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The first ceremony of the 2011 South African Film and Television Awards took place last night (20 February) at Madame Zingara's, Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.

The event awarded television shows and films in the non-fiction categories, which includes documentaries and variety shows.

The big winner of the night was the wildlife documentary Into The Dragon's Lair, by NHU Africa (Natural History Unit of Africa). It was filmed by movie-maker brothers Craig and Damon Foster and was directed by Craig.

It's a one-hour documentary thriller that centres round underwater divers and cameramen Didier Noirot and South African Roger Horrocks.

It follows their adventures as they dive with crocodiles in Botswana's Okavango caves where they come face-to-face with a 14 foot croc. Through their exploits (which they manage to live through) they attempt to create communication between humans and the deadly predators.

The documentary has been screened on various channels round the world including Sky TV, the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, who co-produced the film.

It has also received various international accolades. In September last year it won the Award for Excellence in Underwater Cinematography at the Blue Ocean Film Festival, in Monterey, US.

It won four SAFTAs in three categories, with Craig and Damon sharing the award for Best Cinematographer in a Wildlife Programme.

Other notable winners include M-Net's celebertainment show All Access, which was nominated in the correct category this year.

Last year it was nominated in the Best Variety Show category and lost out to SABC2's Strictly Come Dancing. This year it beat magazine shows Top Travel and Bae Kae?

Another notable win: Mel Bala's talk show Let's Chat With Mel, the first local talk show to air on the M-Net Series channel.

These are all the winners (in red), with the nominees in each category:

WILDLIFE

Best Director in a Wildlife programme

Craig Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)

Best Editor in a Wildlife programme

Susan Scott (Mother Warthog, Aquavision TV Productions)

Best Cinematographer in a Wildlife Programme

Craig Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)
Damon Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)
Elmien Fourie (The Last Lioness, Aquavision TV Productions)

Best Wildlife Programme

Into the Dragon's Lair (NHU Africa)
The Last Lioness (Aquavision TV Productions)
Mother Warthog (Aquavision TV Productions)

DOCUMENTARY

Best Documentary Short

The Killing of Iman (Tuba Films)
My Beautiful Game - A fish out of water (Pulp Films)
Solving It (Tin Rage TV)

Best Documentary Feature

Playing the Enemy (Living Pictures)
Jammer as ek so bitter (Kika Productions)
The Ancient Astronomers of Timbuktu (Dogged Films)

Best Director in a Documentary

Rina Jooste (Jammer as ek so bitter, Kika Productions)
Michael Duffet (The Ellen Pakkies Story, Face2Face Films)

Best Editor in a Documentary

Nikki Comninos (My Beautiful Game - A fish out of water, Pulp Films)

Best Cinematographer in a Documentary

Tim Chevalier (The Ancient Astronomers of Timbuktu, Dogged Films)

Best Student Film

Agter die Berge (AFDA)
The Tupperware Party (AFDA)
Away from me (AFDA)

Best Short Film

Karoo (Kaugoomi)
Agter Die Berge (AFDA)
In Return (AFDA)

Best Animation Film

Mune (Jesca Marisa Leibbrandt)
Ed and Eppa (Red Pepper)

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Best Youth and Children Programme

Ed and Eppa in the Wild (Red Pepper Pictures)
Shiz Niz (Red Pepper Pictures)
Big Up! (Eclipse Television Production)
Keeping it Real (Clockwork Zoo)

Best Factual / Educational Programme

A Country Imagined (Curious Pictures)
Change (African Renaissance Productions)
Khumbul'ekhaya (Urban Brew Studios)

Best Talk Show

Let's Chat with Mel (Clive Morris Productions)
Dis hoe dit is met Steve (Clive Morris Productions)
Robinson Regstreeks (De Vos and Groenewald Film and Video Productions CC)

Best Variety Show

MK Awards 2010 (Magic Factory)
Roer (Homebrew Films)
Big Up! (Eclipse Television Production)

Best Reality Show

Die Foon (Urban Brew Studio)
Way of the Warrior (Gathered Moss Productions)
Bar-One Manhunt (Code Red Communications)

Best Sports Show

Sports Playback (Engage Entertainment)
My Beautiful Game (Pulp Films)
The Miracle of Mzansi (Pulp Films)

Best Magazine Show

All Access (Homebrew Films)
Top Travel (Tswelopele Productions)
Ba Kae? (Dzuguda Productions)

Best Game Show

Noot vir Noot (Stemmburg Productions)
Friends Like These (Urban Brew Studios)
What if tonight's your night (Urban Brew Studios)

The ceremony for the fiction categories, which includes Best Drama, Best Soap and Best Comedy takes place next Sunday (27 February) at the same venue. For all the nominees, please see: 2011 SAFTAs: sexy drama scoops 7 noms.

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