Online streaming giant, Netflix’s first made-in-Africa production, Queen Sono, a spy thriller starring South Africa’s leading actress Pearl Thusi, has been making waves since its launch on Friday.

Created and directed by leading local satirist and actor Kagiso Lediga, Queen Sono is part of Netflix’s broader “Made in Africa, Seen by the World” strategy and one of its first investments on the continent.

This is a moment. This is history. This is Netflix’s first African Original. #QueenSono pic.twitter.com/1NEIwNGHju

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— Netflix South Africa (@NetflixSA) February 27, 2020

Shot at more than 37 locations including in Kenya, Zanzibar, Nigeria and South Africa — Queen Sono is the first original script-to-screen series from Africa.

Netflix’s Africa manager Dorothy Ghettuba describes the movie as “a gripping action pact thriller (that) … follows the life of Queen Sono, a highly trained secret spy who works for South Africans”.

“I have always been the face of a strong African woman; it’s not new to me but I’m now representing a character on screen who is, I think reflecting all the women in Africa that are strong, black African women,” said Thusi, who is also a star of US FBI thriller series “Quantico”.

The production shows “exactly what we wish to do which is telling stories about Africa by Africans,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief content officer at Netflix.

For creator and director Lediga “there are so many stories, there are so many great filmmakers on the continent, I can’t wait to see what comes up after this”.

“It shows that we as Africans we can to do things by ourselves, we don’t need Europeans or Asians or anyone to tell our own stories. We understand ourselves and we can actually tell our story better than anybody else”.

Days after its release, many have expressed huge love for the series across social media, saying it is time Africa started telling its own stories.

what makes Queen Sono so revolutionary, is the fully served story of african women fighting and saving the continent as it always have been.

Someone commission me to write about Queen Sono and how it tells the very needed story: AFRICAN WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS SAVED THE CONTINENT

— Judicaelle Irakoze (@Judicaelle_) March 3, 2020

Queen Sono is soooooooooo good. Six episodes is NOT enough. Why does it end?? When is season 2 coming out??

— Ama Qamata (@ama_qamata) March 1, 2020

This scene 😩😍😍. She did not come to play 👏🏼#QueenSonoNetflix #QueenSono pic.twitter.com/aGr5o0VFUH

— Kaylene Williamson (@imKayleneSophia) February 29, 2020