by Thinus Ferreira
In a bizarre move, the new Afrikaans TV awards added this year to the existing Silwerskermfilmfees film awards - a film festival organised by M-Net's kykNET division - is limited to just kykNET shows and talent, with virtually every show and every talent on just kykNET up for a prize.
The 11th kykNET Silwerskermfees film festival takes place during the last week of August with the awards show set for Saturday 26 August from Cape Town's International Convention Centre (CTICC), and which will be broadcast the following night on 27 August on kykNET (DStv 144) at 20:00.
Earlier this month kykNET announced that it's widening its Afrikaans film awards held as the closer of its annual kykNET Silwerskermfees film festival held in Camps Bay, Cape Town, to celebrate and honour the best of Afrikaans television as well.
When kykNET revealed the nominees on Wednesday, it turns out that the "best" of Afrikaans television are purportedly just kykNET shows, excluding Afrikaans television not part of kykNET.
While the Silwerskermfilmfees film festival includes Afrikaans and other films in other languages commissioned and financially paid for and supported by MultiChoice, M-Net and kykNET, the film festival is also open to and inclusive of Afrikaans and other films that do not belong to MultiChoice or kykNET and which have not received financial support or funding from the Randburg-based pay-TV operator.
While the Silwerskermfilmfees film festival - and its film awards competition - has been and continues to be inclusive and inviting of a film slate larger than just kykNET-supported Afrikaans filmmaking, its new TV awards is however being limited to strictly just kykNET's Afrikaans TV content.
Afrikaans programming and shows produced by production companies for, for instance, Media24's VIA (DStv 147) Afrikaans lifestyle channel, the South African public broadcaster's SABC2, eMedia and e.tv, or Afrikaans video streaming services carrying Afrikaans TV content like Jou Afrikaans (JA) or AfriForumTV are all being excluded by kykNET from being eligible for its Silwerskermfees Afrikaans TV awards that it says will honour "top television".
"It is high time that, in addition to the excellent work in film, we also celebrate outstanding contributions on our kykNET channels," says Waldimar Pelser, director of M-Net premium channels, in a statement, about the nominees for the Silwerskermfilmfees film festival's new TV awards.
"Without their exceptional talent, we wouldn't be able to keep our viewers glued to the box. It is a privilege to thank them with the nominations and awards."
Across 21 categories which will each yield a winner that's the best in Afrikaans television according to kykNET, kykNET nominated virtually every conceivable show and talent available on kykNET.
Included in kykNET's list of nominees is everything and everyone from so-called reality housewives to advertiser-funded shows (AFPs), as well as a whopping 10 nominees for a category called Best Ensemble Presenting Team - a category that oddly excludes the channel's two most-likely winners in such a category, its flagship magazine shows Kwêla and Bravo! both produced by Homebrew Films.
TVwithThinus asked kykNET why only kykNET TV programming has neem nominated for the Afrikaans TV awards.
kykNET publicist Herchelle Benjamin in response to the media query didn't provide any definite answer and said the awards honour the best films making their debut at the festival but for the first time "we are also celebrating the exceptional talent which ensured top entertainment on our kykNET channels over the past year".
Asked who was responsible for choosing the nominees for the different 21 categories, kykNET declined to provide any names.
