There was a new cool kid on the block at the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) this year, and its name is Netflix.
With 22 wins in key categories, after receiving 45 nominations, the world’s leading streaming platform made a strong debut at the 15th Saftas with its original local content.
Along with Showmax bagging nine gongs for its original content, a strong showing at the Saftas was made by over-the-top (OTT) platforms – content accessed via the internet.
Suffice to say, traditional broadcast and satellite television got a rude awakening over the threat that is looming as video-on-demand (VOD) services claimed their place at the table.
One of the big winners (8) for Netflix was How To Ruin Christmas – The Wedding that starred Thando Thabethe, Busisiwe Lurayi, Yonda Thomas, Rami Chuene, Clementine Mosimane and Desmond Dube.
Lurayi won best actress (comedy), while Dube scooped best supporting actor (comedy). The series also picked up awards in the comedy category for editing, make-up and hairstyling, wardrobe, art direction, sound and cinematography.
Fresh off its win at the Oscars, My Octopus Teacher collected the award for best natural history and environmental programme.
Blood & Water, Queen Sono, Riding with Sugar and Agent were also recognised.
Showmax was represented well by How to Steal a Country, Lockdown, Loving Thokoza as well as Life with Kelly Khumalo.
But just because the OTT platforms are starting to make their presence felt, don’t expect traditional television to just roll over – especially pay broadcaster MultiChoice. Dare I say ANC is that you?
With 47 wins it was the biggest winner at the Saftas. It’s mainly because of a clean sweep in the soap and telenovela categories.
Currently, both Showmax and Netflix do not produce original content in the telenovela and soap categories.
As a result, unstoppable television duo Phathutshedzo Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon continued to shine. Let’s just say this year alone we lost count of how many accolades they collected at the Saftas for their two daily dramas The River and Legacy.
Netflix is clearly getting ready for round two. The platform continues to up original content in SA and this week announced that anticipated dance series Jiva! will premiere on June 24.
The series stars a young cast that includes Noxolo Dlamini, Candice Modiselle, Sne Mbatha, Stella Dlangalala, Zazi Kunene, Prince Grootboom, Given Stuurman, Zamani Mbatha and Anga Makubalo.
How to Ruin Christmas is gearing up for another season, most likely in December, while Blood & Water returns later this year.
Happiness Ever After, the sequel to Thabang Moleya’s successful 2016 film Happiness is a Four Letter Word, will premiere on the platform with Khanyi Mbau and Renate Stuurman returning.
Hoping for some Safta love next year will also be comedy special Loyiso Gola: Unlearning that debuted in March.
With the introductions of The Estate on SABC3 and DiepCity on Mzansi Magic, both SABC and MultiChoice remain predictable, redundant and unnecessarily repetitive, much like this sentence.
Showmax has seen the return of Kelly Khumalo’s reality show. There is also the long-delayed Babes Wodumo and Mampintsha’s reality show, Uthando Lodumo. The highly over-hyped African epic Blood Psalms is another one to watch out for.
Until then, game on!
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