Saftas judging: 'No doubt there's room for improvement,' says Nodi Murphy, judging chairperson of the 7th Saftas.

''There's no doubt that there's room for improvement, when is there not? And specifically for growth" said Nodi Murphy, the overall judging chairperson of the 7th South African Film and Television Awards during the live broadcast of the awards ceremony which was shown on Saturday night on SABC3.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) tries to honour South Africa's film and television industry by organising the award ceremony which sadly mostly remains mired in amateurism with a convoluted nomination, selection and judging system, and a shoddy televised ceremony which year after year is always filled with a myriad of production mistakes.

"We're talking about the Saftas here," said Nodi Murphy. "This is only possible with each of you lending your considerable power to the process and being involved, for they are your awards, and they are decided by your peers," she said.

"So I'm grateful to address hundreds of you here - powerful; powerful and influential - shapers of our aspirations and interpreters of dreams. I encourage you to continue to responsible to delve and discover and to bring to light as yet untold histories and stories to challenge attitudes and inequalities."

Zama Mkosi, chairperson of the South African Film and Television Awards committee and NFVF CEO said on Saturday night that "the committment shown by our broadcasting partners - SABC3, Mzansi Magic and Top One - is an indication of the growing stature of the awards, and will ensure that even more South Africans are exposed to the amazing talent found in our industry."

Nominees for the 7th South African Film and Television Awards to be announced on 13 February in Johannesburg.

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The South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) will announce the nominees in the various categories of this local awards ceremony on Wednesday 13 February in Johannesburg, which will be followed by the main, two-evening awards show, the 7th South African Film and Television Awards taking place on 15 and 16 March at Gallagher Estate.

This year the Saftas, organised by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) received 354 entries - 120 more than the year before.

While SABC2's 7de Laan is back in as a contender in the best soap category, both of kykNET's soaps Villa Rosa and Binneland are not - continuing the public farce of this category purported to be a "viewers' vote", although the public can't really vote for all soaps.

The Saftas is currently in the last phase of judging which started in October 2012 and which will be completed by 4 February.

Nodi Murphy is the chairperson of the judging panels this year.  Vibe 200 and Vertical Limit Production have been appointed by the NFVF to do the stage and event production in March.

For the first time the second round of judging for categories took place in Durban and Cape Town as well, and not all in Johannesburg.

"This year the media was requested to be a part of the Saftas final judging process as observers in order to get first-hand experience on how the final nominees and winners are selected," the NFVF tells me.

"The judges have commented on the quality of the content and are impressed by the standard of the entries."

BREAKING. SABC2's 7de Laan back IN!; kykNET's Binneland and Villa Rosa OUT! of the 7th Saftas; e.tv returns, M-Net will broadcast.

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I can break the news that the popular SABC2 soap 7de Laan is back in the race as South Africa's most popular soap on TV in the 7th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) which will take place in March 2013 and which will be screened on one of M-Net's TV channels for the first time.

I can also reveal that both of e.tv's soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! are legitimately back (although no official word from e.tv about having entering their soaps), after e.tv withdrew all of its nominees and shows just before the 6th Saftas took place earlier this year. 

I can also exclusively break the news that kykNET's Binneland and Villa Rosa won't be votable for the 7th Saftas as Best Soap (although it's a viewers' vote category only) - neither show entered for the 7th Saftas, similar to 7de Laan last year.

Controversy swirled around organisers, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), at the beginning of this year when the Danie Odendaal Production was blatantly excluded from the Best Soap Award during the 6th Saftas – a category in which only viewers' vote determine the winner.

7de Laan won as Best Soap at the Saftas in 2009, again in 2010 and 2011 before suddenly being excluded in 2012. 

The NFVF dumped 7de Laan, the 3rd biggest South African soap according to viewership figures, since the soap failed to enter other categories. The NFVF said soaps are only eligible to be voted for if they've entered other categories; the production said they were not aware of that.

Now 7de Laan is back in the Saftas after having entered into other categories, although South African TV viewers will again not have a true complete soap set to truly choose from and which will still be impacting on the true legitimacy of the Best Soap category winner.

iNkaba in, Binneland and Villa Rosa out

I can reveal that while SABC1's Generations, SABC2's Muvhango and 7de Laan, SABC3's Isidingo, e.tv's Scandal! and Rhythm City, M-Net's The Wild and even Mzansi Magic's telenovela iNkaba (for the first time) all entered into categories and therefore will be listed in the Best Soap category, kykNET on DStv's Binneland and Villa Rosa are absent because they did not enter anything.

Fans of Binneland and Villa Rosa won't be able to vote for these shows, although they are legitimate and longrunning soaps.

"Eight soaps that submitted entries will go to judging and also qualify for Best Soap as a viewer voting category," the NFVF tells me.

This year the 7th Saftas saw 354 entries qualify to proceed to the so-called "filtration process" which will be followed by final judging. While South Africa's TV industry plays nice, there is still simmering tension behind the scenes, with the Saftas abjudication process still accused of sistemic and judges' bias. Once again, previous winners and nominees of the Saftas serve as judges which is perceived to be a conflict of interest.

"The Saftas judges are professionals with integrity, also if a judge has been nominated in a category they are not permitted to sit on the judging of their own project. The judging process is audited," the NFVF tells TV with Thinus.

"I’m proud to say that not only is the Saftas growing but the whole industry as we continue to witness a considerable increase in the levels of international and local investments in the film and TV industry," says Zama Mkosi the NFVF CEO and Saftas chairperson.

Tension

"This year all the role players in the industry fully support the Saftas," says Mkosi. And while public criticism surrounding the upcoming 7th Saftas has not yet bubbled to the surface as in previous years, behind the scenes broadcasters and industry players are keeping a close eye on the process. Industry insiders remain concerned about the true independence of the awards.

"e.tv remains committed to working together with the NFVF and the Saftas committee to address concerns around the independence of the awards," says Monde Twala, e.tv's group head of channels. Just before the awards ceremony of the 6th Saftas e.tv in a big fight with the awards ceremony, withdrew all e.tv nominees and shows, although the broadcaster did enter again this year.

"Our efforts aim to bolster industry competence and transparency," says Monde Twala. "It is important that we work towards ensuring genuine reward for the country's diverse film and television talent pool."

Back on TV

Another swirling backstage drama in the past was the bad organising and the NFVF's inability to find a broadcaster in time to televise the awards show done over two consecutive nights, or to institute a so-called "carousel wheel" similar to American award shows where TV channels play nice and equally share in taking turns to televise shows such as the Emmys on a turn-by-turn basis to fascilitate buy-in and continued support.

Now M-Net agreed to show an edited version of the 7th Saftas in 2013. "M-Net is fully behind the awards, and has committed to screening an edited version on one of its channels," says Theo Erasmus, M-Net's director for general entertainment channels who is an M-Net representative on the Saftas committee.

"The Saftas have come a long way and it is encouraging to see all the role players, including industry peers, government and broadcasters holding hands in ensuring the awards evolve," says Nodi Murphy, the new overall chairperson of the judges of the Saftas.