Wednesday, February 25, 2015

2015's 9th Saftas nominees announcement sees voters vote dropped for best soap and best TV presenter categories added.


The announcement Tuesday night of the 9th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) was once again an amateur affair, with the SABC's soap Generations on SABC1 - like with the 2015 Royalty Soapie Awards - shut out since it went off air in 2014.

In a major departure the Saftas are dumping the viewers' vote for best soapie. The Saftas judges now shortlist the nominees in the best soap category and will choose either Binnelanders (kykNET), Rhythm City (e.tv) or Isibaya (Mzansi Magic) as the winner in the category.

Instead the NFVF and Saftas have adding several TV presenters categories. The Saftas' various film categories are a convoluted mess.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced the list of nominees for the 2015 Saftas on Tuesday night at Atlas Studios in Johannesburg but NFVF CEO and Saftas chairperson Zama Mkosi didn't attend - she was in Brazil at the Rio content market.

The Saftas will this year take place on 20 and 22 March at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.

The Saftas aim to honour the excellence of the South African film and TV industry with Golden Horn trophies but every year the local TV awards ceremony is marred by a botched in memoriam segment which leaves out notable people the industry lost in the previous year, as well as a litany of mistakes and shoddy production values that make viewers and the industry cringe in embarrassment.

Like with the 2015 Royalty Soapie Awards SABC1's Generations - The Legacy has been shut out.

According to the Saftas "Generations did not participate partly due to the soapie being off television screens for a considerable amount of time".

Mzansi Magic's Isibaya, SABC3's Isidingo, SABC1's Skeem Saam and SABC2's 7de Laan received the most nominations.

The Saftas has added a best presenters categories with people like Bonang Matheba, Lungile Radu, Phat Joe, Thembi Seete, eNCA's Jeremy Maggs and several others being nominated in various categories.

Best TV dramas nominees are Swartwater (SABC2), 90 Plein Street (SABC2) and Donkerland (kykNET).

Best TV comedy nominees are StarSat's ZA News: Puppet Nation, Check Coast and Lastborn Does the Loeries.

Best reality show nominees are the cancelled Kabelo Boot Camp (Mzansi Magic), Ultimate Braai Master (e.tv) and I Want to Sing Gospel (SABC2).

Best film nominees are Inumber Number, Faan se Trein and Four Corners.

The Saftas awards show will once again be produced by Clive Morris Productions.