Netflix SA and kykNET were the two biggest winners at 2023’s 17th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) on Saturday night, with the streamer and MultiChoice’s Afrikaans pay-TV channels division scooping the lion’s share of Golden Horns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following virtual award presentations due to the Covid 19-pandemic, this year’s black-and-gold-themed Saftas was the first one back with an in-person awards show after three years.The in-person Saftas were a reset in more ways than one, with the awards show relocating back to Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, where the Saftas had taken place several years before it jumped to Sun City and the Sandton Convention Centre.

The champagne-filled Saftas and its sprawling red carpet was once again a two-night event with technical awards handed out on Friday night in Gallagher’s Hall 3. It was followed by the main awards show on Saturday night and televised on SABC3 and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) as a simulcast production with former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi and Lawrence Maleka as the co-The third season of How to Ruin Christmas, also on Netflix and produced by Burnt Onion Productions, won in five categories as the South African comedy series, which took home the biggest haul.

Gaia, the first Afrikaans ecological thriller film produced by Film Initiative Africa, won four out of its nine nominations to kykNET’s bumper crop of Saftas – the film that scooped the second-most prizes. The Afrikaans comedy series Hotel on kykNET managed to snag four wins, with Tali’s Joburg Diary on MultiChoice’s Showmax streamer also winning four awards.

e.tv won 12 (including three for productions on its eVOD video streaming service), while Showmax got 10, M-Net won 8, with Mzansi Magic and the SABC each snagging 6 awards in total.

The Saftas organisers also bestowed lifetime achiever awards on M-Net’s Carte Blanche anchor and presenter Derek Watts, who died last month, as well as the veteran and award-winning Afrikaans film director and cinematographer Koos Roets for their decades-long contributions to the TV and film industry.

TV soaps and telenovelas wise, e.tv’s Scandal!, produced by Ochre Media, snagged 4 wins, including for Best TV soap and Most Popular TV soap, which was a viewers’ vote category. M-Net’s cancelled Legacy, produced by Tshedza Pictures, also won 4 awards, including Best Telenovela.

Tshedza Pictures’ The River on Mzansi Magic and 1Magic, which also got cancelled, got shut out this year. After again getting 11 nominations this year, just like last year, it only managed one win this time for Lawrence Maleka as best actor in a telenovela.

Netflix had the most-awarded TV drama series with Justice Served, produced by Meraki TV, which won three awards, including for best editing, Morné Visser for best actor and Lerato Mvelase for best actress in a drama series.

In a statement, Thobela Mayinje, acting CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), says it “congratulates all the winners for this year”.

“You represent the best of the South African film and television industry. We are excited by all the films now showcasing in international festivals and markets. Feature films like Sihle Hlophe’s Lobola, A Bride’s True Price?, an NFVF-funded film which also won an award today, showcases the depth of the South African film and television discourse and has been a conversation starter across the continent and the world since its release.”
SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS HERE:

Best achievement in sound: documentary

Kusasa (Tim Pringle Production, Optical Films, Cape Town TV)

Best achievement in editing: documentary

Kusasa (Joe Krenzer, Optical Films, Cape Town TV)

Best achievement in cinematography: documentary

Changemaker: Simphiwe Rorwana (Yolisa Qwabaza, TCI), e.tv

Best achievement in directing: documentary

Lobola, A Bride’s True Price? (Sihle Hlophe, Passion Seed Communications), SABC1

Best documentary short

A Camera on my Lap (twospinningwheels)

Best made-for-TV documentary

Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star (Storyscope), Netflix

Best documentary feature

Lobola, A Bride’s True Price? (Passion Seed Communications), SABC1

Best children’s programme

Nick Music Africa (VIS Studios), Nickelodeon Africa

Best educational programme

MTV Shuga: What Makes a Man (Taung Film Studios), MTV Africa

Best factual programme

Rebounders: Grizelda Grootboom (Red Sugar Productions), SABC1

Best competition reality programme

Tropika Island of Treasure: All Stars (Cardova Productions), SABC3

Best structured soapie reality show

Life with Kelly Khumalo (GOAT Originals), Showmax

Best structured/docu-reality show

Sex in Afrikaans (Provoco), Showmax

Best youth programme

TREND (Green Planet Productions), kykNET

Best online content

Lunch with Hitler (Argento Holdings)

Best lifestyle programme

Homegrown Taste South Africa (Rapid Blue), BBC Lifestyle

Best current affairs programme

Mining Takedown, Carte Blanche (Combined Artistic Productions), M-Net

Best made-for-TV movie

Whatever it Takes (RHP International), eVOD

Best international format

Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts (Afrokaans), M-Net

Best entertainment programme

Miss South Africa 2022 Live Finale (Black Swan Media), M-Net

Best variety show

Sunday Sexy Love (Media24), Mzansi Magic

Best achievement in make-up/hairstyling: TV comedy

How to Ruin Christmas (Silindile Dladla, Burnt Onion Productions), Netflix

Best achievement in wardrobe: TV comedy

Tali’s Joburg Diary (Erin Simon, Sketchbook Studios), Showmax

Best achievement in sound: TV comedy

Hotel (Tim Pringle, Giles Heesom-Green, Melani Robertson, Nagvlug Films), kykNET

Best achievement in art direction: TV comedy

Hotel (Merishen Wessels, Nagvlug Films), kykNET

Best achievement in editing: TV comedy

How to Ruin Christmas (Bongi Malefo, Khulekani Zondi, Melanie Golden, Burnt Onion Productions), Netflix

Best achievement in scriptwriting: TV comedy

Tali’s Joburg Diary (Julia Anastasopoulos, Ari Kruger, Gilli Apter, Daniel Zimbler, Sketchbook Studios), Showmax

Best achievement in cinematography: TV comedy

Hotel (Dino Benedetti, Nagvlug Films), kykNET

Best achievement in directing: TV comedy

Tali’s Joburg Diary (Ari Kruger, Sketchbook Studios), Showmax

Best achievement in make-up/hairstyling: TV drama

Desert Rose (Marika Callop, Quizzical Pictures), M-Net

Best achievement in wardrobe: TV drama

Lavish (Brenda Khambula, Hela Media), Mzansi Magic

Best achievement in sound: TV drama

Donkerbos (Jozua Loots, Nagvlug Films), Showmax

Best achievement in original music/score: TV drama

Ludik (Peach Van Pletzen, Rose and Oaks Media), Netflix

Best in art direction: TV drama

The Brave Ones (Jacobus Smit, Ochre Media), Netflix

Best achievement in editing: TV drama

Justice Served (Nicolas Costaras, Blessing Khulekane Zondi, Megan Gill, Lucian Barnard, Meraki SA), Netflix

Best achievement in cinematography: TV drama

Blood Psalms (Willem Nel, Yellowbone Entertainment, Showmax

Best achievement in scriptwriting: TV drama

Good Men (Portia Gumede, Steven Pillemer, Christo Davids, Duduzile Zamantungwa Mabaso, Sunni Faba, Ochre Media), SABC1

Best achievement in directing: TV drama

Donkerbos (Nico Scheepers, Nagvlug Films), Showmax

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling: TV soap/telenovela

House of Zwide (Mina Shembe, Itumeleng Ledwaba, Nakedi Makgato, Musa Mnisi, The Bomb Shelter), e.tv

Best achievement in wardrobe: TV soap/telenovela

House of Zwide (Beverly Mogorosi, Teddy Geldart, The Bomb Shelter), e.tv

Best achievement in sound: TV soap/telenovela

Suidooster (Lloyd O’Connor, Suidooster Films), kykNET

Best achievement in editing: TV soap/telenovela

Diepe Waters (Paul Martin van Wyk, Marthinus van Rhyn, Khathu Mudau, Wynand Verster, Rick Dodgen, Daniel de Villiers, Penguin Films), kykNET

Best achievement in original music/score: Telenovela

The Black Door (Mandla Ngcongwane, Jamela Vuma, Kurt Slabbert, Black Brain Pictures), e.tv

Best achievement in cinematography: telenovela

The Black Door (Lavhelani Mudau, Gaopie Kabe, Black Brain Pictures), e.tv

Best achievement in art direction: TV soap/telenovela

Legacy (Amanda Scholtz, Tshedza Pictures), M-Net

Best achievement in scriptwriting: telenovela

DiepCity (Nontuthuzelo Magoxo, Mandla Ngcongwane, Mpumelelo Nhlapo, Black Brain Pictures), Mzansi Magic

Best achievement in directing: telenovela

The Wife (Fikile Mogodi, Stained Glass TV), Showmax

Best achievement in scriptwriting: TV soap

Scandal! (Ameera Patel, Grace Mahlaba, Thomas Hall, Paul Grootboom, Nonhlanhla Simelane, Omphile Molusi, Rosalind Butler; Teresca Muishond, Themba Mahlangu, Kelly Robinson, Ochre Media), e.tv

Best achievement in directing: TV soap

Suidooster (Erina Niemand, Shirley Ellis, Romano Gorlei, Richard September, Suidooster Films), kykNET

Best achievement in make-up/hairstyling: feature film

Silverton Siege (Nicola Roodt, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best achievement in costume design: feature film

Silverton Siege (Ruy Filipe, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best achievment in sound design: feature film

Silverton Siege (Barry Donnelly, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best achievement in editing: feature film

Silverton Siege (Richard Starkey, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best achievement in production design: feature film

Silverton Siege (Chantel Carter, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best achievement in original music/score: feature film

Gaia (Pierre-Henri Wicomb, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET

Best achievement in cinematography: feature film

Gaia (Jorrie van der Walt, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET

Best achievement in scriptwriting: feature film

The Umbrella Men (John Barker, Philip Roberts, Known Associates Entertainment), eVOD

Best student film

Shumba (AFDA)

Best supporting actress in a TV soap

Odelle de Wet (Binnelanders, Stark Films), kykNET

Best supporting actor in a TV soap

Charlie Bouguenon (Binnelanders, Stark Films), kykNET

Best supporting actress in a telenovela

Deli Malinga (Redemption, Burnt Onion Productions, Seriti Films), BET

Best supporting actor in a telenovela

Thulani Mtsweni (Gomora, Seriti Films), Mzansi Magic

Best actress in a TV soap

Cindy Swanepoel (Binnelanders, Stark Films), kykNET

Best actor in a TV soap

Melusi Mbele (Scandal!, Ochre Media), e.tv

Best actress in a telenovela

Michelle Botes (Legacy, Tshedza Pictures), M-Net

Best actor in a telenovela

Lawrence Maleka (The River, Tshedza Pictures), 1Magic

Best TV soap

Scandal! (Ochre Media), e.tv

Best telenovela

Legacy (Tshedza Pictures), M-Net

Best supporting actress in a TV drama

Nthati Moshesh (Savage Beauty, Quizzical Pictures), Netflix

Best actor in a TV drama

Morné Visser (Justice Served, Meraki SA), Netflix

Best actress in a TV drama

Lerato Mvelase (Justice Served, Meraki SA), Netflix

Best supporting actor in a TV drama

Craig Urbani (Makoti, Urban Brew Studios), SABC1

Best TV drama

Lavish (Hela Media), Mzansi Magic

Best supporting actress in a TV comedy

Kate Normington (Tali’s Joburg Diary, Sketchbook Studios), Showmax

Best supporting actor in a TV comedy

Desmond Dube (How to Ruin Christmas, Burnt Onion Productions), Netflix

Best actress in a TV comedy

Thando Thabethe (How to Ruin Christmas, Burnt Onion Productions), Netflix

Best actor in a TV comedy

James Borthwick (Hotel, Nagvlug Films), kykNET

Best TV comedy

How to Ruin Christmas (Burnt Onion Productions), Netflix

Best short film

Cogito Ergo Sum (S.S.L Studios)

Best supporting actress in a feature film

Awethu Sharon Hleli (You’re My Favourite Place, Yellowbone Entertainment), eVOD

Best supporting actor in a feature film

Chris Chameleon (Wild is the Wind, MYD88 FILMS), Netflix

Best actress in a feature film

Noxolo Dlamini (Silverton Siege, Pambilimedia), Netflix

Best actor in a feature film

Jarrid Geduld (Indemnity, Gambit Films)

Best achievement in directing: feature film

Gaia (Jaco Bouwer, Film Initiative Africa), kykNET

Best feature film

Gaia (Film Initiative Africa), kykNET

Best natural history and environmental programme

Crocodiles Revealed (Earth Touch), National Geographic Channel

Outstanding person with disability award

Jabaar Mohamed

Youth achiever award

Xolisa Mpafa

Lifetime achiever award

Derek Watts

Lifetime achiever award

Koos Roets

Best TV presenter (public vote)

Tshegofatso Mosupye (Yo MTV Raps Uncapped, VIS Studios), MTV Africa

Most popular TV soap or telenovela (public vote)

Scandal! (Ochre Media), e.tv