AFDA, The School for the Creative Economy, is proud to announce that AFDA students and alumni have received an astonishing, record-breaking 64 nominations in 45 different categories at the 16th Annual South African Film & Television Awards (Saftas). The previous record from AFDA was in 2017 when students and alumni received 46 nominations. This year’s Saftas, with the theme of “Frame the Future”, will be a two-day affair on 2 and 3 September. The main awards ceremony will be a simulcast on Saturday 3 September on SABC3 and Mzansi Magic on DStv.
AFDA alumni received nominations for their work on video streaming services MultiChoice’s Showmax, Netflix South Africa, eMedia Investment’s new eVOD streamer, MNet, Mzanzi Magic and the SABC.
In the feature film section AFDA alumnus Ryan Kruger’s multi award-winning horror film “Fried Barry”, which was made on a shoestring budget, received six nominations including Best Directing and Best Feature Film. AFDA alumni cinematographers picked up all 3 nominations in the Best Cinematography category for the films “I Am All Girls”- Trevor Calverley, “Love, Lies & Hybrids”- Sunel Haasbroek and “Glasshouse”- Justus De Jager. The film “Glasshouse” also had a string of AFDA GQ students that worked as assistants in the cinematography, production design and make-up and styling departments.
The AFDA Cape Town honours Graduation film “Four Walls and a Roof”, produced by Kristin Pienaar and directed by Keelan Nieuwstadt was nominated for Best Student Film. “We are so elated, and humbled by this nomination. Surreal! It is such an honour to be nominated for a SAFTA. All the hard work and time that has gone into this film, it comes as a great affirmation for all of us, a real privilege.” says director Keelan Nieuwstadt.
The multi award-winning documentary feature film “Ï am Here” directed by AFDA alumnus Jordy Sank, picked up four nominations including Best Documentary Feature.
AFDA alumnus Luntu Masiza’s short film “Some Mothers’ Sons” received a nomination for Best Short Film. “We’re so honoured and humbled to be nominated for the SAFTAs in category of best short film among some incredible films. I’m proud of everyone involved in this project and the heart they brought into telling this South African story. Thank you to Mike van Graan for giving us the go ahead to adapt it into a short.” says director Luntu Masiza.
The Netflix SA drama series, “How to Ruin Christmas”, produced and directed by AFDA alumna Rethabile Ramaphakela of Burnt Onion Productions scored a massive 16 nominations. Rethabile received 3 nominations including Best TV Comedy.
“DiepCity”, produced and directed by AFDA alumnus Mandla Ngcongwane (Mandla N) of Black Brain Pictures on Mzansi Magic scooped 10 nominations. Mandla picked up 5 nominations for his roles on “eHostela”, “Boxing Day” and “DiepCity”.
AFDA live performance alumni picked up 6 nominations in the acting categories with Thabo Malema receiving 2.
In the editing categories AFDA alumna Melanie Golden received 3 nominations and AFDA MFA alumnus Richard Starkey picked up 2.
The South African Film and Television Awards is an annual South African awards ceremony hosted by the National Film and Video Foundation, to honour creative excellence in the local film and television industry as assessed by the volunteer judges.
“Last year, we faced our greatest challenge ever post-Covid; this year, we celebrate the connectedness that helped us get through while actively promoting optimism without our local industry,” says Makhosazana Khanyile, NFVF CEO.
“We are looking forward to a remarkable show that will showcase the creative innovation that our local industry has continued to display despite the circumstances that have been faced.”
Here is the full list of the 64 AFDA student and alumni nominations:
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND FOR A DOCUMENTARY
- I Am Here Practitioner: Edward King Production House: Sanktuary Films
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING, DOCUMENTARY
- I Am Here Practitioner: Esther Badenhorst Production House: Sanktuary Films
- I, Mary Practitioner: Jo-Anne Gibbon Production House: Elafos Productions
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
- I Am Here Production House: Sanktuary Films
BEST MADE FOR TV MOVIE
- Boxing Day Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV COMEDY
- Practitioners: Martha Sibanyoni Production House: Burnt Onion Productions
- Blacktax Practitioner: Martha Sibanyoni Production House: Rous House
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TV COMEDY
- Tali’s Baby Diary Practitioners: Richard Starkey Production House: Sketchbook Studios
- How to Ruin Christmas Practitioners: Melanie Golden Production House: Burnt Onion Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING -TV COMEDY
- Tali’s Baby Diary Practitioners: Gilli Apter Production House: Sketchbook Studios
- Blacktax Practitioners: Meren Reddy & Lwazi Mvusi Production House: Rous House
- How to Ruin Christmas Practitioners: Rethabile Ramaphakela, Lwazi Mvusi & Thuso Sibisi Production House: Burnt Onion Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY -TV COMEDY
- Troukoors Practitioner: Fahema Hendricks Production House: Infinity Films
- Tali’s Baby Diary Practitioner: James Adey Production House: Sketchbook Studios
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV COMEDY
- How to Ruin Christmas Practitioners: Rethabile Ramaphakela Production House: Burnt Onion Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – TV DRAMA
- 4 Mure Practitioner: Minke Swart Production House: Marche Media
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV DRAMA
- Is’phindiselo Practitioner: Bryce Bowers Production House: Rous House
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/SCORE – TV DRAMA
- eHostela Practitioners: Mandla Ngcongwane Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV DRAMA
- Blood & Water Practitioner: Christian Joubert Production House: Gambit Films
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TV DRAMA
- Reyka Practitioners: Melanie Sara Golden Production House: Quizzical Pictures
- Jiva Practitioner: Richard Starkey Production House: The Ntintili Factory
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TV DRAMA
- Reyka Practitioner: Tom Marais Production House: Quizzical Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV DRAMA
- Blood & Water Practitioners: Nosipho Ngoasheng, Travis Taute & Daryne Joshua Production House: Gambit Films
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV DRAMA
- Slot Practitioner: Jozua Malherbe Production House: Marche Media
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING –TV SOAP/TELENOVELA
- The Wife Practitioners: Melanie Golden Production House: Stained Glass TV
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TELENOVELA
- DiepCity Practitioners: Rangwetsane Maphike Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA
- House of Zwide Practitioners: Dylan Lloyd Production House: The Bomb Shelter Film Company
- The River Practitioner: Amanda Scholtz Production House: Tshedza Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TELENOVELA
- DiepCity Practitioners: Mandla Ngcongwane Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TELENOVELA
- House of Zwide Practitioners: Zeno Petersen Production House: The Bomb Shelter Film Company
- DiepCity Practitioners: Mandla Ngcongwane Askew Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV SOAP
- Suidooster Practitioners: Helini Handt Production Company: Suidooster Films
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN – FEATURE FILM
- Fried Barry Practitioner: Ebenhaezer Smal (Haezer) & Gustav Stutterheim Production House: The Department of Special Projects/The Machine Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM
- I Am All Girls Practitioner: Waldemar Coetsee Production House: Nthibah Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE – FEATURE FILM
- Fried Barry Practitioner: Ebenhaezer Smal (Haezer) Production House: The Department of Special Projects/The Machine Productions
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – FEATURE FILM
- I Am All Girls Practitioner: Trevor Calverley Production House: Nthibah Pictures
- Love, Lies & Hybrids Practitioners: Sunel Haasbroek Production House: Penguin Films
- Glasshouse Practitioner: Justus De Jager Production House: Local Motion Pictures
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – FEATURE FILM
- Love, Lies & Hybrids Practitioners: Tristram Atkins Production House: Penguin Films
BEST STUDENT FILM
- Four Walls and A Roof (The Jozi Film Festival) Producer: Kristin Pienaar, Director: Keelan Nieuwstadt
BEST SHORT FILM
- Some Mothers’ Sons – Producer & Director Luntu Masiza WF TV Woordfees
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SOAP
- Thabo Malema (Bohang) – Scandal (e.TV) Production House: Ochre Media
BEST TV SOAP
- Suidooster (kykNET, kykNet & Kie) Production House: Suidooster Films
BEST TELENOVELA
- The Wife (Showmax) Production House: Stained Glass TV
- DiepCity (Mzansi Magic) Production House: Black Brain Pictures
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA
- Xolile Tshabalala – Blood & Water (Netflix) Production House: Gambit Films
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA
- Nqobile Nunu Khumalo (Nqobile Nkosi) – Nqobile (Mzansi Magic) Production House: Avad Media
BEST TV DRAMA
- Slot (Kyknet) Production House: Marche Media
- 4 Mure (kykNET) Production House: Marche Media
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY
- Thabo Malema – African Dreams (SABC1) Production House: Busabuntu Pictures
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY
- Shamilla Miller (Megan Markle) – Comedy Mixtape (SABC2) Production House: Taylor Made Productions
BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY
- Motlatsi Mafatshe (Nkanyiso) – Blacktax (BET) Production House: Rous House
BEST TV COMEDY
- How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix) Production House: Burnt Onion Productions
BEST ACHIVEMENT IN DIRECTING – FEATURE FILM
- Fried Barry – (DStv BoxOffice, Cinema Premiere) Practitioner: Ryan Kruger Production House: The Department of Special Projects/The Machine Productions
BEST FEATURE FILM
- Fried Barry (DStv BoxOffice, Cinema Premiere) Production House: The Department of Special Projects/The Machine Productions
BEST TV PRESENTER (PUBLIC VOTE)
- Motlatsi Mafatshe – Unefa (Mzansi Magic) Production House Thirdstrand Media
MOST POPULAR TV SOAP OR TELENOVELLA (PUBLIC VOTE)
- DiepCity (Mzansi Magic) Production House: Black Brain Pictures
- Suidooster (kykNET, kykNET & Kie) Production House: Suidooster Films
