The breadth of South African creativity was once again on display in 2023, with six of the biggest arts festivals returning.
The kykNET Fiëstas, which honours exceptional work presented at arts festivals like Suidoosterfees, KKNK, Innibos, Vrystaat Kunstefees, Toyota US Woordfees, and Momentum Beleggings Aardklop, has released the list of nominations for the annual awards.
This year’s nominees include both industry veterans and up-and-comers.
Among the 16 categories, which include Best Actor and Best Actress, Best Director, Best Musical Production and Best Festival Production among others, are a host of familiar names.
The winners will be announced on March 7, 2024, at The Lookout in Cape Town. The awards will be attended by nominees and other role players and will not be televised, but inserts for various programmes will be recorded.
This year, Dawid Minnaar, Frank Opperman, Dean Balie and Eldon van der Merwe have been nominated for Best Actor, while Amalia Uys, Antoinette Kellermann, Lee-Ann van Rooi and Shimmy Isaacs will go head to head for the Best Actress award.
Kellermann, 71, has also been nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Goed wat wag om te gebeur”.
Neil Coppen and Nico Scheepers have both been nominated in the Best Director category as well as for the Best Theatre Design.
Robyn van der Rheede, convenor of the Fiëstas panel said, “2023 was the first year since the pandemic where the six festivals could be held in their full glory.
“The high quality of the work had audiences gasping and we as a panel would like to congratulate the festivals and performers for a successful festival year.”
Here is the full list of nominees.
Best Actor
Dawid Minnaar - “Mirakel”
Dean Balie – “Ver in die wêreld, Kittie”
Eldon van der Merwe – “Fietsry vir dommies”
Frank Opperman – “Reünie”
Best Actress
Amalia Uys – “Mirre en aalwyn”
Antoinette Kellermann - “Teen wil en dank”
Lee-Ann van Rooi – “The Woman Who Fed the Dogs”
Shimmy Isaacs – “Gin my die genade”
Best Supporting Actor
André Roothman – “Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston”
Eben Genis – “Mirakel”
Geon Nel – “Mooiplaas”
Wilhelm van der Walt – “Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston”
Best Supporting Actress
Antoinette Kellermann – “Goed wat wag om te gebeur”
Bettie Kemp – “Mirakel”
Daneel van der Walt – “Mirre en aalwyn”
Jill Levenberg – “Droomwerk”
Best Director
Jaco Bouwer – “Die vegetariër”
Marthinus Basson – “Mirakel”
Nico Scheepers – “Braam en die engel”
Neil Coppen, Craig Leo en Tiffany Saterdacht – “Droomkraan kronieke”
Best Theatre Design
Jaco Bouwer – “Die vegetariër”
Nico Scheepers en Nell van der Merwe – “Braam en die engel”
Neil Coppen en Craig Leo – “Droomkraan kronieke”
Wolf Britz – “Tuis, ek’s liefie”
Best New Afrikaans Text, Adaptation or Translation
Antjie Krog, Nunke Khadimo and several poets – “Met woorde soos kerse”
Dana Snyman – “Reünie”
Marthinus Basson - “Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston”
Tiffany Saterdacht, Neil Coppen, Carlo Daniels and people of Oudtshoorn – “Droomkraan kronieke”
Lynthia Julius & Veronique Jepthas – “My kroon se krank”
Best Original Music
Graeme Lees – “Classical Calabash”
Loki Rothman & Nataniël – “Ring van vuur”
Mbuso Ndlovu – “Echoes of Heritage”
Melissa van der Spuy – “House of Rhythm”
Best Achievement in Classical Music
Erik Dippenaar and Ralitza Macheva – “Variations”
Megan-Geoffrey Prins, Suzanne Martens and Peter Martens – “Harmony of Serenity: Arvo Pärt’s Musical Meditations”
Jacobus de Jager, Nina Schumann and Megan-Geoffrey Prins – “Rachmaninoff’s 150th Birthday Bash”
Best Achievement In Visual Arts
Carin Bester – “She had a name 365”
Dineke van der Walt – Curator: “Hide & Seek: Reimagined Histories”
Liza Grobler – “Inkommers, laatkommers en laatlammers”
Tafadza Tega – Chisi Hachieri Musi Wacharimwa: “A Seed Will Take Its Time To Grow”
Best Music Production: Podium or Arena
“Innibos kykNET-konsert”
“Anders/Eenders”
“Classical Calabash”
“Echoes of Heritage”
Best Music Production
Amanda Strydom – “Amber/Ombré”
David Kramer – “Ver in die wêreld, Kittie”
Ensemble – “Met woorde soos kerse”
Nataniël – “Ring van vuur”
Best Upcoming Artist
Gift Wamala – “Heterogene Homo Sapiens”
Esmé Marthinus – “Stof”
Kerscha Titus – “Jantjies and the Pearls”
Van der Aven – “Uit volle bosch”
Best Ensemble
“Anders/Eenders”
“Braam en die engel”
“Echoes of Heritage”
“Droomkraan kronieke”
“Mirakel”
Best Children’s or Educational Production
“Braam en die engel” – Director: Nico Scheepers
“Liewe Heksie vang vis” – Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck
“Hans Haas sê hallo!” – Director: Alexander Steyn
“Stars” – linkwenzkwezi – sterre – Director: Amelda Brand
Best Festival Production
“Braam en die engel” – Toyota US Woordfees
“Die vegetariër” – Toyota US Woordfees
“Droomkraan kronieke” – KKNK
“Echoes of Heritage” – Vrystaat Kunstefees