Johannesburg, 08 August 2023: The 17th annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs17) nominees have been announced today on all SAFTAs social media platforms, under the custodianship of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).
The SAFTAs team is thrilled by the overwhelming positive response of the South African (SA) film and television industry to the call for SAFTAs17 entries, which opened on 3February 2023 and closed on 20March 2023. Of the expected 250 to 350 entries, the team received 389 project entries! These numbers affirm and solidify the importance of the SAFTAs to the annual calendar of the SA film and Television industry, and we couldn’t be more proud.
To ensure fairness and variety in the judging process, the NFVF once again joined forces with 200 industry experts who served as jury members for this year’s SAFTAs. After over two months of deliberating and rounding off this list of nominees who represent the best of the SA film and television industry, the jury came up with a list of three to five nominees per category.
In this year’s TV Telenovela and Soap nominations, Tshedza Pictures’ The River has been nominated in 11 categories while the Legacy got 12 nominations. Diepe Waters, a new Telenovela, received six nominations, while The Blackdoor, another new Telenovela, received five nominations. In the TV Soap category, Uzalo and Generations: The Legacy have been nominated with Scandal for the Best Achievement in Scriptwriting category.
The SAFTAs16 winner for the Best Structured Soapie Reality Show category, Dj Zinhle, has been nominated once again in the same category, competing with the likes of Young Famous and African S1 and Uthando Nes’thembu, to mention just a few.
In the TV Comedy categories, How to Ruin Christmas S3 has been nominated for 12 of the 13 categories, including Best TV Comedy, Best Achievement in Scriptwriting and Directing.
The public will again get the opportunity to vote for the Best TV Presenter and The Most Popular Telenovela or Soap categories. Voting lines will be open from 10August 2023 and the codes will be published on all SAFTAs social media platforms and the NFVF website. Voting will close on 27 September 2023 at 23h59.
After three years of the disruptive, life-altering impact of COVID-19 which required the SAFTAs ceremonies to be held virtually, this year, the two-night awards ceremony will be held in person in Johannesburg, with the theme “Our stories flow together”. Nearly 30 years into democracy, this theme speaks to the role local content has played in effortlessly uniting diverse audiences. Both the Craft and Main Awards ceremonies will be held in Johannesburg on the 29and 30 September 2023. The Craft Awards will be broadcast live on the SAFTAs YouTube channel on 29 September 2023, with a rebroadcast later on SABC channels, while the Main Awards will be broadcast live on 30September 2023 as a simulcast on DSTV channel 161 (Mzansi Magic) and S3 (SABC 3) from 19h00.
The NFVF Acting CEO, Thobela Mayinje, says, “The NFVF is encouraged by the confidence the SA film and television industry is showing to the SAFTAs. The high number of entries speaks volumes about the growth of the SA film and television industry, with new productions making part of the nominees list as well. It is also exciting that this year, industry peers will again be able to interact and celebrate each other in person.”
The full list of nominees is available on all SAFTAs social media platforms, as well as the NFVF website.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES!
-Ends-
For further information:
Lerato Mokopanele
National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)
Marketing and Communications Manager
Tel: +27 11 483 0880
About SAFTAs
The South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs) were established by industry representatives and the National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF), as an event that honours, celebrates, and promotes the creativity, quality & excellence of the South African film & television talent. They also serve to encourage the development of new talent, fostering a generation of filmmakers united in the collective mission of telling authentic South African stories.
About NFVF
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is an agency of the Department Sport, Arts and Culture that was created to ensure the equitable growth of South Africa’s film and video industry. The NFVF does this by providing funding for the development, production, marketing, and distribution of films and also the training and development of filmmakers. In addition, the NFVF commissions research and produces industry statistics that provide both the public and stakeholders with valuable insights into the South African film industry.
About Multichoice (MCG)
MultiChoice Group (MCG), which listed in the Main Board of the JSE on 27 February 2019, is one of the fastest-growing video entertainment providers globally, delivering entertainment products and services to 21.1m households across 50 countries on the African continent. Its track record of more than 30 years is reflective of a commitment to provide audiences with only the best local, sport and international content.
MCG’s strong partnerships with distributors, installers, and telecommunication companies, along with its well-established payment solutions, competitive pricing and choice of viewership packages continue to secure its place in the global market, while also providing solutions unique to the African market. Its direct-to-home (DTH), digital terrestrial television (DTT) and over-the-top (OTT) solutions enable the business to stay relevant and aligned to changing consumer habits while capturing new markets.
Content is at the very core of the business. MCG aims to deliver quality content anywhere, anytime and on any device through a comprehensive video entertainment offering at different price points. As pioneers in African video entertainment, MCG plays an important role in making information and entertainment easily accessible to Africans.
MCG aims to secure content rights in a manner that is cost-effective and reflective of the diversity of its audiences. Its substantial portfolio includes award-winning local content (a key differentiator in its service offering), a leading sports offering (including production capabilities) and access to international content, which is all shared on the group’s platforms: DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net and SuperSport.
MCG has superior technology capability through the security solutions that Irdeto, its technology company, brings to the group. These solutions enable MultiChoice to protect its investment, create new offerings and combat cybercrime. With 50 years’ expertise in software security, Irdeto’s software security solutions and cyber services protect over 5bn devices and applications for some of the world’s best brands.
About S3
S3 is a public commercial television channel – part of the SABC public broadcast network which includes the largest radio and TV platforms in the country. S3’s content bouquet includes cutting edge international programming and high-end local programming. Local content such as the telenovela, Isidingo, series dramas including The Lab and Hard Copy and more recently the award winning The Estate could be found on S3. It was also the go to channel for aspirational lifestyle shows like Top Billing and high-end talent and fame shows like The Weakest Link. The latest international television shows include Killing Eve, Fleabag, Atlanta, Narcos Mexico and Enslaved with Samuel Jackson. S3 has rebranded with the tag line Open Up – a platform dedicated to stimulating curiosity, opening up to difference and entertaining our audiences.
The SAFTAs sit on S3 as SABC has always prioritized local programming and the development of the South African film and television industry. Many of our most prolific producers started their companies with the SABC as the local platform. The SAFTAs celebrates the history of the television and film industry as well as the present programs delivered to multiple networks. S3 remains a partner to the development and creative excellence of the production industry.