MultiChoice won over half of all of the Golden Horn trophies handed out at the 13th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), meaning a massive win for pay-TV in the country but also raising warning lights about the future inclusivity of free-to-air television production at the awards.
MultiChoice scored big at the 13th Saftas that took place on Saturday at Sun City at the National Film and Video Foundation's (NFVF) awards ceremony raking in wins for its streaming service Showmax as well as its M-Net, Mzansi Magic, 1Magic and kykNET channels.
MultiChoice's win-tally however also raises a flickering warning sign about the dangerous dominance of pay-TV content crowding out freely available South African TV content at the awards show.
It's important to note that several production companies responsible for the biggest shows in terms of audience in South African television are actively boycotting the NFVF and the Saftas, with Generations, Muvhango, 7de Laan and Ferguson Films with its The Queen and The Throne that refused to enter the 13th Safta awards.
On Saturday MultiChoice won around 48 awards in total - more than half of the overall total.
MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax won 5 awards - the most out the TV comedy category for the first Showmax Original production Tali's Wedding Diary that got 7 nominations in the 13 comedy categories.
M-Net's 1Magic (Dstv 103) channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform was the most awarded TV channel overall in the telenovela category, with 10 awards, all going to The River, produced by Tshedza Pictures, also making The River the most awarded show at the 13th Saftas.
Lockdown on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) became the most awarded drama show winning 5 awards from 8 nominations, including for Best TV Drama; Dawn Thandeka King as Best Actress, Lorcia Cooper as Best Supporting Actress, Gisellah Mcleod for Best Wardrobe and Babalwa Carol Djieutcheu for Best Hair and Make-up.
Meanwhile Isithembiso on Mzansi Magic became the most awarded soap winning 4 Golden Horn trophies at the 13th Saftas, and Mzansi Magic itself becoming the most-awarded channel overall in the soap category.
Isithembiso won for Best script (Charleen Ntsane, Chris Blomkamp, Daniel Zimbler, Sayitsheni Mdakhi, Iain Paton, Catherine Muller, Libby Dougherty, Andrew Petersen, Mbasa Tsetsana, Sydney DireZoe Arthur, Thabo Boom & Matthew Jankes), Best cinematography (Sevetian Maslamoney and Zeno Petersen), Best editing (Kirsten de Magalhaes, Rian van der Walt, Jeremy Briers, Molatsi Molefe, Martin Mosala, Sphiwe Nhlumayo, Matodzi Nedmungadi, Tshepo Kgatsoetsoe and Brett Anoli), and Best sound (Charles Sijaji and Mark Phillips).
Isibaya won for Best supporting actress (Gcina Mkhize), Best supporting actor (Abdul Khoza), and Best directing (Phiwe Mkhanzi and Sthembiso Mathenjwa).
Vele Manenje won Best supporting actress for Ring of Lies on Mzansi Magic in the telenovela category.
Die Ellen Pakkies Storie on kykNET (DStv 144) became the most awarded feature film at the 13th Saftas, winning 4 awards for Best actress (Jill Levenberg), Best actor (Jarrid Geduld), Best director (Daryne Joshua) and Best music/score (Quinn Lubbe).
kykNET (DStv 144) also became the most-awarded channel overall in the category, winning 9 of the 14 categories.
In addition to Die Ellen Pakkies Storie’s wins, Stroomop won Best supporting actress (Ilse Klink), Kanarie won Best script (Christiaan Olwagen and Charl-Johan Lingenfelder); Meerkat Maantuig won Best cinematography (Willie Nel); Nommer 37 won Best editor (Simon Beesley), and Stroomop won Best make-up and hairstyling (Minuche Bridgette Snyman).
kykNET also won for Hannes Brummer as Best actor in the comedy category for Elke Skewe Pot and the Afrikaans legal drama series Fynskrif on kykNET won Best sound (Stef Albertyn) and Best music/score (Braam du Toit) in the drama category.
The Afrikaans soap Getroud met Rugby on kykNET won Best art direction (Michelle Cronje) in the soap category.
The Afrikaans soap Getroud met Rugby on kykNET won Best art direction (Michelle Cronje) in the soap category.
Other MultiChoice winners included M-Net's (DStv 101) My Kitchen Rules South Africa that won Best international format; Mzansi Magic's Thembi’s Trial that won Best made-for-TV movie, and kykNET's The Rockets 50ste Herdenking Konsert that won Best music show.
"It's a big deal to have so many talented people and productions recognised at these awards - huge congratulations to all the winners," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, in a statement.
"There's a virtuous circle where quality local TV shows and movies attract more interest and more buyers, which in turn means more high-quality output, more jobs and an even stronger industry."
"By creating and funding so many original productions across the MultiChoice stable, I'd like to believe we're playing our part in driving that virtuous circle and in telling Africa’s stories. The fact that we're getting interest in our originals from around the world is a testament to the quality of our industry."
