South Africa gives filmmakers an incredible variety of scenery, from the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town to rugged coastlines, mountains, vineyards, and wilderness. Some focus on the country’s major cities, while others journey through townships, rural communities, and natural landscapes. South Africa’s complicated history gives filmmakers plenty of fascinating stories to explore. Whether the country is playing itself or standing in for somewhere else, these movies make particularly good use of the country.
1. District 9 (2009)
Set in Johannesburg, District 9 is an exciting and imaginative alien film. A massive spacecraft has appeared over the city, and its extraterrestrial passengers have been forced to live in a segregated area. The majority of the movie was filmed in Chiawelo in Soweto. An area of abandoned and somewhat demolished homes acted as the setting for the alien slum. Other portions feature Johannesburg’s industrial regions, neighborhoods, and skyline. The city is instantly recognizable throughout the whole film. The real locations give the science-fiction story a sense of realism. The storyline deliberately mirrors some of South Africa’s darkest history.
2. Safe House (2012)
Safe House stars Ryan Reynolds as a young CIA agent. His job turns dangerous when he is assigned to protect a former agent played by Denzel Washington. The movie was filmed mostly in Cape Town, and the city plays itself. The characters wind up in Cape Town Stadium, Langa township, the city center, and neighborhoods around the Cape Peninsula. As they try to escape, they give audiences a quick tour of the area.
3. Blood Diamond (2006)
Set during Sierra Leone’s civil war in the 1990s, Blood Diamond follows a fisherman and a diamond smuggler who have teamed up. The pair look for an incredibly valuable stone that could change both of their lives. Although the story takes place in Sierra Leone, the movie was mainly filmed in South Africa, with locations around Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal changed to look like different parts of West Africa. Production took place around Port Edward and other areas of the KwaZulu-Natal coast. South Africa’s beaches, forests, mountains, villages, and urban areas gave filmmakers enough variety to recreate several different environments required by the story.
4. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is another story focusing on Nelson Mandela. It follows him from his childhood in rural South Africa through the well-known times of his life. We see his political activism, imprisonment, release, and historic election as the country’s first Black president. The production was able to film throughout South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, and the Eastern Cape. This meant the events could be recreated near the places where they actually happened. Filming was also done at Robben Island, where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. It also featured Soweto, an important center of resistance to apartheid. In this film, we see everything from rural landscapes to South Africa’s major cities, including truly historically significant sites.
5. Tsotsi (2005)
Tsotsi follows a young gang leader living in a Johannesburg township. His life unexpectedly changes when he steals a car and discovers a baby in the back seat. The Oscar-winning South African movie was filmed mostly around Johannesburg and Soweto, giving audiences a close-up look at an area international audiences don’t generally see on screen. The township scenes were filmed in and near Kliptown, but the story also ventures into Johannesburg’s affluent suburban areas. The contrast between modest homes and wealthy residents becomes an important part of the movie’s story about poverty, violence, and redemption.
6. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
The Gods Must Be Crazy begins when a Coca-Cola bottle dropped from an airplane lands near a remote San community. When the never-before-seen object causes conflict in the community, Xi decides to get rid of the bottle by carrying it to what he thinks is the end of the earth. This determination sparks a journey through the wilds of southern Africa. The movie was filmed across the region, particularly in Botswana and South Africa, using the Kalahari Desert. Wide-open plains, rocky terrain, and tons of undeveloped land give the movie its most effective imagery. It’s important to note that this movie depicts a highly fictionalized version of San life.
7. Invictus (2009)
Invictus tells the true story of Nelson Mandela’s efforts to unite a divided South Africa. He rallies the country behind its national rugby team during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The uplifting movie was filmed entirely in South Africa, with Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Robben Island among the filming locations. Filmmakers managed to recreate this important time in the country’s history. Rugby scenes were filmed at several stadiums, including Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, where the real 1995 World Cup final took place. Full of government buildings, townships, and stadiums, the film gives viewers a look at South Africa during the early years of Mandela’s presidency.
8. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
Searching for Sugar Man tells the stranger than fiction true story of Sixto Rodriguez, an American musician. This talented man faded into obscurity in the U.S., all while becoming hugely popular in South Africa. Amazingly, he never knew how famous he had become. Two South African fans attempt to learn what happened to the mysterious singer. However, they eventually uncover a story stranger than anyone expected. The documentary takes place in Cape Town, where record shops, residential streets, and music venues are the backdrop for their investigation. The movie touches on how Rodriguez’s music became inseparable from South African culture during the apartheid era, making the setting even more important.