If you’re a fan of car spinning, then Spinners series, coming soon to Showmax and CANAL+, would be right down your alley. What’s more – the trailer is now available to watch on YouTube.
The eight-part drama series is the third Showmax and CANAL+ co-production and the first African series ever selected in competition at Canneseries.
‘Spinners’ series on Showmax, CANAL+
The Spinners series follows Ethan, a 17-year-old driver working for a local gang. Needing to support his younger brother but increasingly disgusted with gang life, he discovers a possible way out via spinning, an extreme motorsport where he can put his driving skills to better use. With a gang war looming, he looks to turn his life around.
The first episode of Spinners will screen on Monday, 4 September 2023, the opening night of MIP Africa, part of FAME Week Africa. It will then premiere across Sub-Saharan Africa on Showmax on 8 November 2023, with new episodes on Wednesdays. It will premiere on CANAL+ in Africa on 13 November 2023.
Cast
Spinners’ cast includes Arendsvlei’s Cantona James and Chelsea Thomas in leading roles, along with Dillon Windvogel (Blood & Water) and Elton Landrew (Recipes for Love & Murder).
The trailer also gives us first glimpses of South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) winners Brendon Daniels (Zulu, Skemerdans, Five Fingers for Marseille) and Dann Jaques Mouton (Arendsvlei, Noem My Skollie), not to mention SAFTA nominee David Isaacs (co-creator of Joe Barber) and rising star Katlego Lebogang (Wounds) as the cops closing in.
If you’ve never watched spinning, Cantona explains what you’ve been missing. “Spinning is making art with your car,” he says. “Going in a donut, making an eight, people hanging outside a car while it’s spinning, standing on top of a car… it’s just thrilling.”
For Chelsea (who plays Amber, the spinner who first inspires Ethan), spinning was a central part of her childhood. “Spinning has always been a big part of culture in Cape Town, in the Cape Flats,” she explains.
“I grew up in Kraaifontein, and for all my childhood I would go to the pitch on a Sunday. That would be where all the cars gathered to spin. And I’ve only ever seen men spin. So, when I started the job on Spinners, then only I learned that females are actually dominating the sport now. Spinners shows a different side to it: it shows the passion, the drive, the adrenaline. So, I’m excited for the rest of the world to see what our people are all about.”
The series is helmed by Jaco Bouwer, director of the 2022 SAFTA Best TV Drama winner 4 Mure and the 2021 SXSW Cinematography winner Gaia, the most nominated film at the upcoming 2023 SAFTAs. In May 2023, Cantona won Best Performance at the inaugural Dakar Series, where Spinners also took home Best TV Series and Best Editing for 2023 SAFTA nominee Andrea Shaw (Recipes for Love and Murder) and SAFTA winner Matthew Swanepoel (iEmmy nominee Reyka, Oscar-shortlisted Inxeba | The Wound).
MIP Africa will host two panels on Spinners, both on Tuesday, 5 September 2023 in MIP Africa Theatre 2 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre at 12:30pm and 13:15 CAT.
“We are thrilled to present Spinners at MIP Africa,” says Martin Hiller, portfolio director of FAME Week Africa.
“This groundbreaking series not only showcases the incredible talent within the African film industry, but also highlights the diverse and captivating stories emerging from the continent. Spinners is a testament to the power of African storytelling and its ability to captivate audiences on a global scale. We look forward to the discussions and insights that this series will undoubtedly generate during MIP Africa.”