NFVF apologises for omissions to nominees list for 15th SAFTAs with film Griekwastad and The Animation School increasing their nomination tallies.

by Thinus Ferreira

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is apologising for leaving the names of some nominees off the list for the upcoming 15th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) with the Afrikaans film Griekwastad, The Animation School and Green Leaf Films all getting a further chance at possibly winning a Golden Horn statuette.

The 15th SAFTAs, with Anneke de Ridder as executive producer, will be broadcast on Saturday 22 May, with a virtual half-hour "red carpet" broadcast starting at 18:30 and the 2-hour live broadcast that will start at 19:00 on the night and that will be a simulcast show on the SABC's S3 and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).

In the category for Best short film, Address unknown from Green Leaf Films joins the existing three nominees of Heirloom (Butterfly Films), The Stranger (TH Films) and Uxolile (Zinc Pictures).

In the category for Best Student Film, Fowl Goblin from The Animation School joins Binding Adventures, Flower in the Subway and The Boy and the Robin that are all The Animation School nominees as well, taking its overall tally from 3 to 4 nominations.

In the category of Best achievement in directing for a feature film, Jozua Malherbe for Griekwastad (kykNET, DStv 144) is also a nominee and joins Jenna Bass for Flatland (DStv BoxOffice), Sunu Gonera for Riding with Sugar (Netflix) and Louw Venter for Stam (DStv BoxOffice). 

The additional nomination of Griekwastad for Jozua Malherbe means that the film increases its tally from 6 to 7 and that kykNET adds another nod, as well as Jozua Malherbe who is also nominated in the category for Best achievement in cinematography for a feature film.

The NFVF was asked why how the mistakes happened and who is responsible for checking the final SAFTAs nominees list issued to the media but the organisation didn't answer the question.

Neo Moretlwe, NFVF spokesperson, in response to a media enquiry says that "The NFVF on behalf of the SAFTAs would like to extend a sincere apology for SAFTAs nominees that were not captured on the initial list shared. This was an unintentional error that we have since rectified".

ALSO READ: FULL NOMINEES LIST for 2021's 15th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs): Tshedza Pictures leads with 12 nominations each for The River on 1Magic and Legacy on M-Net.