Swiss period drama Silent Rebellion wins 8th Joburg Film Festival as biz takes SA government to task: 'Films are not a side project - it's an economy' (full winners list)

by Thinus Ferreira

The Swiss period drama Silent Rebellion (À bras-le-corps) scooped both the Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography prizes at Saturday night's award ceremony for 2026's 8th Joburg Film Festival in Sandton, with Variations on a Theme (pictured) winning as Best African Film.

Directed by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, the World War 2-era drama Silent Rebellion received a Nguni Horn alongside winners from a range of selections at the awards show held at the Theatre on the Square.

Veteran producer Harriet Gavshon was presented with the lifetime achievement award for her contribution over decades to the South African TV and film industry.

Tim Mangwedi, founder and director of the Joburg Film Festival, said he "wanted to acknowledge the context we are all working in".

"The South African film and television industry has been under pressure for a while."

Addressing the South African government, Tim Mangwedi said the Joburg Film Festival will continue "in a way that sustainable, that is advocating for an industry environment that works. It means partnerships that work. It means that films are not a side project - it's an economy. It's a real business. It's a serious business."

His remarks came as South Africa's government still seems to do little about the shambolic state of the country's film rebate system, which sees international producers no longer opting to film here, costing jobs and large projects, while local producers are also starved in rebates they quality for.

The government department of trade, industry and competition (DTIC) owes the sector over R600 billion in unpaid film rebates which were approved and haven't done any new further adjudications for producers to qualify for funding since February 2024. 

On Saturday night "Shirley Adonisi, channel director for local entertainment at Canal+'s MultiChoice, on stage said "African storytelling is one of the most exciting creative forces anywhere in the world".

Shirley Adonisi said that new MultiChoice owner Canal+ will continue to invest in African content and will remain a supporter of the Joburg Film Festival "because our missions are aligned".

"We want to see African and South African films take up more space - not quietly but boldly, the way we do it as Africans."

"We know that local content matters, local languages matter, authenticity matters, the presentation matters. Our audiences want to see themselves fully and truthfully on the screen and we are committed to delivering that across our channels and our broader entertainment platforms."

"We continue to invest in new productions, telenovelas, miniseries, films, documentaries and many more. These are not just shows - they are jobs, playing grounds, springboards and cultural stepping stones."

"We will continue to unearth new talent and emerging voices, and broadcast stories that shift perspectives and open possibilities."

Here are the 8th Joburg Film Festival category winners:

Best Feature Film - Silent Rebellion

Best African Film - Variations On A Theme

Best Cinematography - Silent Rebellion

Best Edit - Broken Voices

Best Documentary - Let Them Be Seen

Best Short Film - Stero

Best Student Film - The Silent Inheritance

Young Voices Competition Winner - Umxoxiso

Special Recognition - Harriet Gavshon

NASTY. A press release about M-Net, Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle was given to The Hollywood Reporter 'exclusively' before South Africa's media about the casting for its new drama series White Lies.

by Thinus Ferreira

In a very nasty and extremely insulting move, a press release about South Africa's M-Net (DStv 101), Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle with a general announcement (that it will only be send to South Africa's media on Wednesday morning) has been given to America's The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday evening about the new 8-episode local South African series White Lies which will soon start filming in Cape Town with British actor Natalie Dormer.

Utterly dissing South Africa's publications, journalists and media who are good enough to constantly report on M-Net's news and convey its information to the local TV and film industry, the general press release about M-Net was sent to The Hollywood Reporter to appear as an "exclusive".

In this general press release published as an "exclusive" - although the exact same information will be sent to other media - M-Net "announces" that the Game of Thrones starlet Natalie Dormer is in Cape Town for White Lies which will start principal photography on 6 March together with South African actor Brendon Daniels as detective Forty Bell.

In a big middle finger to South Africa's own media - although MultiChoice and M-Net continue to do lip service about how it supports local - M-Net will send the same general press release out to South Africa's media but only on Wednesday morning. 

Meanwhile an American media outlet had already published it - with South African media getting it half a day after giving it was already given to foreign media first.

It appears as if M-Net and Quizzical Pictures have a lack of understanding about why South African journalists and publications won't bother covering White Lies later, why they find this type of behaviours offensive within a media environment, and why local South African media will be resistant to give the show any actual exposure in print and otherwise, later.

What is really happening and being communicated, is that PR people are actively and directly angering and disrespecting local South African media, editors and journalists - upfront showing them that they presumably matter "less" than American media when it comes to M-Net getting a press release "exclusives" in overseas media.

Besides Natalie Dormer, The White Lies cast of the M-Net series will also star Langley Kirkwood, Morgan Santo, Daniel Schultz, Jane de Wet, Katlego Lebogang, Robert Hobbs and Athenkosi Mfamela.

M-Net in the press release describes White Lies as a "murder mystery series" which was created by Sean Steinberg and written by Darrel Bristow-Bovey. The series will purportedly "explore race, privilege, and inequality".

According to the M-Net general press release which M-Net will only send to South African media on Wednesday, "White Lies is set in the wealthy neighbourhood of Bishopscourt, Cape Town and sees Dormer taking on the role of an investigative journalist Edie Hansen, who gets caught up in the ugly underbelly that lies beneath the picturesque beauty of the city".

"Following her estranged brother's murder in his luxury home, Edie's world plunges deeper into chaos when her brother's teenage children become prime suspects for the crime."

"As Edie investigates, she finds herself at loggerheads with veteran detective Forty Bell, and grapples with the crumbling local police force, a corrupt political system, and the secretive world of extreme Cape wealth," M-Net says.

In a prepared quote in M-Net's press release, Natalie Dormer says she is apparently "thrilled to be in Cape Town and begin this beautiful, gripping show. South Africa has so much to offer an international audience in its storytelling".

"I'm truly excited to bring Darrel''s 8-episode page-turner to life with such a group of talented directors, led by John, and a superb ensemble cast," Natalie Dormer says in the general press release that M-Net didn't want to send to South African media on Tuesday.

There is also a prepared quote from Harriet Gavshon, Quizzical Pictures creative director and White Lies producer, in the press release.

She says "We are very happy to be working again with our partners at M-Net and Fremantle, and especially delighted to have Natalie Dormer join our South African cast. Once again, we are happy to showcase the wealth of South African talent both behind and in front of the camera".

M-Net also has a prepared quote in the general press release from Waldimar Pelser, M-Net's director of premium channels.

"White Lies brings together an exceptional creative team and stellar cast in a riveting story set in Cape Town, an iconic city with great natural beauty but also hidden undercurrents."

"We believe White Lies will resonate with series lovers locally and globally. Partnerships such as this one with Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle give shows the best shot at reaching their full potential, and cements M-Net's reputation as the home of world-class entertainment."

Unfortunately, and ironically, what is actively getting damaged here is M-Net's reputation with local media through very disingenuous PR general press release distribution decisions.

Quizzical Pictures COO Odirile Mekwa upped as new managing director after acquiring a stake in the production company, Harriet Gavshon shifting to creative director role.

by Thinus Ferreira

The chartered accountant Odirile Mekwa who has been chief operating officer (COO) of Quizzical Pictures is becoming its new managing director after acquiring a stake in the South African production company, replacing producer Harriet Gavshon who is becoming creative director.

Quizzical Pictures is now 71% black-owned. Andile Khumalo is the majority shareholder in Quizzical Pictures, with the balance owned by founders Harriet Gavshon and David Jimmy. Harriet Gavshon who has been running Quizzical Pictures for the past 28 years is moving to the creative director role.

The rest of the Quizzical Pictures management team consists of JP Potgieter as senior producer and Nimrod Geva as head of development, with Kwena Ngoasheng as financial manager.

Quizzical Pictures has produced numerous TV series for various South African TV channels over the past almost three decades, including a number of international co-productions. 

Established in 1993 as Weekly Mail Television, then Mail and Guardian Television, the production company was spun out in 1999 as Curious Pictures and rebranded as Quizzical Pictures in 2012.

The production company produced shows like the first Showmax Original drama series, The Girl from St. Agnes for MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, and the last few years the drama series Reyka and Desert Rose for M-Net (DStv 101), Swartwater for SABC2, the long-running Rhythm City weekday soap for e.tv, and Savage Beauty for Netflix Africa as one of the first original series for Netflix South Africa.

Other series include Lithapo for SABC2, MTV Shuga Down South for Viacom Africa now Paramount Africa, MasterChef SA for M-Net, Hard Copy for SABC3, Umlilo for e.tv, Intersexions for SABC1, and several others.

Recently Quizzical Pictures has strategically been eyeing more and more international co-productions and international sales for series filmed in South Africa,

Odirile Mekwa says "These are most exciting times for African content producers. There is a growing appetite for our stories. The last few years have seen Quizzical Pictures, and our peers integrate into an increasingly global television and film marketplace. This development is transforming our industry and business practices at a fast pace".

"This growth makes us very excited for the future as it affords us the opportunity to share our ever-improving expertise and storytelling with our traditional customer base, and now also with business partners from across borders and continents."

Harriet Gavshon says "I am excited about our upcoming slate of co-productions and projects and delighted to have the space to give them the attention they deserve".

The cast and crew of e.tv's canned Rhythm City thought they were called together to be congratulated for their hard work and ratings during Covid-19 - then they were told they're fired during a cold speech.

by Thinus Ferreira

Just before the axe came down on e.tv's canned Rhythm City soap, the cast and crew thought that they were being called together to be congratulated for their hard work and ratings during the Covid-19 pandemic - but then they got fired during a "cold and clinical" speech.

On Friday e.tv shocked South Africa's TV industry when it suddenly announced that after 13 years it's over for its Rhythm City weekday prime time soap produced by Quizzical Pictures. 

On Sunday the City Press newspaper reported that the Rhythm City cast and crew were called together for an e.tv meeting, allegedly under the guise of it being a "meet-and-greet" session, only to be "let down" by the terrible cancellation news.

"The speech was cold and clinical. Everyone just had a look on their faces like: What am I going to do?" Rhythm City insiders at Sasani Studios said.

They thought that the e.tv team was coming to congratulate and to praise them for their perseverance and hard work through the Covid-19 pandemic crisis that even saw the production shut down more than once this year.

"It was a surprise as the show has been doing well. You don't can a successful show," a source said.

e.tv declined to say why it decided to cancel Rhythm City other than to say that it's been axed as "part of a business strategy". Marlon Davids, e.tv managing director, in a statement said that "e.tv continues to look forward to fulfilling its mandate of producing exceptional and relevant local content".

After 13 years Rhythm City, executive produced by Harriet Gavshon, will end with its final episode on 16 July 2021 with e.tv that plans to replace it with another daily drama series.

According to e.tv, Rhythm City's "on-air life cycle" is apparently not good enough for the channel anymore, with e.tv that took the decision to can Rhythm City after having reviewed the show's "on-air life cycle".

e.tv doesn't specifically mention any financial reasons for Rhythm City's cancellation in its surprising press statement, yet it stands to reason that Rhythm City's axing is because the soap is likely no longer profitable for e.tv, or is loss-making, or is no longer making enough money for the commercial free-to-air broadcaster.

A combination of ratings and profitability are the main drivers behind the fate of series and programming on commercial TV channels and Rhythm City is clearly no longer making sense as a "keeper" for e.tv within this matrix.

e.tv that doesn't want to give any specific reasons for Rhythm City's cancellation in its press release for something that is a long-running show, will fuel speculation within South Africa's TV industry and under viewers and fans as to what exactly led to its demise.

Rhythm City, created by Rolie Nikiwe and Neil McCarthy, made its broadcast debut on e.tv on 9 July 2007 and was the replacement for the struggling youth-focused Backstage - it was instantly much more popular and gave e.tv a foot in the door in the production of scripted, local South African prime time content that could pull significant ratings.

Rhythm City peaked at almost 5.2 million viewers in 2020 and has consistently ranked amongst the Top 10 most-watched prime time soap operas in South Africa, with its cancellation catching South Africa's TV industry by surprise.

In October Rhythm City pulled 4.04 million viewers at its monthly highwater mark in its 19:00 timeslot, making it the second most-watched show on the e.tv schedule behind Scandal! with 5.1 million viewers. 

In May this year, Rhythm City won the Best TV Soap award at 2020's 14th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas).

 

ALSO READ: e.tv cancels Rhythm City after 13 years, Quizzical Pictures produced daily soap opera to end in July 2021 as part of unexplained 'business strategy' and will be replaced by another daily drama series.

Risque new local Showmax series, The Girl from St. Agnes, releases official trailer; drama might shock some viewers, won't shy away from nudity and divisive topics avoided by other local South African shows.

The video streaming service Showmax has released its official trailer for its first locally produced drama series, The Girl from St. Agnes, with the risque series that might shock some conservative South African viewers and will likely come with a high age-restriction as the show won't shy away from nudity and divisive topics generally avoided by other locally produced TV series.

"South Africans normally turn to HBO series on Showmax for edgy content, rather than local series, which tend to be a lot more conservative, with nudity and divisive topics generally avoided. But conservative isn't a word anyone's going to use for The Girl From St. Agnes," says Showmax about the 8-episode series revolving around the murder mystery of a pupil at a private all-girls school.

The Girl from St. Agnes, produced by Quizzical Pictures and managing director and producer Harriet Gavshon, will become available on Showmax from 31 January and is distributed internationally by Red Arrow Studios International. 

"When I read the scripts, I absolutely loved them. They go to the heart of the story. The fact that it's on Showmax allows it to really go there," says actor Robert Hobbs.

"There are no limitations in terms of broadcasting this - no old-school rules and regulations about what you can show live. You don't have to imply stuff; we can experience it. That is its strength. That's what makes it unique."

"Sometimes it's nice to watch something with a satisfying ending, like finding out who killed Lexi Summerveld (Jane De Wet) and why," says actress Nina Milner playing the role of Kate Ballard. "The Girl From St. Agnes has that formula that the whole world has gone mad for: shorter seasons of extremely binge-able criminal content."

Zakeeya Patel who also has a role says she "read the scripts all in one sitting, so I'm so happy that all eight episodes will be released at the same time. Once I started reading them I couldn't stop ... I literally pulled my car over on the side of the road to finish them. It was dangerous but I needed to finish them. So I went into a parking lot and motored through them on my phone, in tiny, tiny writing."

The Girl from St. Agnes was filmed in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and Johannesburg with casting director Moonyeenn Lee, who handpicked the cast consisting of Nina Milner, Tyrone Keogh, Robert Hobbs, Graham Hopkins; as well as Tessa Jubber, Karl Thaning, Shamilla Miller, Jane de Wet, Paige Bonnin, Tristan de Beer; and including Zakeeya Patel, Makgotso M, Celeste Khumalo and Jocelyn Broderick.

Catharine Cooke and Cindy Lee are the co-directors.

M-Net and Fremantle partner up with new 8-episode KZN sugarfields set crime drama thriller, Reyka, produced by Quizzical Pictures and Serena Cullen Productions.

M-Net and Fremantle have announced a new jointly done crime drama series, Reyka, that will be filmed in South Africa and distributed internationally, and that will be co-produced by Serena Cullen Productions in the United Kingdom and South Africa's Quizzical Pictures.

Reyka as a contemporary crime thriller in 8 episodes, will be shown on M-Net (DStv 101) will be distributed globally by Fremantle.

M-Net tells TVwithThinus that production of Reyka will start in early-2019, with a local broadcast date on the M-Net 101 channel that has to be confirmed. 

Reyka, titled after the lead character Reyka Gama, is set against the tropical coastline and vast sugarcane fields of KwaZulu-Natal, and will follow the story of a flawed by brilliant female detective, haunted by her past.

Reyka will start in 1994 at the end of apartheid and a new dawn in South Africa as Reyka, the 11-year old daughter of African and British parents is abducted. Having escaped her tormentor, she now lives her life as a mother and investigative detective.

Reyka returns to her home town to lead the investigation into a serial killer who is behind a string of brutal murders where victims' burnt bodies are being found in sugarcane fields. 

"Caught between hope for new beginnings and living with the horrors of the past, Reyka's worlds collide and reveal a dark secret of her own," says M-Net and Fremantle in a statement.

Reyka is created by screenwriter and showrunner Rohan Dickson, with the UK-based Jake Riddell as story consultant and writer.

Reyka will be jointly produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions in the United Kingdom and Harriet Gavshon of Quizzical Pictures in South Africa. 

The executive producers are Serena Cullen, Harriet Gavshon and Rohan Dickson. Jan du Plessis will executive produce for M-Net and Sarah Doole for Fremantle.

Yolisa Phahle, CEO of general entertainment at the MultiChoice Group, says "This partnership with Fremantle is the perfect way to shine the spotlight on the African film and television industry and provides compelling new stories for global audiences beyond African shores".

"With more than 13.5 million subscribers in Africa and several international awards for our scripted content, we are already the leading African storyteller on the continent. With an esteemed distributor like Fremantle at our side, we can now share our talent and unique content globally."

Sarah Doole, Fremantle's director of global drama, says "We are proud to partner with MultiChoice Group for our first South African drama. A compelling story, Reyka brings modern day South Africa and its rainbow nation of different communities and cultures to the global stage".

"Reyka is a very distinctive lead and watching her complex life unfold in this diverse landscape adds a new dimension to the crime drama genre."

Public prosecutor goes to prison in intriguing new local drama series, Diamond City, on SABC1.

With no help, no hope and no resources, a public prosecutor has to try and prove her innocence in the intriguing new local SABC1 prison drama series Diamond City starring Noxee Maqashalala and starting on Sunday at 20:00.

Produced by Quizzical Pictures with director Rea Rangaka, Zandile (Noxee Maqashalala) is South Africa's most prolific public prosecutor - until she gets deceived and framed by the very person she trusted most and must prepare for the criminal trial of her life.

After getting closer and closer to unraveling a big conspiracy, Zandile is framed and finds herself in jail where she must now try to survive while gathering evidence from inside the very same jail she has sent other women to.

The 13-episode Diamond City - the title a play on the Johannesburg Correctional Centre jail, ironically also known as "Sun City" - will depict the brutal world in which the main character of Zandile now finds herself in as she tries to prove her innocence.

Besides starring in the lead role, Noxee Maqashalala is also an executive producer of Diamond City, along with Harriet Gavshon and JP Potgieter, with the series written by Nonzi Bogatsu.

Zandile's reality is worse than she could have ever imagined: Not only are the conditions appalling, the guards abusive and the hopelessness crushing but she is also about to face a number of women whom she last saw when she was the one who got them sent to jail.

Besides Noxee Mawashalala, the Diamond City cast includes Thabang Molaba (Mak), Lehlohonolo Makoko (Skhosana), Angela Sithole (Pearl), Ilse Klink (Abida), Makgano Mamabolo in the role of Rosina, alongside acting veterans Fiona Ramsay and Seputla Sebogodi.

Music biz set soap Rhythm City from Quizzical Pictures on e.tv celebrates a decade on South African TV; promises 'more gripping storylines'.

Rhythm City on e.tv is celebrating a decade on the air since the weekday soap set inside South Africa's music business started on the red letter channel on 9 July 2007, promising "more gripping storylines".

With some of the soap's original cast like Jamie Bartlett, Sethabi Taunyane, Mduduzi Mabaso, Mpho Molepo and Tebogo Khalo still seen in the popular local weekday drama, the actors and crew last week celebrated the 10th birthday with a lavish Johannesburg birthday bash.

In June 2007 e.tv cancelled the low-rated youth soap Backstage that failed to lure viewers, but to the channel's credit, e.tv believed that the channel must have a local weekday soap and gave it another try with Rhythm City, produced by Quizzical Pictures (formerly Curious Pictures).

The soap, its characters and its intrigue - set against the backdrop of the fast-paced South African music industry with drama taking viewers from the streets and clubs of Soweto to the recording studios and radio stations of Johannesburg - instantly found bigger appeal under e.tv viewers.

Moved from 18:30 to the 19:00 timeslot in January 2015 opposite SABC3's Isidingo that remains in a ratings struggle, e.tv's Rhythm City now commands a sizeable audience of 3.5 million viewers. It perennially remains the second most watched show on e.tv just behind e.tv's other soap, Scandal, as a lucrative half hour of prime time programming for the channel.

"Rhythm City is one of e.tv's flagship shows, drawing audiences to the channel who are looking for their dose of daily drama," says Marlon Davids, e.tv's managing director. "We are delighted with the way both the show and e.tv have evolved over the past 10 years and look forward to reaching more milestones together".

"When we started working on Rhythm City, we didn't think that we would still be going this strong 10 years later," says Harriet Gavshon, Rhythm City executive producer at Quizzical Pictures. "Creating gripping storylines for a daily soapie is challenging, but it's a challenge that we take on with gusto."

Besides stories revolving around the struggles as well as the glamour and excess of the local music biz, Rhythm City touched several sensitive and controversial subjects besides the backstabbing and in-fighting that characterises the serialised nature of a soap, ranging from abortion, homosexuality, rape, HIV/Aids and drug addiction to violence against women.

Some of it did land Rhythm City and e.tv in hot water, like last year when the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) found the soap "shockingly inapprioriate" with woman abuse and a strangulation scene without warning in a timeslot too early for the visuals.

Over the years Rhythm City incorporated several real-life celebrities and musicians into its fictional universe, ranging from Kelly Khumalo, Khuli Chana, HHP, Khanyi Mbau, Kwesta, Slikour and Freshlyground to DJ Cleo.

In the past decade Rhythm City has seen its series of cast exists like Pam Andrews leaving after 7 years, backstage unhappiness,  a new opening sequence and look since October 2014, firings like Kelly Khumalo in 2009 over diva behaviour and other, more brutal firings like Connie Chiume  - even a real-life studio lot fire at Sasani Studios in 2014 that temporarily shut down production.

Watch the first episode of Rhythm City on e.tv here:




Editor's note: 
I'm one of the very few journalists and TV critics in South Africa - literally 4 at most - who was there then when e.tv still showed Ricki Lake and who covered Rhythm City when it started a decade ago, covered it ever since, and who are still around 10 years later to report on it.

It feels disappointing and distasteful that e.tv and Quizzical Pictures couldn't bother to invite, or even just tell, the few longest time media about Rhythm City's 10th birthday celebration at the soap's set on Wednesday.

So, sorry about it but not being able to hear what e.tv execs and the show's producers and cast have to say unfortunately means I can't cover more of the soap's milestone and report who said what.

Who knows where the world will be in another 10 years? I don't know.

What I do know is this: If Rhythm City happens to still be on the air on e.tv by 2027, irrespective of how it looks and who happens to be in it and making it behind-the-scenes, I and some of the few other stalwarts will still be around to report on it, to cover all the news about it, and to chronicle every aspects around its place in and on South African television.

Congratulations to e.tv and Quizzical Pictures on the Rhythm City 10 year TV milestone.

Upcoming 5th season of MTV Base's sex edutainment drama series, Shuga, will be shot in Johannesburg, South Africa; Quizzical Pictures producing.

The fifth season of Viacom International Media Networks Africa's (VIMN Africa) sex edutainment drama series Shuga will be filmed in South Africa for the first time later this year, following seasons in Kenya and Nigeria.

The South African production company Quizzical Pictures - also producing e.tv's Rhythm City and Umlilo, Intersexions for the SABC, MasterChef SA for M-Net and several others shows - will be filming the 8-part 5th season of Shuga for MTV Staying Alive Foundation and MTV Base (DStv 322).

Like what SABC1's Skeem Saam did for South Africa, Shuga, which started in 2009, is doing in a more broader pan-African version, in a series targeting young people that focuses strongly on spreading public health messages around sex through telling stories linked to subjects like drug use, HIV status, sexual assault and unplanned teen pregnancy.

Besides being shown on MTV Base on DStv across sub-Sahara Africa, seasons of Shuga have been broadcast on SABC1, e.tv, MTV and M-Net in South Africa.

The 5th season of Shuga will be filmed in Johannesburg in a few months with pre-production that has already started.

Several roles must still be cast, but the new season will include Mohau Mokoatle as the schoolgirl singer Bongi who gets pulled into a world she's unequipped and unprepared to handle in storylines that will focus on adolescent girls and their vulnerability to HIV infection and unplanned pregnancy.

"Shuga is a trailblazing edutainment property that has had real world impact and changed lives by making viewers reflect on their life choices," says Monde Twala, the vice president for the BET channel and youth and music at VIMN Africa.

"We look forward to working together with Quizzical Pictures to evolve the franchise in a South African context for the first time."

"We have always admired the Shuga project so we are excited to be part of its South African season," says Harriet Gavshon, Quizzical Pictures managing director.

'A perfect recipe': Celebrity MasterChef South Africa press panel talks ego's, philanthrophic food reality TV and the chance of a 4th season.

Following the reveal that comedian Chris Forrest won Celebrity MasterChef South Africa, M-Net held a panel press conference to conclude the celebrity edition of the reality show during a media screening and press event at Montecasino.

The panel consisted of Harriet Gavshon (executive producer), Gideon Khobane (M-Net channel director), Chris Forrest, Patricia Lewis, Donald Clarke (executive producer), and Jane Kennedy (series director).

 TV with Thinus asked how this season managed to find the right blend between reality food TV, celebrities and a strong philanthropic element without having one or the other overshadow the others.

"One thing we want to do was make all the cooks credible, so everyone we got involved were credible cooks," said Donald Clarke from Lucky Bean Media and executive producer of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa.

"For celebrities, they have their careers and their everyday lives, so we wanted to add an extra element that they could play for and that they could really care about."

"The one thing you could see from the show was that Chris Forrest and Patricia Lewis and the others really cared on the show and winning on the show because it didn't just mean that they were able to high-five each other but that they're able to take things further than that and give something to a charity that they believe in."

"The other great thing was that celebrities were able to pick their charities, so they really felt strongly about the causes they were involved in, and I think it was really a lovely edition," said Donald Clarke.

TV with Thinus also asked about ego's - the contestants - and whether the extroverted celebrities displayed bigger ego's behind-the-scenes of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa than ordinary contestants during the previous three seasons of MasterChef South Africa.

"Actually, no," said Harriet Gavshon, Quizzical Pictures director and executive producer of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa. "There were no ego's," she said to laughter from the panel and the press in attendance.

"Once they got in to the kitchen, the celebrities were kind of removed of all of their usual defences, and they were like putty," said Harriet Gavshon.

"I think Pete [Goffe-Wood] and Benny [Masekwameng] ... they had massive ego's that were huge," joked Donald Clarke about the MasterChef South Africa judges. "Such divas," chimed in Ingrid Engelbrecht, M-Net publicist, jokingly.

Asked about the contestants, Jane Kennedy, series director, said all good food reality television starts "with a really good recipe".

"And a really good recipe means that you need a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. And that more than than anything else is what got us to the fantastic 10 people that we landed on having with us on the show."

"Patricia ... how could you resist Patricia? And Chris and Tol Ass Mo as two comedians on the show I think really, really added enormous value to the mix. But not one person could have been replaced with anyone else. It was a perfect recipe," said Jane Kennedy.

With Celebrity MasterChef South Africa "trending" as shared television weekly on social media - as did the finale, as viewers engage with the show on a second screen while they watch, TV with Thinus asked M-Net how important the social media element has become for the pay-TV broadcaster's shows.

How much weight does social media carry now in determining whether a show gets renewed or is deemed a success, and does M-Net now deliberately go for shows that can carry a multimedia, integrated social media and true cross-platform audience engagement?

"Everybody knows that when people watch television, they're watching TV with their phones," said Gideon Khobane, M-Net channel director.

"Some people now watch a whole show on social media, they don't watch it on television. So its obvious that the future is the integration of all the different platforms - television and social media, whether its Facebook and Instagram or Twitter," said Gideon Khobane.

"Obviously Twitter allows itself to tell the story instantly of what's happening. Social media for us ... there's no local M-Net production that doesn't have a social media component. We've now also got a fully-fledged digital team and an M-Net app that looks after all digital aspects of all shows from Big Brother Mzansi to Carte Blanche or MasterChef South Africa."

TV with Thinus also asked M-Net about the possible renewal of MasterChef South Africa for a 4th season on M-Net.

"About a renewal of the series, I don't have an answer about that yet," said Gideon Khobane. "Related to [the renewal or not of] MasterChef South Africa, an announcement will be made in due course".

Finally TV with Thinus asked the panel and the producers whether this season was more difficult from an editing point of view, seeing that celebrities actively seek out the limelight, talk a lot, with the show evening kicking off with kids as well in the first episode, and whether it was henceforth more difficult to edit the content down.

"The great thing about celebrities is they are all personalities and performers and narrate a lot. The problem is that you've got a show where everyone is speaking constantly - so it's about trying to figure out where you can find moments where you can pick people out which is a challenge," said Donald Clarke.

"We never battle to find what you call a sound byte," said Donald Clarke.

"It was a lot of fun editing them. It really was. In the office ... there was constantly laughter coming from every edit suite," said Jane Kennedy, "and you rushed there to see what piece they were cutting. It was a whole lot of fun."


ALSO READ: Comedian Chris Forrest wins Celebrity MasterChef South Africa on M-Net.

REVIEW. Celebrity MasterChef South Africa on M-Net is an over-catered Where the Wild Things Are, filled with tears, kids, charities, and celebrity.

TV with Thinus watched a screener of the first episode of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa starting today, Sunday 8 February at 18:00 on M-Net (DStv 101) - filled to abundance with TV over-catering: heavy with tears, crying, kids and loud, show-offy celebrities.

It's all wrapped in way, way too much product placement (thank you Woolworths, Volkswagen, Nederburg, Robertsons, Tsogo Sun, Kenwood an on and on and on) and you have to wonder why the show can't be done with less, understated sponsors.

Shows like this would be better if M-Net can focus on entertainment and entertainment television first, and cross-promotion business and branding second - instead of the wrong way round.

However, as Sunday food show fare, Celebrity MasterChef South Africa on M-Net is a TV tea garden - enjoyable escapism for an hour done for smiles that the whole family can watch and enjoy.

The show is safe and recognisable. The new "spin-off" season covers familiar territory and several outcomes are predictable (at least in the first episode) where the viewer would be able to guess what's going to happen right through up to the end but which would be spoilers to mention here before the actual broadcast.

Watching the first episode, Celebrity MasterChef South Africa made me think of Maurice Sendak's children's book Where the Wild Things Are - and if you tune in this evening, you'll see why.

In Celebrity MasterChef South Africa, 10 South African celebrities - a cross-section of local famous faces so as to be known to various segments of M-Net's viewing audience - compete in the MasterChef SA kitchen at the Nederburg estate in Paarl over the course of 13 episodes for their various, chosen charities.

Celebrity MasterChef South Africa is executive produced by Harriet Gavshon and Donald Clarke, produced by Quizzical Pictures and Lucky Bean Media.

The action in the first episode of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa takes a while to start and only really starts a quarter of the way in at the 8th minute in the 44 minute long first episode when the celebricooks are tasked with recreation a memorable dish from their childhood.

There's instant put-offs and jarring, non-sensical production clashes in Celebrity MasterChef SA which irritate from the onset but luckily doesn't detract from the overall show.

Probably the biggest eye-roll moment in Celebrity MasterChef South Africa is due to bad product placement in the production.

When judge Pete Joffe-Wood for instance tell the contestants for the childhood dish challenge they have an open pantry with "the entire range of Nederburg wines at your disposal" as a TV critic I want to ask humbly: what childhood dish ever contained wine and Nederburg wine?

The first part up to the 8th minute is the various introductions to the celebritestants and their various charities. Also be forewarned: These people are not your ordinary garden-variety contestants: They're talkers, and everybody wants to talk. And they're loud.

Their strong personas are luckily offset by the introduction (cue the cute factor) of little "mini-me's": tweens selected to be replicas of the contestants (the poor producers: working with celebrities and children!)

Like contestant Terence Bridgett says of his late mom's lasagna in the first episode - Celebrity MasterChef South Africa is "an over-caterer".

The show's debut episode has deliberately been constructed to be heavy on TV's version of sugar: tears, cute kids and charities (with more kids).

The MasterChef and MasterChef SA comfort food is still there: contestants battling against the clock and limited time to create concoctions critiqued by celebrity chefs who keep hovering during challenges to up the stress levels.

Celebrities who have kids themselves come across as calmer and more grounded, and the interaction moments with the kids are all adorable (although in the back of your mind you know you're being mercilessly manipulated).

It will be interesting to see whether Celebrity MasterChef South Africa can maintain the emotion in the kitchen during further episodes without this ingredient (look out for multiple in-jokes like a kid literally stirring the pot).

At the end of the first episode judge Pete Joffe-Wood says "the time for kindergarden cooking is over".

For Celebrity MasterChef SA on M-Net, as the saying goes, the proof will be in the pudding.

BREAKING. Durban assistant train driver Roxi Wardman wins 3rd season of M-Net's MasterChef South Africa, wants to open a café and pâtisserie.

Roxi Wardman (26), a train driver assistant from Durban, was announced the winner of the third season of MasterChef South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) in the reality show which concluded with a live winner's announcement, beating out fellow contestant Siphokazi Mdlankomo (39), a domestic worker from Cape Town.

Roxi Wardman wins R500 000, a Volkswagen Tiguan, R100 000 worth of food from Woolworths, a trip to the French winelands, a year's wine from Nederburg, and a holiday in the Seychelles.

The final episode saw Roxi Wardman and Sipho Mdlankomo duke it out in an intense three-part cook off with a celebrity chef appearance by the British restaurateur and TV chef Marco Pierre White.

"I'm no longer a train driver assistant, this is what I want to do," said Roxi Wardman. "As soon as I get back to Durban I'm going to be looking for premises and be looking for a really kick-ass team. I want people with no formal training to create jobs and I need them to think out of the box. I want to open a café and pâtisserie combined."

"It's something I've wanted for so so long," said Roxi Wardman, who's no longer an assistant train driver. "It proves that you're never too old to follow your dreams and no matter what your background is. Nothing can stop you if you put your mind to it."

Roxi Wardman revealed that she's quit her job as a train driver's assistant where she did routes from Durban up to the North coast and South Coast to Port Shepstone - grueling, hard work and 12-hour shifts in what she calls "a man's work".

"I worked day shifts, night shifts, early mornings where you actually start at midnight. It was quite hard. It was fun at the beginning but then I started hating every single day that I went to work."

"Basically if anything happened en route I would then have to get out the locomotive and walk the line back by myself and check for any faults. You are put in that man's world and they won't treat you any different."

Siphokazi Mdlankomo, who acknowledged that she's become an inspiration for millions of South African domestic workers on the pay-TV broadcaster programme, said "hopefully I will have my own TV cooking show. It's one of my biggest dreams".

"A lot of domestic workers, they have been supporting me. I'm a role model for them now. Everywhere I go they ask me, 'Sipho, how do you do it?"

"The house where I work, you will find every single recipe book. I try every recipe that there. That's how I'm learning. Every Taste magazine, every food and home magazine, I have to try it. So that's how I cook."

Siphokazi Mdlankomo said she would entertain offers from hotel groups, restaurants and places who perhaps want her to come and work for their establishments as a chef.

She didn't have DStv but took out a contract after she became a top 12 contestant in order for her mother and son to watch her in MasterChef South Africa, the Shine International format produced for M-Net by Lucky Bean Media and Quizzical Pictures.

"We could see from the beginning how great they were, but still they had to fight for their positions and that was really amazing to see," said MasterChef SA celebrity chef and judge Reuben Riffel. "For me I'm really proud to say that the two best cooks made it to the end."

Victor Eckard, M-Net channel director told TV with Thinus that the growth in social media has elevated MasterChef South Africa.

"Everybody in South Africa loves to cook, so the engagement when it comes to recipes is huge with people who get access to these kinds of recipes, and to watch TV and PVR it and watch it while you cook it yourself is big. It really works well for the audience and is doing good for M-Net," said Victor Eckard.

"Social media is great focus research for us. We track it to see and listen what people say say. There's lot of ideas coming from people. We get a sense of what the audience wants and actually helps to determine the challenges coming up. So it's a very useful tool," said Donald Clarke, executive producer from Lucky Bean Media.

Donald Clarke said MasterChef SA added the live winner's announcement for the first time for the 3rd season "to capture the energy that we had last year when Kamini Pather was crowned the winner because the atmosphere was electric".

Speaking about the progression of the show - from bigger and bigger challenges, an island mystery location, and surprising guest chef appearance in the latest season - Harriet Gavshon, executive producer from Quizzical Pictures told TV with Thinus that "every season we say 'that was great, but now how are we going to raise the bar?"

"So we challenge ourselves. And the audience expects us to be better and better. It is constantly challenging and interesting."

Celebrity MasterChef South Africa starts on M-Net on Sunday 8 February on M-Net at 18:00 with local celebrities competing for their charities and another season of Junior MasterChef Australia is also starting soon.

On Thursday 18 December Feast starts on M-Net, a 4-part special in which the three MasterChef SA judges and Marco Pierre White show their homes and share recipes and hosting ideas with viewers for the festive season.

More daring stories around sex and relationships in second season of Intersextions starting on SABC1 on 12 February at 20:30.

The second season of Intersextions will start on Tuesday 12 February at 20:30 on SABC1 for another 26 episodes, with the drama show revolving around sex, love and relationships which will keep with its first season format of interlinked episodes.

The show, a partnership between SABC1, SABC Education and Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa (JHHESA), is produced by Quizzical Pictures and AntS Multimedia.

"We are confident that the new talent will breathe new energy into the series," says Harriet Gavshon of Quizzical Pictures. The second season of Intersextions will have over 100 new actors.

"What is extraordinary about Intersextions is that we try to use it as a platform to develop new talent on every level. Many of the episode directors are first time directors and the writing team and cast is full of new and fresh faces," says Rolie Nikiwe, Intersextions creative director.

"The programme will continue to drum home the overarching message of responsible sexual behaviour, HIV testing and TB screening, condom use and reduction of multiple partners," says Pontsho Makheta, SABC content general manager.

"Viewers can expect a more daring script that the first series as we have gone back and consulted widely," says Richard Delate, the managing director of JHHESA. He says the second season of Intersextions will feature storylines that "are gripping yet real in bringing to the fore society's unspoken issues on relationships."

"As a channel we are thrilled to bring our viewers the second season of this popular cutting-edge drama," says Vukile Madlala, SABC1's publicity manager. "Viewers should look forward to more authentic, insightful and thought-provoking South African stories," she says.

Quizzical Pictures now officially the new name of Curious Pictures as the production company differentiates its identity.

As I reported in May is busy happening, has now come to pass: Curious Pictures has changed the production company's nama eot Quizzical Pictures to differentiate it from a New York production company with the same name.


MasterChef South Africa, 4Play, Soul City, Rhythm City, Class Act and Intersextions (to mention just a few South African TV productions) are Quizzical Pictures TV productions. The last renaming was in 1999 when the company changed from Mail and Guardian Television to Curious Pictures. 


"Although the two companies have managed to co-exist for many years, Curious Pictures South Africa is now doing a lot of international work and needs to differentiate its identity," says Quizzical Pictures in a statement.


"It is a big step but one we believe is wortk taking," says Harriet Gavshon, the managing director. "We are increasingly producing work for an international audience and getting recognition around the world. Once the initial shock is over, we tink it's an opportunity to bed down our reputation both internationally and at home without the impediment of another company sharing our name."


'Whilst we retain the talent, quality and integrity of the past, we believe our brand-new name and identity will give us the opportunity to bring a whole lot of fresh energy and passion into what we do," says Sizwe Kumalo, the head of business development at Quizzical Pictures.


Quizzical Pictures' contact details such as telephone numbers and Curious Pictures email addresses will remain unchanged. There is of course the new website for Quizzical Pictures at www.quizzical.co.za.

SABC1's educational sex drama, Intersextions, wins a 2011 Peabody Award in New York.

With a second season in development, the SABC1 drama show Intersexions has won a 2011 Peabody Award in New York.

Intersextions is produced by Curious Pictures (changing to Quizzical Pictures), Ants Multimedia as well as SABC Education and Johns Hopkins Health and Education South Africa (JHHESA).

This year's Peabody Award winners were honoured at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom; the winners considered the best in electronic media since the Peabody's are the oldest awards in broadcasting.

Other winners included news channels such as Al Jazeera and CNN International for coverage of the Arab Spring, Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, and TV shows such as Game of Thrones, Parks and Recreation and Treme.

Intersextions executive producers Harriet Gavshon from Quizzical Pictures and Uzanenkosi Mahlangu from Ants Multimedia was in New York to accept the award.

"Intersextions has exploded several stereotypes, not least of which is that educational programming cannot be exciting and enormously entertaining," says Pontsho Makhetha, the acting general manager for SABC Education. "Another is that certain types of programmes will attract only certain types of viewers. Intersextions captured the imaginations of viewers from all walks of life."

"It is immensely inspirational to be surrounded with passionate, dedicated creative people, and Intersextions had them in spades," says Harriet Gavshon in a press statement. "They took the time to be a part of a production with great potential, and with their commitment and talent took Intersextions to a level of excellence that none of us had anticipated."