AFDA staff, students and alumni bag 16 nominations at 9th Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards

AFDA Durban staff, students and alumni once again have a strong presence at the annual Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards receiving 16 nominations in 12 different categories, with 8 in the acting categories and 6 for the horror feature film “Tokoloshe: The Calling”, directed by Motion Picture Medium lecturer Richard Green. Here are the nominations:

Best Newcomer Actress: TV – Live Performance alumna – Sibogiseni Shezi – Uzala

Best Actress: Film – Live Performance alumna – Sibogiseni Shezi – Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Newcomer Actor: TV – Live Performance alumnus – Fanele Zulu – Durban Gen

Best Newcomer Actress: Film – Live Performance alumna – Landile Xabu – Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Actress: TV – Live Performance alumna – Thuthuka Mthembu – Ehostela

Best Actor: Film – Lecturer – Arish Sirkissoon – Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Actor: Film – Live Performance alumnus – Byron McNeil – Time and Tide

Best Supporting Actor: Film – Live Performance Co-Ordinator – Sir Roelof Twijnstra – Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Director: Film – Motion Picture Medium Lecturer – Richard Green – Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Screenplay: Short Film – Programme Coordinator Motion Picture Programme – Temera Prem – Valliant Anne; Motion Picture Medium alumnus – Tanner Mitchison – Nineteen Eighty Six

Best Feature Film – Richard Green and Arish Sirkissoon – The Tokoloshe: The Calling

Best Documentary Short – Motion Picture Medium alumna – Tiffany Naicker – Liminal

Best Student Film – Nineteen Eighty Six – Tanner Mitchison; A Measure of Distance – Tanner Mitchison; Liminal – Tiffany Naicker

AFDA student films have an extraordinary record at the Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards, having won the Best Student Film award for the last 7 years in a row. What is also remarkable is to see our students and their films nominated in the same categories as professional seasoned filmmakers.

Our Live Performance School graduates are reaping the benefits from the screen acting methodology course introduced at AFDA 5 years ago, with 6 nominations in the acting categories this year. The goal of the methodology is creating star performers who deliver an unforgettable, appealing performance. Stars who hold an audience by modulating complex emotional behaviour of a character when put under extreme pressure and who discover novel emotional behaviour through what the character needs.

The Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela film and television awards recognise outstanding achievement and excellence within the South African Film and Television industry, with a special focus on KwaZulu-Natal. Among those who will be honoured at the awards are actors, producers, directors and various film and television technicians.

The awards are an initiative of the Department of Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs and are implemented by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission. Mr Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela, in whose honour the Film and Television Awards are named, was a legend in both big screen and television. Not only was he South Africa’s first Black film director, he also had a long and successful career which saw him feature in over 34 movies, both nationally and internationally.