Start your year with OkayAfrica’s curated list of romcoms, dramas, and highly anticipated local adaptations from filmmakers across the continent.
OkayAfrica StaffOkayAfricaStaff
Yoh! Bestie builds upon the success of Yoh! Christmas.courtesy of Netflix
As we step into 2026, the African creative landscape is already buzzing with exceptional film and television releases. African filmmakers are continually proving that the continent is a powerhouse of storytelling, creating groundbreaking dramas, challenging societal norms, and highly anticipated local adaptations of global hits. OkayAfrica has compiled a list of must-watch films and series from North, Southern, West, and East Africa that promise to dominate screens and conversations this month.
Midterm is widely lauded for giving Egyptian Gen Z a voice on screen.from مسلسل ميدتيرم | الإعلان الرسمي | 7 ديسمبر على شاهد/YouTube
Young Egyptians are bingeing the new coming-of-age series Midterm. Set on a university campus, it follows the lives of Egyptian and Arab university students, addressing the psychological and social issues faced by young people. Starring musicians Ziad Zaza and Donial Waell, the series immediately drew attention and has exceeded one billion views across streaming platforms, being widely praised for successfully bringing Gen Z’s voice and reality to the screen. In an interview with OkayAfrica, Waell shared how much her pivot into acting has opened her artistic horizons. Written by Mohamed Sadek and directed by Mariam El-Bagoury.
Where to watch: WATCH IT and Shahid
The Blue Caftan (Morocco)
Mina observes her husband Halim’s attraction to their younger apprentice Youssef.from The Blue Caftan Official Trailer HD | Strand Releasing/YouTube
Maryam Touzani’s The Blue Caftan is finally available for streaming. Morocco’s submission to the Academy Awards in 2023, where it made history as the first Moroccan film to be shortlisted for the award, follows the story of middle-aged master artisan tailor Halim (Saleh Bakri) who falls for his young apprentice Youssef (Ayoub Missioui). His wife Mina (Lubna Azabal) has to observe her husband’s attraction to the younger man. Touzani co-wrote The Blue Caftan with prominent French Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Almulhid (Egypt)
After several delays, the controversial drama has finally made it to the Egyptian silver screen.from الإعلان الرسمي لـ فيلم الملحد | 14 اغسطس بجميع سينمات مصر /YouTube
After delaying the cinematic release day for over a year due to intense public and institutional pushback, Almulhid (Arabic for “The Atheist”) is finally screening in Egyptian cinemas. Written by Ibrahim Issa and directed by Mohamed El Adl, the controversial film explores religious extremism. Its story follows the son of a preacher who entertains the thought of becoming an atheist, even at the risk of his own death. Over a decade in the making, Almulhid is the first Arab film to openly address atheism in Arab and Muslim societies.
Where to watch: Netflix
Southern Africa — Tšeliso Monaheng
Laundry (South Africa)
Laundry offers an intimate portrait of a Black family negotiating the brutal architecture of apartheid South Africa towards the end of the 1960s.courtesy of TIFF
Filmmaker Zamo Mkhwanazi’s debut feature, Laundry, offers an intimate portrait of a Black family negotiating fragile privilege within the brutal architecture of apartheid South Africa. Set in 1968, a time when global opposition to the apartheid regime was beginning to intensify, the film unfolds decades before the system’s collapse. At the centre is a family-run laundry business operating in a whites-only area, an arrangement granted to Enoch (Siyabonga Shibe), the family’s patriarch. The exemption allows him to work, not to belong, a stark reminder of the conditions of that time. At home, Enoch channels his energy into securing stability for his children, especially his son Khuthala (Ntobeko Sishi), whom he hopes will inherit the business. Khuthala, however, dreams of music. His aspirations deepen existing tensions when he forms a bond with a local singer who is also his father’s lover. Mkhwanazi renders apartheid through lived contradiction, exposing the ‘other lives’ Black people lived away from the popular narrative of grief and suffering. Laundry finds its emotional force in small gestures, revealing how hope survives in narrow spaces, even within a system designed to extinguish it.
Where to watch: Mubi
Die Kantoor (South Africa)
Die Kantoor is the South African adaptation of the globally-renowned smash, The Office.courtesy of Showmax
Die Kantoor is the South African adaptation of the global hit, The Office. In the recently-released trailer, we meet Flip (Albert Pretorius), the manager of Deluxe Processed Meats, a polony distribution company where ambition far outweighs self-awareness. He imagines himself as a visionary leader, convinced the documentary crew is capturing his rise to greatness, even as his need for approval fuels much of the show’s comedy. Die Kantoor draws on recognizable South African reference points while forging its own tone. It leans into a distinctly local awkwardness shaped by language, workplace politics, and social contradiction — hallmarks of the rainbow nation. Produced by Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, the Showmax Original is written and directed by SAFTA- and Silwerskerm-winning filmmaker Bennie Fourie. The ensemble cast includes Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Carl Beukes, Ilse Oppelt, Daniah de Villiers, Mehboob Bawa, Sipumziwe Lucwaba, and newcomer Gert du Plessis.
Where to Watch: Showmax
Yoh! Bestie (South Africa)
Yoh! Bestie builds upon the success of Yoh! Christmas.courtesy of Netflix
Netflix has unveiled its 2026 slate, and headlining the announcement is Yoh! Bestie, a feature film created by Tiffany and Johnny Barbuzano that builds upon the success of Yoh! Christmas. The film reunites audiences with Thando (Katlego Lebogang) and Charles (Siya Sepotokele) as they navigate unresolved emotions in the lead-up to a destination wedding in Knysna. Yoh! Bestie offers a fresh perspective on familiar characters while retaining the warmth that made the original resonate.
Where to Watch: Netflix
West Africa — Nelson C.J.
SuperNowa - Nigeria
“SuperNowa is full of heart, propulsive dialogue, carefully drawn characters, and wicked humor.”by Adeyanju Fakayejo
In Sonia Irabor’s SuperNowa, a young schoolgirl comes into her own after facing her fears, both physical and mental. A brilliantly told story, SuperNowa is full of heart, propulsive dialogue, carefully drawn characters, and wicked humor. The story follows 12-year-old Nowa, who, when pushed to compete at a spelling bee contest, comes to terms with her limitations and the ways that grief and invisibility are holding her back. Nowa’s journey to self-discovery is intertwined with a slightly turbulent family life, one that also aptly mirrors the complexities of being a part of a large Nigerian family. The film features rising star Darasimi Nadi (Obara’m, A Green Fever, Smokescreen), Nonso Bassey (La Femme Anjola, From Lagos, With Love, The Smart Money Woman), Bimbo Manuel (The Lost Days, The Party, Princess On A Hill), Onyinye Odokoro (Baby Farm, Phoenix Fury), and others.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Oversabi Aunty - Nigeria
“Oversabi Aunty explores a woman’s pursuit of zealous piety and the personal costs that pursuit demands of her.”courtesy of FilmOne NG/Youtube
The emotional core of Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi’s latest directorial work, Oversabi Aunty, is shaped by the acute Nigerianness of the story, as well as a strangely enjoyable portrayal of societal hypocrisy. Intensely funny, grounded in relatability and sure-footed about its moral compass, Oversabi Aunty explores a woman’s pursuit of zealous piety and the personal costs that pursuit demands of her. The story is set against a curious exploration of interethnic marriage in Nigeria and the ways we develop and lean into self-devised stereotypes at our own detriment. The film stars Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi (Alakada, Malaika), Efe Irele (Hey, You!, Farmer’s Bride, The House of Secrets), and others.
Where to watch: Local cinemas in Nigeria and Ghana
East Africa - Paula Adhis
Kito (Kenya)
A promotional poster for Kito, the new football drama series from director Tosh Gitonga.courtesy of Kito
Acclaimed Kenyan director Tosh Gitonga returns with Kito, a gripping new football drama that follows a gifted 17-year-old whose return to Nairobi after his mother’s tragic death pulls him back into the sport and the life he thought he had left behind. Forced to live with an estranged uncle, an idealistic yet struggling banker who runs a high-stakes community football academy, Kito must navigate fractured family bonds and dangerous secrets as he pursues his passion for the sport.
Where to watch: Currently playing on Kenya’s CitizenTV with episodes available on YouTube.
The People Shall (Kenya)
The People Shall captures the moment Kenya’s Gen Z took to the streets in 2024.courtesy of The People Shall
When Kenya’s Gen Z took to the streets to reject the 2024 Finance Bill, filmmakers Nick Wambugu and Mark Maina were there to capture the creativity and courage that ignited a protest movement. The result of that footage became The People Shall, a powerful film that captures this historic uprising with urgency and heart. Watching it now feels especially poignant following Wambugu’s untimely passing. It is a tribute to his vision, voice, and the youth he helped spotlight.
Where to watch: Currently playing at Unseen Cinema in Nairobi.
