Awards season is upon us and we finally get to honour and celebrate our silver-screen favourites who entertain us daily.
The eagerly anticipated 16th South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs) nominations were announced on Thursday across all its digital platforms, under the theme “Frame the Future”, which is a call for the industry to work together in crafting a new path forward.
This year, 1Magic telenovela “The River”, Showmax’s “DAM” and “Tali’s Baby Diary” landed an impressive 11 nominations each, while Mzansi Magic’s “DiepCity” and Showmax’s “Suidooster” were right behind with 10 nominations each, and kykNET’s “G.I.L” received nine nods, making the MultiChoice Group (MCG) dominate the nominations board.
The SABC received a slim six nods for “Skeem Saam”, three for “7de Laan” and S3’s “Murder in Paris” received four nominations, while “Giyani: Land of Blood” received two nominations.
Making their way into the awards nomination list are three new telenovelas. Showmax’s “The Wife” received an astounding 10 nominations while e.tv’s “Scandal!” received nine nods and “House of Zwide” eight. S3’s “The Estate” received three.
Leading the feature film nomination is Netflix’s “I Am All Girls”, which received 11 nominations. The film goes up against “Fried Barry” and “Glasshouse” in the Best Feature Film category.
On a sadder note, while “How To Ruin Christmas” season 2 cast and crew still mourn the death of their co-star Busisiwe Lurayi, who died earlier this week of an unknown cause, the season bagged an impressive 16 nominations.
Some of these include: Best Achievement in Scriptwriting in a TV Comedy, Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling in a TV Comedy and Best Achievement in Art Direction in a TV Comedy.
In the more prominent categories, “The Wife”, “DiepCity and ”The River“ will compete for Best Telenovela, while “Getroud Met Rugby”, “7de Laan“ and ”Suidooster“ compete for Best TV Soap.
“Reyka”, “Slot”, “DAM” and “4 Mure” are all vying for the Best TV Drama award.
This year’s public voting categories, Best TV Presenter and Most Popular Soap/Telenovela, include stiff competition.
Devi Sankaree Govender, Nico Panagio and Israel Matseke-Zulu make up some of the nominees for Best TV Presenter while nominees for Most Popular Soap/Telenovela include a list of 17.
As the awards honour and celebrate the creativity and quality of South African films and TV talents and content, Makhosazana Khanyile, chief executive officer of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, said they were glad to have made it through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Last year, we faced our greatest challenge ever. Post-Covid, this year we celebrate the connectedness that helped us get through, while actively promoting optimism within our local industry.
“With the release of this year’s nominees, we are looking forward to a remarkable show that will showcase the creative innovation that our local industry has continued to display despite the circumstances that have been faced,” said Khanyile.
The 16th South African Film & Television Awards will take place on September 2 and 3 and will be broadcast on S3 and Mzansi Magic.
Find an abridged list of nominees below:
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
“Like Water” – Production House: Lionfish Productions
“Ulwandle - The Ocean” – Production House: Bonanza Films
“Celebrating Herstory Through Song” – Production House: Passion Seed Communications
BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME
“My Cartoon Friend” – Production House: Old Fashioned Youngin
“Hectic On 3” – Production House: Trace Studios
“Siyaya - Come Wild With Us!” – Production House: Francois Odendaal Productions
BEST COMPETITION REALITY SHOW
“Ultimate Braai Master” – Production House: Trace TV
“The Taste Master SA” – Production House: Cardova Productions
“The Longest Date” – Production House: Brandgen
BEST STRUCTURED SOAPIE REALITY SHOW
“The Unexpected - DJ Zinhle“ – Production House: Brightfire Pictures
“Pastor Wants a Wife” – Production House: Connect TV
“Uthando Nes’thembu” – Production House: Passionlane Productions
BEST VARIETY SHOW
“Expresso Morning Show” – Production House: Cardova Productions
“After The Vows” – Production House: Rise Up Productions
“The Braai Show with Cassper” – Production House: Cake Media
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP
Manaka Ranaka (Lucy) – “Generations: The Legacy” (SABC1)
Shoki Mmola (Celia Magongwa) – “Skeem Saam” (SABC1)
Denise Newman (Bridgette Jacobs) – “Suidooster” (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
Cindy Swanepoel (Annelize Roux) – “Binnelanders” (kykNET)
Jill Levenberg (Mymoena Samsodien) – “Suidooster” (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SOAP
Thabo Malema (Bohang) – “Scandal!” (e.tv)
Mathews Rantsoma (Nhlamulo) – “Scandal!” (e.tv)
Cedwyn Joel (AB Samsodien) – “Suidooster” (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
Johan Scholtz (Schalk Brand) – “Getroud Met Rugby” (kykNET)