Best movies like Vir die Voëls

A group of American Army nurses are captured by the Japanese in April 1942 and spend three years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Bataan. Lt Margaret Ann Jessup, the head army nurse, survives the camp and testifies against the Japanese in front of the United States Congressional subcommittee years later as a colonel.

A gifted teenager, dreaming of life beyond her small town, becomes inspired when a 15-year-old girl from New York moves in next door.

South Africa, 1978. Tim Jenkin and Stephen Lee, two white political activists from the African National Congress imprisoned by the apartheid regime, put a plan in motion to escape from the infamous Pretoria Prison.

Directed by Ian Gabriel, “Four Corners” revolves around a 13-year-old chess whiz drawn into the Cape Town’s well-known child-gang culture. Touted as the first film to delve into the 100-year-old war between South Africa’s so-called Number gangs, the 26 and the 28, it blends the Sabela, Tsotsi-taal and Cape Afrikaans dialects and mixes established talents with non-actors and first-time thesps from schools and communities across the Cape Flats.

Set in the magical Karoo town of Prince Albert the story revolves around forgiveness, acceptance and the meaning of miracles. When Maritjie Naude, an 18 year old farmgirl and the only child of Ella and Kallie the owners of Hoopfontein, comes home on Christmas Eve and tells them that she’s pregnant, it’s enough to shock any parents of a young daughter, but then she drops a real bombshell that will flabbergast not only her mum and dad, but the entire town. Maritjie assures them that she’s still a virgin. The only explanation to her pregnancy – it must be the work of the Holy Spirit!

Set in Cape Town, South Africa Mama Jack is the story of Jack Theron, an ordinary person working on a film set. However, his movie producer boss hates him and wants to remove him from the production of the film. In a bid to get rid of Jack, the producer spikes his drink with a drug at a glamorous function, and before long Jack has got himself on the wrong side of the law. While on the run, Jack turns to his friend, a make-up artist, who turns him into "Mama Bolo". Mama Bolo soon finds “herself” employed by the producer’s fiancée, Angela. A series of deceptions and misunderstandings pile up and comic mayhem ensues with Jack Theron becoming another character, Doctor Donald, a tramp from Scotland.

The beginning of the end of the apartheid era in South Africa is seen through the perspectives of three female friends: Sophie, who is of English descent; Aninka, who is an Afrikaner; and Thoko, who is black.

In this story of a black policeman during South African apartheid, Danny Glover plays the cop, who believes he's trying to help his people, even while serving as a pawn of the racist government. When his son gets involved in the anti-apartheid movement, he finds himself torn between his family and what he believes is his duty.

Juan returns to Cape Town with his family from their life in England when he discovers his mother is dying. She insists she wants her conflicted son to reconcile with his alcoholic dad, but all the younger man remembers of his childhood is disappointment and shame and although he wants to be with his mother he intensely dislikes his father, though it's probably more a case of Juan hating who he is himself, because of his father.

In the early 1970s, a young woman passing through rural Tennessee unintentionally gets caught in a feud between two local neighboring clans, the Feathers and the Gutshalls.

In jail, a man discovers that he has a gift for telling stories and becomes the prison 'cinema' which earns him respect and status whilst his best friend becomes the concubine of the cell boss.

Two South African boys, one white, Rhino, and one black, Zulu, go their separate ways after an incident. Many years later, they meet up again as adults, when one, after living for years in the United States, is now a wanted criminal. The two end up being a part of a madcap chase involving a check for a large amount of lottery money, pursued by Gen. Diehard and Rhino's ex-wife Rowena, who was the cause of the rift between the two protagonists.

On a South African plantation, a maniac is on the loose, first killing the estate's animals, then starting on the human members.

This movie is set in the Karoo town of Loxton. A young mother and daughter and is shocked to discover that the local school will shortly be closing due to financial difficulty. The townsfolk need to raise half a million Rand. They decides to hold a music concert to raise the money, and sets about recruiting artists to help. However her reclusive neighbour whom she has had a tiff with turns out to have a few surprises ... which may or may not help her greatly...

A white cop and a black reporter join forces to investigate apparent vigilante killings in the South African underworld.

Four recruits arrive at Kimberley station to undergo training at the local army camp. Soutie, Liebling, Tiny and PP soon become friends as they are put through their paces by the sergeant. They all volunteer for border duty, where they are joined by Chico, a black tracker, and are sent out on patrol. After they come upon a murdered farm family, their radio is destroyed by enemy fire and they are required to find their way back to base camp. In the ensuing skirmishes some of them perish.

Basson has five days to make it to his father's funeral in Cape Town, but needs to complete certain tasks on this trip before he can call the family company his own. On the road he meets free-spirited bohemian girl, Amory. As they journey across the breathtaking landscape of South Africa, they meet wonderful characters that allow for hilarious moments and life-changing experiences. Their trip takes a sudden turn for the worst when a villainous figure makes an appearance. Basson and Amory are faced with disappointment and heartache. On the road called life, it is inevitable that you will take some wrong turns. But no matter how hard the road might be, on route to true love is where you will find your true north.

Fledgling birds, Mooky and Kooky; have just received the best news of their young lives, and it's nothing less than every bird's dream come true - they've been accepted into their town's prestigious Feather Club! Come join these entertaining feathered friends, as they prove - or disprove - the theory that if you want something done right, you've gotta do it yourself!

Distraught after being fired from his job, Willi Willeboer leaves town for Oubaas du Toit's Paradise Game Reserve, where he falls for the owner's daughter, but she sees him as nothing more than a brother.

An English rock band from South Africa try to break in to the profitable Afrikaans music market... without even being able to speak the language! Stone Cold Jane Austen is a dark comedy about the trappings of fame and the type of ego it takes to be able to 'make it' - all the way down on the Southern tip of Africa!

Dolf is a regular guy from a modest background in Knysna. He is content with his normal small town existence, his group of friends and his eccentric grandparents. His life is thrown upside down when he falls for a beautiful stranger Stephanie, a somewhat wealthy visitor to the sleepy coastal resort. What she has not been honest about, is that she is engaged to the Prince of Lichtenstein, but has a cold feet, and is hiding out in Knysna. Stephanie is drawn to the simplicity of Dolf's life and yearns for her own to be as uncomplicated and away from the limelight. When the lie becomes apparent, Dolf is conflicted. He is in love with Stephanie, but also feels an inferiority complex come to the fore. She is just a girl wanting a guy to love her and for her to love him back.

An idealistic British drama school teacher, Jodi Rutherford, persuades a cynical South African farmer to prepare her for a role in a major film as an Afrikaans war heroine. In return Jodi undertakes to direct the annual concert on the Willemse farm. Jodi's interaction with the quirky small town citizens and the stubborn Kobus, teaches her that: "there is more to life than lights... camera... and action!"

After Fanie takes Dinky, a strong Zulu woman, to his Afrikaans family wedding, the two find an unexpectedly fun cross-cultural romance. But in order to marry Dinky, Fanie must negotiate to pay Lobola (a South African dowry).

A classic South African comedy in which a young Jamie Uys plays producer, writer, director and star, and his wife Hettie Uys the romantic interest. Somewhere in the bushveld, Hans Botha is doing the usual farm rounds when his friend and neighbour comes around with an urgent request: please collect the new teacher at the bus stop. The shy Hans is alarmed, saying he does not know how to talk to women. Prevailed on nevertheless, Hans sets off in his old jalopy, which for good measure has no brakes. He eventually arrives at the bus stop, where the teacher, Martie, is waiting patiently. She is pretty and young and the already flustered Hans proceeds to flatten her hatbox, allow the car to run off with her, and dump her in the river. By the time Hans says goodbye, Martie is angry and he is in love

Jean and Sheryl are getting married. He is Afrikaans. She is Jewish. Their families are tense and Lukas, the best man - has been on a drinking spree and forgotten to confirm the band. To complicate matters more, the ancestral ring has been delayed because Sheryl's relatives are lost en-route to the wedding.

The Pro tells the story of a young surfer, Tiaan Nothnagel that has to come to terms with the accidental death of his best friend, Dirkie Lawrence just before their last year at school.After Dirkie’s death, Tiaan swears off surfing for good, as he can’t stand to be reminded of everything that he and Dirkie shared. But then, Dirkie’s twin sister (who went to live with their dad after their parents split up the previous year) arrives in town on a mission: to be selected to go on Wave-Seekers, a fictional World Surf Tour and something that Tiaan and Dirkie dreamt of doing.

Rebecca Dreyer (Karen Zoid) is almost forty, lives with her mother (Marie du Toit) and works in a café in a small Karoo town. To escape her depressing life, Rebecca dreams of getting as far away as possible from her smothering mother and pursue the stardom her mother never experienced – that of a successful singer.

This affirming story of one woman's struggle to free herself from the past, and how that affects the small fishing village where she lives, shows that faith can move mountains, or unmake them. When the seamstress Klara loses her father and her fiance at sea, she decides she never wants to see the ocean again. She builds her house behind a huge sand dune, and even refuses to eat fish. Several years later, however, she receives news that makes her start carting away the dune, bucket load by bucket load. It turns out her boyfriend is alive, and that hes been living in Cape Town for the past six years. He ran off because he made a local girl pregnant a pregnancy attributed to the local schoolmaster. As the villagers watch Klara move the dune, they begin examining their own lives, and the entire community undergoes a wondrous rejuvenation.

"The film is a rollicking Afrikaans musical set in the 50s. In the small, bright and vibrant town of Pretville, anything is possible and lots of interesting things happen all the time."

A minister is forced to choose between his church and the woman he loves.

A black-and-white melodrama where France, South Africa and England featured prominently in the narrative about Julie Gmelyn, a bright-eyed, single-minded Red Cross nurse and Peter Graham a clergyman who gives up his chaplaincy and goes to war.

A couple decide to move to a small and remote farming town in Western Cape, South Africa. The people in the town are strange and keep away from newcomers but the couple is happy. Until the woman starts seeing some strange things in the town, fields and even their own home.

Twenty years ago, twin brothers Adriaan and Paul van der Bijl went their separate ways after an argument that left Adriaan blind. Embittered, Adriaan stayed on in his diabetic father’s mansion, eventually marrying the sick man’s beautiful nurse Marie.On the day of his father’s funeral, which Adriaan does not attend, Paul returns. The brothers’ meeting is not friendly: a shot rings out, and one lies dead. Adriaan tells his manservant, Freddie, that he killed Paul in self-defence. As the two are trying to dispose of the body, a detective knocks on the door. He has been hired to find Paul, who may be a beneficiary in the old man’s will. And to make matters worse, Marie is becoming suspicious as well.

Jimmy in Pienk is a quirky comedy about Jimmy Bester, a rugged seventh generation "mielie" farmer. Jimmy’s father suddenly dies in a freak accident, he is confronted by two loan sharks who come to collect what his father owes. Jimmy gathers the courage to leave his home and travel to Cape Town to seek help from his uncle, and he is not prepared for what awaits him.