The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and organisers of the 13th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) decided to quietly dump awarding a winner in the Best Documentary short category after a fight over ownership of the content started.
The NFVF, Saftas organisers and PR company Instinctif didn't bother to alert or notify the media either before or after Saturday night's live broadcast of the 13th Saftas on SABC2 that the best Documentary short category and a winner for it, has been removed from the line-up.
Media like TVwithThinus scrutinising the confusing winners list and comparing it with the issued nominees list, were left wondering whether it was left out by mistake or what is going on, with no clarity whatsoever from the NFVF and no note accompanying the winners list.
After Best Documentary short nominees were announced and part of the official 13th Saftas nominees list in February, the NFVF and Safta organisers at some point in time decided to remove the category due to the dispute, without telling the public.
In February the NFVF announced the three nominees in the Best Documentary short category as "Follow the Guns" from Combined Artistic Productions producing Carte Blanche on M-Net (DStv 101) and that broadcast it on Carte Blanche, Someone to Blame - the Ahmed Timol Inquest from EMS Productions CC that was seen on SABC3, and Scenes from a Dry City from SaltPeter Productions CC.
It's not clear around which one of three nominees there is a fight regarding ownership of the content submitted.
Neither Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF acting CEO and Neo Moretlwe, NFVF communications coordinator, nor the Instinctif PR agency handling media enquiries regarding the 13th Saftas has so far responded to media enquiries TVwithThinus made since Sunday morning and on Monday as to what is going on with the Best Documentary short category.
It's not known whether a winner will be announced for the 13th Saftas for Best Documentary short, or whether the winner is the actual nominee that there is a content ownership problem with.
Also unclear is how the issue will be resolved, if the NFVF is involved, and if - should it be resolved - when and how the winner in the Best Documentary short will get their trophy.
UPDATE Tuesday 5 March 2019 - 10:12:
The Instinctif PR agency issues a "holding statement" from the NFVF saying "The NFVF is an organisation committed to governance, due process and the highest standards of ethical conduct".
"We are aware of the current dispute regarding ownership of some of the content submitted for consideration in our Best Documentary Short award category."
"Until the matter is resolved between the two parties, we have decided to withdraw the awarding of any prizes in that category, as we believe the outcome may have a material impact on the overall determination of the successful nominee."
"While the dispute in no way relates to NFVF business or processes, as the agency mandated to ensure equitable growth of South Africa's film and video industry, we undertake to facilitate a dispute resolution process within the ambit of our mandate during the course of next week."
"We are committed to working with all stakeholders to prioritise a speedy resolution in the interests of both parties."
