kykNET's Old Righteous Blues chosen as South Africa's entry for the 97th Academy Awards

by Thinus Ferreira

The small-town drama around a young man's attempt to restore the once-glorious Old Righteous Blues Christmas choir band to its former stature is South Africa's official Oscars entry in the Best International Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced that the South African Academy Awards Selection Committee chose Old Righteous Blues, set and filmed in the Western Cape province, as South Africa's official Oscars entry after an extensive judging process, which included scored reviews and in-depth deliberations.

The NFVF doesn't want to release the names of the panel of judges comprising South Africa's Academy Awards Selection Committee.

In Old Righteous Blues a young man confronts the long-standing consequences of a bitter feud started by his father two decades earlier which had split the choir in two and divided the community. 

For twenty years, street battles ensued, families were torn apart, and loyalties were tested as the two rival bands claimed ownership of the town’s Kerskoor with destructive and violent consequences.

Old Righteous Blues has already won 11 awards at the kykNET Silwerskermfees film festival, Romford Film Festival 2024 and Panther City Film Festivals. 

Some of the awards include Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Silwerskermfees for Joshwin Dyson, Muneera Sallies snagging Best Director at the 2024 Romford Film Festival, Ayden Croy winning for Best Actor at the 2024 Romford Film Festival, and Stefan Erasmus winning the category of Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Panther City Film Festival.

Distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution, Old Righteous Blues which was acquired by M-Net for kykNET (DStv 144) is based on an original idea by writer and producer Carol Shore.

Director Muneera Sallies says Old Righteous Blues is "an intense glimpse into the life of a young man, a family, and a community. More than that it is an intense glimpse into a journey and into the heart of brotherhood, tapping into immense stores of pain, love, dreams, and courage".

"I was drawn to this project from the very first moment I had first picked up the script. I was intrigued and captivated by the characters and their stories within this little community, so much so that I immediately decided to visit and experience the streets of Bo-Dorp Robertson."

Lebogang Mogoera, acting NFVF CEO, in a statement, says Old Righteous Blues "is a testament to the exceptional storytelling talent within South Africa".

"We are honoured to have Old Righteous Blues represent us on such a prestigious global platform, and we believe its universal themes of redemption, community, and overcoming the past will captivate audiences worldwide."

Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice CEO for general entertainment, says "Old Righteous Blues is a powerful reflection of the complex and often painful dynamics of community, legacy and redemption".

"The film's setting is truly local and the mesmeric writing offers a unique and poignant South African perspective on unity and hope amidst division".

"MultiChoice is dedicated to telling African stories – produced and told by Africans – and taking them to the rest of the world, where they stand shoulder-to-shoulder alongside other would-be Academy Award contenders."

Waldimar Pelser, M-Net channel director for premium channels, says "The world which unfolds in Old Righteous Blues is magical and unique to the rural Western Cape towns where the movie was filmed".

"The story highlights the richness of South African heritage, while also exploring universal themes of resilience and identity."

"These Christmas choir bands are vehicles for joy and hope which the film captures with grace, warmth and humour. We are thrilled for the teams involved that this beautiful movie will represent the best of South African film-making in the run-up to the Oscars in 2025."

The top 11 nominations in the Best International Feature Film category will be announced on 17 December 2024 and the final top 5 will be announced on 17 January 2025.

BREAKING. Acting NFVF CEO Thobela Mayinje on 'administrative leave' for 2 months already pending investigation 'for numerous allegations', NFVF Council disbanded

by Thinus Ferreira

The NFVF took two months to reveal today that Thobela Mayinje, the acting CEO of South Africa's struggling National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) had been placed on "administrative leave" since two months ago, 30 July, "pending an investigation for numerous allegations" and that the NFVF Council has been disbanded.

South Africa's department of sport, arts and culture and the NFVF have dragged their feet in appointing a permanent new CEO, with Thobela Mayinje who have been acting in the position since April 2023 for a year and a half already, since Makhosazana Khanyile left.

The department of sport, arts and culture has placed Lebogang Mogoera, a chief director in the department as the latest acting NFVF CEO in the interim. 

The department has also ordered the NFVF to advertise for the position of a new permanent CEO. The NFVF Council has also been dissolved.

"The NFVF in a statement says "Following the dissolution of the NFVF Council, the department of sport, arts and culture has started with a process to establish an interim accounting authority while a legislative process of constituting a fully constituted Council is underway".

"The interim measure will ensure that processes of the entity are not disrupted and the industry needs are met."

In mid-July, shortly before Thobela Mayinje was placed on administrative leave, South Africa's new sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie slammed South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of, and funded by, his department, saying "there is a big problem at the National Film and Video Foundation".

"It can't be that all the people in the arts are complaining. There must be a problem there. We must address that problem. We are here to fix things. We are not here for self-aggrandisement. We are here to fix stuff and to work together."

In June South African filmmakers reacted with fury over the NFVF's latest red carpet champagne junket to the 77th Cannes Film Festival - a visit that once again excluded media, but included a gaggle of NFVF and other officials and cost millions.

Adding insult to injury: It took the NFVF a month after returning to South Africa to put out a badly done, bland press release about what the NFVF did in Cannes, with no exposure or local coverage in the media about what the NFVF's work and interaction there entailed.

The NFVF - funded by South African taxpayers, spent big to take 40 people from South Africa's film industry together with NFVF staffers and acting NFVF CEO Thobela Mayinje to the French Riviera for so-called "exposure" and networking.

NFVF chairperson Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela also went along.

The ongoing NFVF instability will cause renewed embarrassment for the beleaguered agency which is supposed to put on the 18th South African Film and Television Awards in October in Johannesburg.

The 18th SAFTAs craft awards is earmarked for 25 October as a YouTube broadcast with the main awards set for 26 October as a simulcast on SABC3 and MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel.