February 2025 was a vibrant month for African cinema and television, with a diverse range of movies and series released across the continent. From romantic dramas to gripping family sagas, African storytellers delivered compelling narratives that resonated with audiences both locally and globally. Here’s a recap of the standout releases from February 2025.
1."Umjolo: There Is No Cure" (South Africa)
Platform: Netflix | Genre: Drama/Romance
Thoko, South Africa’s first openly lesbian Miss Universe contender, spirals into controversy after accusing the winner of sleeping with a judge. Stripped of her title and public goodwill, she clings to redemption by ghostwriting a memoir.
At a book signing, she meets Nana, a reclusive author posing as her assistant. Their chemistry crackles, but Nana’s introverted nature and fear of rejection leave Thoko torn between pursuing a chef who offers stability and risking her heart for a love that feels unwritten. As Thoko battles public scrutiny and self-doubt, her journey becomes a raw exploration of identity, fame, and the courage to love authentically.
2. "Jacob’s Daughters" (Tanzania)
Platform: Showmax | Genre: Family Drama
Four half-sisters—Nuru, Nana, Caroline, and Candy—are thrust into chaos when their father, Jacob, introduces Diana, a charismatic but divisive new love interest. Diana’s arrival unearths buried family secrets: a hidden inheritance, forbidden affairs, and Jacob’s role in their fractured childhoods.
Nuru, the eldest, fights to protect their unity while Caroline grapples with feelings for Diana’s son, blurring lines between loyalty and desire. This simmering pot of betrayal and sisterhood crescendos when Diana threatens to dismantle the family legacy, forcing the sisters to confront their past or lose everything.
3. "Kash Money" (Kenya)
Platform:Netflix | Genre: Thriller/Drama
Billionaire Joe Njenga’s sudden death exposes a labyrinth of deceit. His “perfect” family unravels as his will reveals a shocking beneficiary: Christian, an estranged illegitimate son with a violent past. Joe’s widow, Georgina, scrambles to hide her affair with a politician, while daughter Kate battles guilt over her father’s disapproval of her lover.
As Christian infiltrates the family, armed with vendetta and a loaded gun, alliances shatter. Who killed Joe? Was it Georgina’s lover, Kate’s vengeful partner, or Christian himself? The answer lies in a vault of blackmail letters—and a final twist that leaves the Njenga dynasty in ashes.
4. "Love Lockdown" (Nigeria)
Platform: Cinemas | Genre: Romance/Drama
Yemi, a Lagos businessman, reconnects with Zainab, his college sweetheart, during a COVID-19 lockdown. Trapped together, their decade-old spark reignites—but Yemi is engaged to another woman. Flashbacks reveal their youthful romance, torn apart by family pressure and cultural expectations.
As the lockdown drags on, Yemi wrestles with guilt: Should he honor his fiancée or chase the love that never faded? Zainab, now a single mother, guards her heart but can’t deny their chemistry. A midnight confession and a fateful choice test whether timing—or true love—wins in this soulful ode to second chances.
5. "Tarella: Princess of the Nile" (Nigeria)
Platform: Cinemas | Genre: Fantasy/Romance
In the mythical kingdom of Akkaya, orphaned maiden Tarella endures cruelty from her stepmother and stepsisters. Her life transforms when Prince Nosa, disguised as a commoner, stumbles into her village. Their whirlwind romance faces royal opposition: Nosa’s mother, Queen Omonigho, demands he marry Princess Ebikella for political power.
A magical moonstone, gifted by a mysterious blacksmith, becomes Tarella’s key to proving her worth. With talking parrots, midnight dances, and a climactic showdown at the royal ball, this lush West African retelling of Cinderella weaves tradition with enchantment, asking: Can love rewrite destiny?
6. "Tuiskoms" (South Africa)
Platform: Netflix | Genre: Drama
Fleur, a widowed chef, loses her restaurant and home to debt. Broke and broken, she retreats to her mother’s coastal cottage in Wilderness with her rebellious teenage daughter, Lize. There, Fleur rebuilds through a flower shop and a tentative bond with Dawid, a gruff fisherman hiding his grief.
But her late husband’s secrets—a hidden gambling addiction and an illegitimate child—threaten her fragile peace. As Fleur confronts her past, Lize’s budding romance with a local surfer mirrors her mother’s journey: both learning to trust again in a town where the ocean heals as much as it drowns.
Why These Stories Resonate
February 2025’s releases masterfully blend cultural specificity with universal themes—love in all its messy glory,families fractured by secrets, and rebirth after loss. From Kenya’s glittering elite to Nigeria’s mythical kingdoms, these narratives prove
African storytelling is as diverse as the continent itself. Whether you crave pulse-pounding suspense ("Kash Money") or heartwarming redemption ("Tuiskoms"), this lineup promises to leave audiences gripped, moved, and hungry for more.
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