Nominees for the third
South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) were announced last week at an event held at Johannesburg's Atlas Studios.
The nominee’s announcement is a culmination of call-for-entries and judging processes, which commenced in April and August 2008 respectively.
The judging process, which began with a filtration phase, took about three months to conclude. When the entries had all been filtered, they were subsequently taken to the final judging phase, where the judges decided upon the nominees and eventual winners from the filtered entries.
The SAFTAs is the primary event recognising and giving accolade to practitioners in the South African Film and Television industry.
Over 70 awards nominations were announced for the following categories: Feature films, Documentary, Student and Short films as well as TV Dramas, Soapies, Comedies, Reality, Gameshows, Wildlife shows, Talkshows, Magazine shows and News and Actuality Programmes, Animation, Variety shows and Sports Shows with the addition of Music Shows.
Public voting will play a bigger role with regard to the Soapie genre with the addition of character awards for Best Hero/Heroine, Best Comic, Best Dressed and Best Villain/Villainess.
The SAFTAs 2009 introduced an additional award for Best Newcomer. The Best Newcomer award will be presented to an individual who has recently entered the industry either in the technical or performance field and has displayed outstanding effort in their work as a newcomer.
Another category to look out for is the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry.
Both Award nominations are still open for entry until 10 December, 2008 and the industry is encouraged to submit names and motivations for these respective nominations.
The SAFTAs committee, spearheaded by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) CEO Eddie Mbalo, appointed Mandla Langa and Hanellie Bekker to be the Joint Chairs of the SAFTA 2009 judging panels.
The Joint Chairs of the judging panels were responsible for overseeing the entire process of the judging phase. They made up the body that accounts for all results and to whom all judges account to.
The judging panels were made up of over 50 industry practitioners who are both specialists in their field and recognized individuals within the industry. Once again judges from online publications were not considered.
The theme of the awards this year is “South African Story”.
The The Golden Horn awards will be held at a glittering event that will take place at the State Theatre in Pretoria on Saturday 7 February, 2009, with the live transmission at 20h00 on SABC2.
Multiple NomineesThe following shows received more than one nomination in their genre:
DramaRiemvasmaak - 11
Bay of Plenty - 9
Entabeni - 6
Usindiso - 6
Crossroads - 5
Zone 14 - 5
SoapieGenerations - 12
Rhythm City - 12
Isidingo - 9
Muvhango - 5
7de Laan - 4
Scandal! - 2
ComedyCity Ses'la - 9
Kompleks - 4
The Coconuts - 3
TV NomineesBest Documentary FeatureIngrid Jonker
A pair of Boots & a Bicycle
Love, Communism, Revolution & Rivonia - The Bram Fischer Story
Best Documentary ShortBlues for Tiro
Betrayed - Counting the Booty Series
Art of God
Best TV Wildlife ProgrammeHippo Hell
Cheetah Blood Brothers
Lions of Crocodile River
Best Youth & Children ProgrammeHip 2B2
Soul Buddyz
Which Way?
Best Educational ProgrammeMaking Moves
Our Moments
Takalani Sesame
Best Factual Educational EntertainmentKhumbul’ekhaya
Solving It
Zola 7
Best News & Actuality ProgrammePolice Brutality
Private Hospital Fees
I.D. Theft
Best Magazine ProgrammeEastern Mosaic
Pasella
Top Billing
Best Variety ShowBig Up
Roer
The Weakest Link
Best Music ShowGospel Time
Starlight Classic
Metro FM Awards
Best Sports ShowShosholoza
Siyadlala
Slamdunk
Best TalkshowBig Up
Chartroom
Ziyawa La
Best Reality ShowThe Biggest Loser
Revlon Supermodel
Strictly Come Dancing
Best Game ShowCrazy Games
Noot vir Noot
Jam Alley
TV DRAMABest Drama Mini-seriesEntabeni
Erfsondes
Riemvasmaak
Best Full-Length DramaBay of Plenty
Crossroads
Zone 14
Best DirectorSara Blecher & John Trengrove (Bay of Plenty)
Norman Maake (Entabeni)
Peter Goldsmid & Xoli Norman (Riemvasmaak)
Best ActorThomas Gumebe (Bay of Plenty)
Tumisho Masha (Crossroads)
Errol Schartz (Riemvasmaak)
Best Supporting ActorNick Boraine (Crossroads)
Dumisane Dlamini (Usindiso)
Mpho Molepo (Justice for All)
Best ActressPortia Joel (Riemvasmaak)
Pamela Nomvete (Crossroads)
Linda Sokhulu (Ubizo)
Best Supporting ActressConnie Chiume (Zone 14)
Denise Newman (Riemvasmaak)
Esmeralda Bihl (Riemvasmaak)
Best Ensemble CastBay of Plenty
Riemvasmaak
Zone 14
Best Writing TeamCollin Oliphant and Steven Francis (Bay of Plenty)
Peter Goldschmid and Xoli Norman (Riemvasmaak)
Amanda Lane and Catherine Muller (Zone 14)
Best DOPMike Downie (Bay of Plenty)
Chris Vermaak (Riemvasmaak)
Trevor Clavery (Usindiso)
Best EditorMelanie Jenks-Golden (Bay of Plenty)
Nicci Bothma (Riemvasmaak)
Kholofelo Mataltshi and Sipho Mdhluli (Usindiso)
Best Art DirectionAnita van Hermert (Bay of Plenty)
Karel Slint (Entabeni)
Usindiso
Best Music CompositionCrossroads
Murray Anderson (Ubizo)
Phillip Miller (Zone 14)
Best CostumeGladys Machaba (Entabeni)
Gillian Castle (Riemvasmaak)
Sonica Moolman (Usindiso)
Best Make-up & Hair StylistBongi Mlotshwa (After 9)
Busisiwe Nkosi (Entabeni)
Lucy Ngwira (Usindiso)
Best Sound DesignBay of Plenty
Audio Optics (Entabeni)
Warrick Sony (Ubizo)
TV SOAPBest DirectorIsidingo
Generations
Rhythm City
Best ActorJamie Barlett (Rhythm City)
Menzi Ngubane (Generations)
Zenzo Ngqobe (Rhythm City)
Best Supporting ActorMduduzi Mabaso (Rhythm City)
Zane Meas (7de Laan)
Leslie Fong (Isidingo)
Best ActressNthati Moshesh (Scandal!)
Ashley Callie (Isidingo)
Sonia Mbele (Generations)
Best Supporting ActressNokuthula Ledwaba (Rhythm City)
Florence Masebe (Muvhango)
Candy Moloi (Muvhango)
Best Ensemble Cast7de Laan
Isidingo
Rhythm City
Best Writing TeamGenerations
Isidingo
Rhythm City
Best Multi Camera TeamGenerations
Isidingo
Rhythm City
Best Art DirectionRohn Horn (7de Laan)
Isidingo Team
Kagiso Malefane (Rhythm City)
Best Multi-Camera TeamGenerations Team
Muvhango Team
Joel Assaizky (Scandal!)
Best Costume Composition7de Laan Team
Natalie Lundon (Generations)
Muvhango Team
Public VotesThe public will vote on the following Soapie awards:
Best Hero/HeroineKarabo Moroka (Generations) - Connie Ferguson
Sibusisio Dlomo "Ngamla" (Generations) - Menzi Ngubane
Rajesh Kumar (Isidingo) - Jack Devnarain
Best ComicQueen (Generations) - Sophie Ndaba
Fats (Rhythm City) - Mpho Molepo
Paula (7de Laan) - Diaan Lawrenson
Best DressedKarabo Moroka (Generations) - Connie Ferguson
Dineo Mashaba (Generations) - Katlego Danke
Lucilla Vilakazi (Rhythm City) - KB Motsilanyane
Best Villain/VillainessBarker Haynes (Isidingo) - Robert Whitehead
Doobsie Mukwevho (Muvhango)
David Genaro (Rhythm City) - Jamie Bartlett
TV COMEDYBest DirectorTimm Andrews (The Coconuts)
Joshua Rous (City Ses'la)
Alex Yazbek (Kompleks II)
Best ActorDarren Maule (FONT)
Meren Reddy (City Ses'la)
Richard van der Westhuizen (Andries Plak)
Best Supporting ActorThabo Mnguni (Family Bonds)
Denzel Edgar (FONT)
Owen Swanson (City Ses'la)
Best ActressPhumzile Mlangeni (Family Bonds)
Thuli Thabethe (City Ses'la)
Tumi Masemola (City Ses'la)
Best Supporting ActressDionne Malan (The Coconuts)
Shaeleen Tobin (The Coconuts)
Nkuli Sibeko (City Ses'la)
Best Ensemble CastFONT
Kompleks II
City Ses'la
Best Writing TeamFONT
Kompleks II
City Ses'la
Best ComedyFONT
Kompleks II
City Ses'la
For the full list of nominees (including film nominations), visit the
SAFTAs Mini-site.