SA horror film ‘8’ coming to Netflix in June 2020

Those who appreciate a great horror movie are in for a treat as Netflix has acquired Africa rights for the local original film, 8.

The supernatural thriller, set to launch across Africa on 19 June, is grounded in South African folklore and mythology in a dark story of atonement, rooted in traditional beliefs about ancestors and the spirit world.

Reality and superstition collide in the intersection where the world of the living meets the dead.

8 tells the story of an unaccomplished William Ziel (played by Garth Breyetenbach) who returns to the farmhouse he inherited from his estranged father with his wife, Sarah (Inge Beckmann), and their adopted niece, Mary (Keita Luna).

Soon after moving in, they meet a mysterious local outcast Lazarus (Tshamano Sebe), who carries with him a dark secret that will put everyone at risk.

Tshamano Sebe as Lazarus in ‘8’. Picture: Netflix

Lazarus persuades William to hire him in spite of Sarah’s reservations and successfully forges a kindred bond with Mary, who, like him, still aches for her lost kin.

But among the locals, Lazarus is an unwelcome menace who carries a dark secret in his sack: a demon reincarnation of his deceased daughter with an insatiable appetite for human souls.

In his pursuit to calm her nag, he facilitates several deaths and killings in the village, drawing the circle closer to the Ziels.

“We’re really excited about the quality of productions like 8 which was made in South Africa and will now be available for our members to enjoy,” says Ben Amadasun, who leads Netflix Licencing and Co-productions in Africa.

The script of 8 came out of writer and director Harold Holscher’s personal connection to the story of loss and guilt, combined with his love for the genre of the supernatural and the complexities of South African culture.

“I love that one can take personal strife and place it within a film that can be watched and is relatable. The horror genre is a great genre to do this in, and I hope people enjoy and appreciate this for what it is,” said Holscher.

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