-- -- The 14th South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs) ceremony was held on social media platform, across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in an effort to still honour the South African film and television industry despite the nationwide lockdown. Hosted by radio and TV personality, Dineo Ranaka, the virtual awards took place after several delays at 22h50 on 29 April.
The big winners at this year's SAFTAs were Tshedza Pictures, scooping 17 awards in total. South Africa's official Oscars entry for 2019, Knuckle City bagged six wins having had a successful international festival run. South Africa's Best Television Presenter Award voted for by the public was Hectic on 3's Entle Bizana, with the Most Popular TV Soap/Telenovela award going to Imbewu.
Making another appearance as a sponsor, for two years in a row, local short and long-term insurer Kunene Makopo Risk Solutions (KMRS) sponsored the Best Actor in a Telenovela & Best Actress in a Telenovela categories with cash prizes to the value of R50 000. Commenting on their involvement in celebrating South African Talent, Thapelo Mokoena and Siyanda Kunene said: We were more than happy to come on board in supporting South African Talent for the second year in a row. Our business seeks to support its clients at every avenue of their journey. Our local talent needs our support now more than ever. It's a challenging time for the industry and this was our opportunity to say we appreciate their efforts in entertaining South Africans. We congratulate Sindi Dlathu and Roberto Kyle for their wins at this year's SAFTAs.
It is an incredibly bittersweet moment to congratulate all the SAFTAs 14 winners whilst they could not experience a full celebration of their hard work. We thank the industry for understanding and supporting the NFVF in the difficult decisions that had to be made during this crisis and the NFVF is fully committed to ensuring that the industry gets as much support as it needs during a time where livelihoods are heavily impacted. We are grateful to Kunene Makopo Risk Solutions whose cash prize comes at a much needed time, and we look forward to partnering with them again in 2021. We have a lot of sponsors who started the journey with us who, due to financial constraints, were forced to pull out their sponsorships and we extend our heartfelt thanks to them and look forward to renewing partnerships in 2021, said NFVF CEO Makhosazana Khanyile
The SAFTAs14 winners are:
Best Short Film The Letter Reader
Best Student Film - Moya
Best Achievement in Directing Telenovela The River (Ferry Jele, Catharine Cooke, Zolani Phakade & Johnny Barbuzano)
Best Achievement in Directing TV Soap Rhythm City (Eric Mogale)
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting Telenovela The River (Gwydion Beynon, Phathutshedzo Makwarela, Christa Biyela, Lebogang Mogashoa & Mamello Lebona)
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting TV Soap Getroud met Rugby (Writing team)
Best Achievement In Original Music/Score Telenovela Isibaya (Philip Miller)
Best Achievement in Editing Telenovela The River (Bongi Malefo, Matodzi Nemungadi & Ula Oelsen)
Best Achievement in Sound TV Soap/Telenovela The River (Ben Oelsen, Juli Vanden Berg & Tladi Steven Mabuya)
Best Achievement in Cinematography Telenovela The River (Alice Mataboge)
Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling TV Soap/Telenovela The River (Bongi Mlotshwa)
Best Achievement in Art Direction TV Soap/Telenovela Arendsvlei (Beatrix van Zyl)
Best Actress Telenovela Sindi Dlathu (The River)
Best Actor Telenovela Roberto Kyle (Arendsvlei)
Best Supporting Actress Telenovela -Mary-Anne Barlow (The River)
Best Supporting Actor- Telenovela Loyiso MacDonald (The Queen)
Best Actress-TV Soap Denise Newman (Suidooster)
Best Actor-TV Soap Bongile Mantsai (Scandal!)
Best Supporting Actress TV Soap Kgomotso Christopher (Scandal!)
Best Supporting Actor TV Soap Mncedisi Shabangu (Rhythm City)
Best TV Soap Rhythm City (Quizzical Pictures)
Best Telenovela The River (Tshedza Pictures)
Best Achievement in Directing TV Drama The Republic (Johnny Barbuzano & Rea Rangaka)
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting TV Drama The Republic (Phathutshedzo Makwarela & Gwydion Beynon)
Best Achievement in Editing TV Drama Spreeus (Leon Visser)
Best Achievement in Sound TV Drama The Republic (Ben Oelsen & Juli Vanden Berg)
Best Achievement in Original Music/Score-TV Drama Spreeus (Pierre-Henri Wicomb)
Best Achievement in Art Direction TV Drama Shadow (Christelle van Graan)
Best Achievement in Wardrobe TV Drama Ifalakhe (Heidi Riss, Monique Lamprecht & Nerine Pienaar)
Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling TV Drama Ifalakhe (Ronwyn Jarrett)
Best Achievement in Cinematography TV Drama The Republic (Ntobeko Dlamini)
Best Actress-TV Drama Florence Masebe (The Republic)
Best Actor -TV Drama Wiseman Mncube (eHostela)
Best Supporting Actress TV Drama Brenda Ngxoli (iThemba)
Best Supporting Actor TV Drama Seputla Sebogodi (The Republic)
Best TV Drama The Republic (Tshedza Pictures)
Best Achievement in Directing Documentary Feature Buddha in Africa (Nicole Schafer)
Best Achievement in Cinematography Documentary The Sound of Masks (Sara Gouveia)
Best Achievement in Editing Documentary The Fun's Not Over The James Phillips Story (Michael Cross)
Best Achievement in Sound Documentary Feature Dying for Gold ( Catherine Meyburgh, Guy Steer & Mapula Lehong)
Best Documentary Feature- Buddha in Africa (Thinking Strings Media)
Best Natural History and Environmental Programme - STROOP: Journey into the Rhino Horn War (Scott & de Bod Films)
Best Competition Reality Show Ultimate Braai Master (Okuhle Media)
Best Structured or Docu-reality Show Living the Dream with So
