happened.
The Helderberg disaster remains a significant event in South African aviation history, marked by tragedy and ongoing questions about its causes and implications. Catch all three parts of Helderberg currently streaming on Showmax.
Yes? No? Send us a text
Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
twitter.com/africancouchpot
[email protected]
WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews
YouTube; African Couch Potato - YouTube
https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato
Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
[email protected]

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026