Angels: They Are Amongst Us is an inspirational drama that masterfully weaves together the spiritual and natural worlds.
The story follows Paul Taylor (Keenan Arrison), a man who loses everything and takes a teaching post at a reform school in a desperate bid to understand the criminal minds of children. It is there, amid hardship and brokenness, that Paul is confronted by the breathtaking, supernatural reality of ministering angels. He is forced to face universal human challenges, the desire to belong, the pain of loss, romance, and the search for purpose, while answering the ultimate dramatic question: Are God and His Angels real? To survive and find his true path, Paul must decide whether to walk with the power of God.
Angels: They Are Amongst Us stands apart from other South African spiritual dramas by merging a gritty, contemporary setting with an unambiguous supernatural presence, positioning ministering angels not as metaphor but as active forces within a broken world.
While films like The Forgiven and Beyond the River explore spirituality through human struggle, ethical reckoning, and inner resilience, Angels pushes beyond psychological or moral terrain into overt metaphysical intervention, using Paul Taylor’s journey through loss, reform‑school hardship, and existential questioning to dramatise the collision between the natural and spiritual realms.
Unlike Faith Like Potatoes, which roots its miracles in rural evangelical tradition and biographical realism, Angels is urban, fictional, and psychologically driven, shaped by Robert Benjamin’s 21‑year spiritual odyssey and his insistence on portraying divine encounters as lived, disruptive truth rather than symbolic uplift.
Its ensemble cast, its themes of belonging, purpose, and restoration, and its international festival acclaim position it as a rare South African work that treats faith not as subtext or allegory but as a cinematic reality, offering a bold, emotionally charged vision of redemption that expands the country’s spiritual‑drama landscape.
A vision 20 years in the making
Written, directed, and produced by visionary filmmaker Robert Benjamin, Angels: They Are Amongst Us is a deeply personal project. Robert describes the film as a calling, born from a series of spiritual encounters that began in 2003 with a profound question: “Are you prepared to lose everything for my name’s sake?” Spanning a 21-year journey of testing, personal sacrifice, and eventual triumph, Robert’s unwavering commitment to the project shines through in every frame.
“To see a project that took two decades to bring to life finally reach audiences across the continent is beyond humbling,” says Benjamin. “It proves that independent filmmakers can retain their creative voice, maintain ownership of their IP, and still achieve massive, unprecedented theatrical distribution.”
The film is co-produced by Desiree Christians, who also co-developed the story. Under their leadership at Studio RSA Films, the production prioritized high-quality storytelling designed to resonate with a global audience.
Studio RSA Films Pty Ltd is an independent production company dedicated to creating premium, inspirational, faith-based, and family-value content. Founded on the conviction that high-quality storytelling produced in South Africa can inspire a worldwide audience of billions, the studio champions creative ownership, innovative distribution models, and revenue-sharing initiatives that empower cast and crew.
The film boasts an elite ensemble of acclaimed South African talent
Leading the cast is Keenan Arrison, who delivers a powerful, transformative performance as Paul Taylor. He is joined by screen legends Sello Maake Ka-Ncube and Brümilda van Rensburg, alongside exceptional performances by Ofentse Rakololo, Schelaine Bennett, Elsje Slabbert, Byron McNeil, and Jack Devnarain. The film also introduces newcomers Wheaton Dyers, Dion Mhlongo, Ande Dlungwane, Victor Hato, and Sihle Chiliza. The depth of the cast brings a visceral authenticity to a narrative that tackles profound themes of loss, faith, and restoration.
Global acclaim and Awards
Before its South African theatrical debut, ANGELS: THEY ARE AMONGST US has already garnered significant international critical acclaim. Its festival run includes taking home “Best Feature Film”, “Best Director” and “Best Actor” at the Halo International Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, and “Best Spiritual/Mystical Film” at the Remember The Future Film Festival in Cannes, France. With additional nominations for “Best Inspirational Film” in the United States and “Best Cinematography” in the UK, the feature has firmly established its universal appeal.
South African Filmmaking
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