African Couch Potato

Big fanfare! We have hit another first. This week sees the very first time we have featured a return guest. Welcome back Zenobia Kloppers, and she is here to do the double on ACP as she is doing the double in the film world. A rare occassion indeed. Zenobia has two movies coming out on two different streamers on the same day.
When Zenobia was with us last she chatted to Gino about Finding Optel and Fiela se Kind amog other things.  And now she is back to talk about her two latest works.
Firstly the crime-thriller180 tells the tale of an enraged father who spirals down a dark path of emotional turmoil and vengeance when an unexpected road rage incident leaves his son in a critical condition. You can find 180 on Netflix.
In a different direction is Hive, a horror story about a teen babysitter who loses the baby in her care. She finds herself facing a dark menace lurking among the playground children. Hive is currently on Tubi, a US-based streaming site, so check tubitv.com to see if it is available in your country.
To get in touch with Zenobia professionally, you can email Monique on [email protected]
In other news, the second SAFFA Stunt Awards is taking place on 9 May at the Avalon Theatre in Cape Town. For bookings call +27 83 716 1821. If you can, please suppport this lesser-featured section of the film world.
And finally, don't miss our next episode when Gino will report back on the premiere of Michael  at the state-of-the-art IMAX® with Laser in Rosebank. Should be a Thriller!
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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

What's better than IMAX? IMAX with Laser, of course. This week saw Gino get an invite ticket to check out the latest IMAX with Laser at The Zone @ Rosebank. With next generation projection technology that delivers brighter images, deeper contrast and unparalleled clarity, IMAX with Laser is now open. Check it out!
And from the previous weekend, Gino also got to spend some time at Emperors Palace to take in some of their Easter Royale week. Family fun, with plenty of competitions to keep you entertained.
Back to TV and next up is your Top Ten watchlist for Netflix:
Untold: Chess Mates
Trust Me: The False Prophet
Thrash
The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson
The Predator of Seville
Sheng Wang: Purple
Temptation Island S2
One Piece S2
BTS The Return
Age of Attraction
Missing Showmax? Here's where to find all that content, and finally we take a quick look at the Directors Guild of South Africa’s Creative Awards which took place over the weekend in Cape Town.  
That's it from African Couch Potato, the number 1 film and television podcast to listen to in S.A. according to Feedspot.com. 
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:
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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

Footsteps, glass breaking, punches, door slams, clothes swishing, rain on the windscreen. How would your TV or film be if all these sounds and many more like them were missing? In the world of production it is not always possible to record these sounds as they happen or they are just not big enough, and so need to be replaced. 
In sound design, Foley is the reproduction of these everyday sound effects that are added to films, TV shows and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality, and it requires someone to create them. Enter the Foley artist.
This week Gino spoke, via Zoom, to Academy of Sound Engineering lecturer, Sean Radford, about the art of Foley and just what it entails. As each sound effect is recorded live, it is important to have an understanding of recording techniques, how microphones work and what they do, as well as having an active imagination; you might need to replicate those difficult sounds like someone's arm breaking (celery - who knew?).
It is these added and enhanced sounds that are an integral part of the on screen universe, and without them the illusion doesn't work. Paradoxically, the better Foley artist you are, the less you are noticed.
  

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
x.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

A quarter of the way through 2026 and it's another Monday morning and another episode of African Couch Potato. Welcome to the latest news, views and reviews. 
Sadly, we kick off with the loss of Chuck Norris. Probably most well-known for Walker, Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris is a legend in the world of martial arts and entertainment. He inspired countless memes, jokes, alongside much admiration for his achievements and personality.
Also leaving us is Showmax. Africa’s biggest streamer will end on 30 April, so you have one more month to get your binge fix. Over the last two years Gino has chatted to many guests, from both behind and in front of the cameras, whose shows or films appeared on Showmax. So, goodbye Showmax, welcome back DStv Stream.
Netflix is bringing sexy back with season 3 of Tyler Perry’s Beauty In Black, and South Africa’s very own Fatal Seduction wraps up season 2.
The new Bafana Bafana jerseys are out and you have a couple of months to grab yours. From 11 June the world gives it all up to soccer as the FIFA World Cup gets underway, and in the very first game South Africa will take on Mexico. You can watch all the action on SABC, so no excuses.
The US v Iran might be an interesting game, if they get that far.   
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 
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

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

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
x.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