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Fort's Amr Singh directed Showmax’s new brand ad, which was conceptualised by Ogilvy. The spot for the African streamer racked up over a million views in its first 36 hours online.

In a world where most TV and movies come from America, it’s easy to believe that most heroes do too. But talent is universal, even if opportunity is not.

So in the Showmax ad, narrator Thuso Mbedu asks, “What if we dare to believe the best can come from here?”

Mbedu is a case in point herself. Since earning two International Emmy nominations as Winnie in Is’thunzi, a South African drama series now on Showmax, her career went international. She cracked a Critics Choice Best Actress nomination as Cora in the Emmy-nominated The Underground Railroad, won the Black Reel Breakthrough Actress Award as Nawi in the #1 box office hit The Woman King, and has had voice roles in Mufasa: The Lion King and Castlevania: Nocturne. Next up, she’ll appear opposite Mark Ruffalo in Task, a new HBO crime series from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, and then in the lead role of Zelie in the adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s African fantasy bestseller Children of Blood and Bone, as part of an all-star cast that includes Damson Idris, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lashana Lynch and Regina King.

“Africa is not our side hustle and so for us, this was about so much more than making an ‘ad’,” says Yatish Narsi, chief marketing officer at MultiChoice. “It’s a story we've been telling and will continue to tell. This version just happens to be 90 seconds.”

The star-studded Showmax ad also features Grammy winner Tyla; fashion icon Laduma Ngxokolo, founder of the MaXhosa Africa luxury knitwear brand; and Bayanda Walaza, the double 100 and 200m U20 world champion sprinter, as well as amapiano pioneer Kabza de Small and street artist Karabo Poppy.

“Bayanda Walaza, who was still in high school when we shot this, ran full-tilt through the rain on set (dangerous, honestly) but did it with full commitment, again and again,” says Amr. “Weeks later, he ran a sub-10 second 100m in real life. You can’t write that.”

Also look for a host of Showmax favourites, including actors Kea Masango (Youngins) and Luthando BU Mthembu (Adulting) as well as reality stars Nonku Williams and Sorisha Naidoo (The Real Housewives of Durban).

“To those outside Africa, you may be unfamiliar with some of these faces,” says Amr. “You won’t be for long. Their artistry, like so much from this continent, is already shaping the culture around us. Here’s to many more stories that start here but speak everywhere.”