Movie of the Week
How To Ruin Christmas: The Wedding – Streaming on Netflix
The South African holiday comedy about family drama arrives just in time for the Dezemba season.
Polish your wedding step moves and get ready to sing along to Makoti, ke di nako! and other traditional wedding songs when you immerse yourself in Netflix’s How To Ruin Christmas: The Wedding.
South Africans love a good Dezemba bash and the hilarious Ramaphakela siblings of Burnt Onion Productions have created a colourful, relatable family drama with laugh-a-minute punch lines and a whole lot of romance.
Set against the backdrop of Beauty’s Christmas wedding, Tumi Sello, Beauty’s older, troublesome sister’s shenanigans come to life, quite literally ruining her sister’s well-thought-out wedding.
From the inappropriate drunk uncle, Malome Shadrack, to judgemental aunties, resentful siblings and closely guarded family secrets, the three-part series offers up hilarious tropes that families the world over can relate to. The combined force of the ensemble cast, witty scripts, glorious Johannesburg vistas, and gripping storylines make for a compelling festive season watch.
“I don’t think the African continent has seen a Christmas show quite like this before,” says Rethabile Ramaphakela of Burnt Onion Productions. “What makes How To Ruin Christmas: The Wedding so great is the fact that every single person across Mzansi and the world can relate to at least one of the many colourful characters from the show and we’re excited to showcase our creativity on a global service like Netflix. Knowing that this will be available in 190 countries is incredible and we cannot wait to see how the audience receives it”.
This African holiday special stars:
- Busisiwe Lurayi as Tumi Sello,
- Thando Thabethe as Beauty Sello,
- Clementine Mosimane as Dineo Sello,
- Yonda Thomas as Khaya Manqele,
- Sandile Mahlangu as Sbu Twala,
- Motlatsi Mafatshe as Themba Twala,
- Saint Seseli as Vusi Twala,
- Charmaine Mtinta as Valencia Twala,
- Rami Chuene as Aunt Grace,
- Trevor Gumbi as Siya Twala
- Swankie Mafoko as Lydia Twala,
- Lethabo Bereng as cousin Bokang,
- Dippy Padi as Thando, and
- Nambitha Ben-Mazwi as Refiloe.
The legendary Nandi Nyembe plays Gogo Twala, with the renowned Desmond Dube portraying Uncle Shadrack and Keketso Semoko as Aunt Moipone. Industry heavyweights include Kate Normington as Candice Harden and Seputla Sebogodi as Edmund Mokoena.
