The powerful local documentaries nominated for South African Film and Television
Awards (SAFTAs) in 2015 provide a gripping reflection of the hard-won
achievements and the ongoing social challenges that South Africa remembers on
Human Rights Day.
This year the 9th annual SAFTAs will be held on two evenings, straddling Human
Rights Day on 21 March. Friday 20th will feature behind the scenes and technical
achievers, with Sunday 22 March is the night for feature films, comedy and acting
awards.
SAFTAs Chairperson Zama Mkosi says that the celebration of Human Rights Day in
the middle of the SAFTAs holds poignant meaning for the film and television
industry.
“We have come such a long way in achieving international recognition, which is why
this year our theme for the SAFTAs is Coming of Age. At the same time, South
Africa has come so far in safeguarding human rights. But the remarkable
documentaries up for awards this year also tell a compelling story of how far we
still have to go,’ says Mkosi.
Themes such as the struggles for survival and identity, loss and absence, striking
for better wages, patriotism and racism, moral dilemmas and the real challenges
faced by Nelson Mandela, all attest to the legacy of apartheid and how the
experiences of the past continue to shape the lives of ordinary people today.
Enjoying four nominations each in the short documentary category are The
Last Boers of Patagonia directed by Richard Finn Gregory, and
Orbis, a Saltpeter Productions documentary about a journey through
Umlazi township in KZN.
Top contenders for best feature documentary are I, Afrikaner, directed
by Annalet Steenkamp, a moving examination of four generations of a farming
family struggling to adapt to their rapidly changing world; Miners Shot
Down directed by Rehad Desai, an unflinching look at South Africa’s first
post-apartheid massacre; and The Vula Connection directed by Marion
Edmunds, the thrilling story of Tim Jenkin, an unassuming South African who was
an underground operative for the ANC in the 1970s, and singlehandedly invented a
secret communications system that ultimately set the transition to democracy in
motion.
Also nominated for a number of awards is the recently released Nelson
Mandela: The Myth & Me directed by Khalo Matabane, where he questions
the meaning of freedom, reconciliation and forgiveness.
Commenting on the quality of the documentaries lined up for awards this year, head
of department for National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). Marketing and
Communications, Peter Kwele, said, “South Africa has remarkable stories to tell,
stories that resonate around the world because they so eloquently get to the very
heart of universal human experiences.’
The SAFTAs, produced by Clive Morris Productions, are the premier film and
television industry awards under the custodianship of the NFVF. Their main objective
is to promote the creativity, quality and excellence of South African film and
television talent and encourage entrepreneurship and the development of new talent
in the industry. The #SAFTAs15 received 438 entries, 30 more than last year.
For more information view the full SAFTAs nominees list or visit the SAFTAs Facebook page
as well as the NFVF website
