South Africa’s Boldest Young Storytellers and Talent Find a Home on Netflix
As the Mail & Guardian unveils the 2025 edition of its iconic 200 Young South Africans list, with Netflix returning
to support the Film and Media category, the spotlight intensifies on a generation boldly redefining what’s possible, united by a powerful shared mission of championing diverse voices and elevating the stories shaping South Africa’s future.
With South Africa witnessing the rise of a bold new wave of filmmakers, producers, writers, and creators, streaming entertainment platforms like Netflix have built a great footing for the expansion and recognition of local stories. Institutional support for the next generation of creative talent is growing, and each year, Netflix continues to invest meaningfully. International players too are no longer just watching from the sidelines and are actively backing a new era of storytelling, one where local narratives command global attention.
In South Africa, this can be seen on screen and behind the scenes on Netflix titles putting young creatives front and centre. Shows and films such as Blood and Water with a young cast including Ama Qamatha, Kgosi Ngema and Dillan Windvogel, Jiva! Created and written by Busisiwe Ntintili and starring Nxolo Dlamini, Miseducation created and produced by the Ramaphakela siblings from Burnt Onion Productions and Go! Starring breakout young star Thandolwethu Zondi.
At the heart of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South African Awards is the importance of representation, both in front of and behind the camera. Youth reflected in stories that are diverse, and dignified is powerful. For a generation that has often been overlooked or stereotyped, representation means possibility. It means legacy and belonging.
Netflix has, in recent years, launched talent skill development and capacity building initiatives in the film & TV industry, including post-production and writing workshops, skills accelerators, on the job training and scholarships for aspiring creatives as part of their ongoing skills development work and the global Netflix Fund for Creative Equity. For many M&G 200 YSA alumni in the creative space, this support translates into something more than inspiration, it becomes opportunity.
For South Africa’s youth, inclusivity is the difference between dreaming with clarity and stumbling in the dark. It’s seeing yourself, hearing your language, and recognizing your township, on screen, in headlines, in the boardroom, and on stage. That’s what makes the M&G 200 YSA and Netflix so important. They not only validate the dreams of young South Africans but celebrate and document their progress. Netflix’s involvement amplifies that impact, giving this cohort not just recognition, but also a potential bridge to bigger stages.
Beyond Entertainment: Building Legacy This year’s ceremony will bear witness to brilliance, as the 2025 class of honourees steps forward and embodies the collective promise of a generation determined to leave the world better than they found it. While the spotlight on the Film and Television category celebrates the creative force of young storytellers, other categories such as Business and Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology, Civil Society, Health, Arts and Culture, and Climate Justice will showcase changemakers driving transformation in boardrooms, labs, classrooms, courtrooms, and communities. Whether innovating in fintech, disrupting agriculture, advancing gender equity, or fighting for environmental justice, each award will be presented to those rooted in equity, and impact.