IN IMAGES. The Arendsvlei telenovela on kykNET & kie marks its 500th episode with cake and sparkling wine.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Arendsvlei telenovela on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) will broadcast its 500th episode tonight at 19:30 and celebrated the milestone on Wednesday at Atlantic Studios in Milnerton with sparkling wine and cake.

The telenovela, produced by Penguins Films, made its debut on 1 October 2018 as a single season series but DStv ratings prompted kykNET to commission it for a further two seasons and to increase episode to four episodes per week from Mondays to Thursdays.

Arendsvlei, filmed at Atlantic Studios in Montague Gardens and Eersteriver, stars Jolene Martin, Jody Abrahams, Crystal Donna Roberts, Melanie du Bois, Kay Smith and many more with Vinette Ebrahim, Chris van Niekerk, Natalia da Rocha and Dann-Jacques Mouton who joined from the third season.

Roberta Durrant, creative producer of Arendsvlei, says she is incredibly grateful to kykNET that they gave Penguin Films the opportunity to tell this story.

"We were able to develop many talents in Cape Town through Arendsvlei. Young actors got their first roles on Arendsvlei and we were able to develop and train new directors, writers, editors and crew members."

Theltom Masimila, creative producer and creator of Arendsvlei, says he is extremely proud of the actors and production team for all the hard work they put in.

"We look forward to telling the stories of the people of Arendsvlei for a very long time to come. And most important of all, we are grateful to the viewers because without them such a production would not exist."

kykNET’s Cape Town set Arendsvlei telenovela from Penguin Films adding a 4th weekly episode from it's third season.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's Afrikaans channels division kykNET has decided to extend its Cape Town set telenovela Arendsvlei to 4 episodes per week from the upcoming third season on kykNET & kie (DStv 145) with a unspecified changes also coming to its talk show Tussen Ons.

From 1 October Arendsvlei, produced by Penguin Films, will increase the weekly episodes from 3 to 4, with a new group of high school pupils at High School Arendsvlei joining the cast, as well as other new characters.

kykNET made the announcement about the longer third season during MultiChoice's 2020 DStv Showcase media presentation that took place on Wednesday afternoon.

Ilse Klink arrives to play the mother of Bmpbie Galant (Jarrid Galant), while Captain Krige (Brendan Daniels) arrives from Clanwilliam. Natalie (Carmen Maarman) uses her charm to get what she wants at all cost and other people's happiness.

Arendsvlei, originally commissioned as a single-season telenovela was eventually turned into an ongoing telenovela series.

"Since the beginning of the second season viewers have been asking for a third season," says Roberta Durrant of Penguin Films and Arendsvlei executive producer.

"Penguin Films and Arendsvlei are excited to now broadcast 4 episodes per week and to keep surprising viewers. Thanks to our viewers for your support and thanks to the writers, talent and crew for your dedication and passion."

Theltom Masimila, Arendsvlei head writer, says he feels privileged to be able to tell the story of the characters of Arendsvlei for another year and to dig even deeper into their stories.

"Now that we have the chance to broadcast for 4 days on television viewers can get ready to be captivated for longer in the love and tragedy of the high school, its community and the families that we've got to know, as well as the new faces who will ensure drama like never before."

Arendsvlei's third season starts on 28 September 2020 on kykNET & kie with the first 4th weekly episode that will be broadcast on 1 October.

Due to the additional weekly Arendsvlei episode kykNET will be announcing news shortly about the weekly Afrikaans female-fronted talk show Tussen Ons, also done from Cape Town.

Production has started 2 months ago on a second season of kykNET's Afrikaans Cape Flats-set Arendsvlei with Shaleen Surtie-Richards joining the cast for 2020; telenovela the latest show turned into an ongoing drama series.

Production started two months ago in Cape Town on a second season of kykNET's Afrikaans Cape Flats-set telenovela Arendsvlei which is being turned into a drama series with Shaleen Surtie-Richards joining the cast.

Head writer and co-producer, Theltom Masimila, once again serves as head writer and co-producer, with Penguin Films continuing the production largely filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.

Earlier TVwithThinus asked kykNET whether Arendsvlei was commissioned for a second season. kykNET didn't respond. 

On Wednesday morning kykNET issued a general press release to all media announcing that Arendsvlei has been commissioned for another season.

The renewal, actually done a while ago, effectively turns the kykNET telenovela into a series.

Filming of an additional 156 episodes for a second season of Arendsvlei on the kykNET & kie (DStv 145) channel for 2020 started about two months ago.

M-Net's Afrikaans channels division originally commissioned Arendsvlei as a closed-ended, once-off telenovela, but is being turned into an ongoing drama series, similar to what happened with Sara se Geheim that was renewed for a third season this year.

Subscribers of MultiChoice's DStv and its Showmax video-on-demand service have been wondering, without any answers, when they will be able to watch the full first season of Arendsvlei, as after a few weeks on Showmax, Arendsvlei was removed 

Arendsvlei, set at the fictional Arendsvlei high school in Cape Town's Cape Flats has been dealing with the dramatic lives of both pupils, their parents and teachers.

The second season of Arendsvlei will see the cast of Jolene Martin (Beatrice), Melanie Du Bois (Rolene), Rehane Abrahams (Wendy), Crystal Donna Roberts (Janice), Sherman Pharo (Thys), Ann Juries (Claudia), Jody Abrahams (Lionel), Celeste Matthews (Gertie), Craig Adriaanse (Wesley), Gerwen Simon (Valdonia) and Roberto Kyle (LeeRoy) all return.

New additions to the cast include Shaleen Surtie-Richards portraying the role of Lionel’s mother, as well as Danny Ross playing the role of David’s son. Maurice Carpede will play Chantel’s father.

In the second season of Arendsvlei Janice’s brother, Steve Mortlock is released from prison and he turns the Arendsvlei world upside down. David’s long-lost son, Nathan, will also make an appearance, all the while Chantel’s father unexpectedly knocks on their door.

Theltom Masimila in a provided quote in the press release says "In the first season of Arendsvlei we only explored one chapter in each character’s book".

"In season two, our first group of matriculants graduates from school and heads off to university. We also introduce the class of 2020 and some of our beloved characters are left with more skeletons in the cupboard than we could ever imagine."

Penguin Films' Roberta Durrant who serves as creative producer, says in the statement "With each school calendar year, you get to introduce new characters and storylines. But it’s also challenging to keep the stories exciting and to not become stagnant. It’s a wonderful thing that we can bring new characters in and still keep our core family".

kykNET & kie debuts new Cape Flats based Afrikaans telenovela, Arendsvlei; issues-filled high school drama will range from murder and revenge to depression and teen pregnancy.

The new Afrikaans telenovela, Arendsvlei will make its debut tonight at 20:00 on kykNET & kie (DStv 145) with the 156-episode series that has a fictional Cape Flats high school as backdrop and comes front loaded with drama as teachers and pupils confront issues ranging from depression and addiction to homosexuality, murder, revenge and teen pregnancy.

Arendsvlei (Eagles' Valley), filmed in Cape Town and produced by Penguin Films, is the name of the fictional community and the Cape Flats high school where the Cupido family who runs the school tries to make a difference in children's lives.

Arendsvlei, kykNET & kie's first original Afrikaans telenovela, will run for a year and be broadcast from Mondays to Wednesdays at 20:00 until it ends in September 2019, following principal Beatrice (Jolene Martin) who is trying to run the school after her dad's death.

The Arendsvlei cast includes Oscar Petersen (David), Ernest St Clair (Christopher), Maria Valente (Samantha), Jody Abrahams (Lionel), Melanie Du Bois (Ronel), Crystal-Donna Roberts (Janice) and Sherman Pharo (Thys), Dillon Windvogel (Vernon), Gretchen Ramsden (Nicolene), Dean Richard Olivier (Anton), Ann Juries (Claudia), Rehane Abrahams (Wendy), Christian Bennett (Emile), Kay Smith (Debra), Craig Adriaanse (Wesley), Roberto Kyle (Lee-Roy), Celeste Matthews (Aunty Gertie) and Joseph Mitchell in the role of Uncle Johnny.

"Viewers can expect a lot of drama because not everyone in Arendsvlei have good intentions," says Janine Cornelius, supervising producer.

"We have a fantastic cast and viewers can look forward to seeing familiar old faces, but we're also very excited to introduce viewers to new, talented actors, especially the younger characters."

Roberta Durrant, creative producer, says Arendsvlei will offer something for everyone. "The story lines are universal. The telenovela primarily focuses on family. It's the tale of a brother and sister who want to make a difference in the community, but who have their lives irrevocably changed after a shooting incident."

Theltom Masimila, script writer says "the language use is authentically Cape based, very comfortable and belonging to the people whose stories we are telling".