The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced the nominees for the 18th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas). This year’s nominees showcase the impressive talent and creativity in South Africa’s entertainment industry.

Here’s a closer look at some of the stand-out shows.

Leading the pack is "Outlaws," a telenovela from Tshedza Pictures which scored a whopping 11 nominations. This show dives deep into themes of power, betrayal and redemption, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with its dramatic twists.

"Outlaws" is all about intense storytelling and rich character development. It’s no surprise it’s been recognised in categories like "Best Telenovela" and "Best Actress in a Telenovela," thanks to its compelling performances and gripping narrative.

Also from Tshedza Pictures, "The River" has matched "Outlaws" with 11 nominations. This series is praised for its portrayal of real-life struggles and complex relationships, making it a favourite for those who love deep, emotional drama. "

"The River" shines in categories like "Best Drama" and "Best Actor in a TV Drama," reflecting its powerful storytelling and high production values.

Next up is "Miseducation" from Burnt Onion Productions, with 10 nominations. This show brings a fresh, humorous take on issues faced by South African youth.

It mixes serious topics with a fun, engaging style, making it a top contender in "Best TV Comedy" and "Best Scriptwriting." If you’re looking for a show that tackles real issues with a witty touch, "Miseducation" is your go-to.

"Shaka iLembe," from The Bomb Shelter Film Company, has racked up 17 nominations. This historical drama brings the story of one of Africa’s most legendary figures to life with stunning visuals and powerful performances.

It’s recognised for "Best Drama" and "Best Actress in a TV Drama," among other categories. If you love epic tales with a historical twist, "Shaka iLembe" is a must-watch.

"Lioness," from Ochre Media, has grabbed 19 nominations, showing its versatility across different genres. This series offers a mix of action and drama, keeping viewers hooked with its dynamic plot and strong characters.

"Lioness" stands out in "Best Achievement in Directing" and "Best Sound," proving it knows how to blend different elements for an engaging viewing experience.

In the feature film category, "iNumber Number: Jozi Gold" from Quizzical Pictures has earned 13 nominations. This film is known for its gripping story and high production values, combining action and drama to keep you entertained. It’s up for "Best Feature Film" and "Best Cinematography," showcasing its ability to deliver a compelling and cinematic experience.

"Skeem Saam," from Peu, remains a beloved choice with 7 nominations. Known for its relatable characters and engaging storylines, this soapie has been a staple in South African TV for years. It’s recognised in "Best Soapie" and "Best Achievement in Writing," highlighting its ongoing appeal and relevance.

Here is the nominee list:

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND - DOCUMENTARY

“Convict Conman”

"Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story“

"The Heart of Cape Town“

"!AITSA“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING - DOCUMENTARY

"Boetie Boer - Inside the Mind of a Monster“

"Born Racer“

“Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY - DOCUMENTARY

"Convict Conman“

"Great African Mysteries“

"Net mens“

"Rosemary's Hitlist“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING - DOCUMENTARY

"Faces of Fortune“

"Music Is My Life - Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo“

“'n Gids vir Louzanne”

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

"Drummies“

"Call of the Wild“

“Faces of Fortune”

"Langafstand“

"'n Gids vir Louzanne“

BEST MADE FOR TV DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES

"Boetie Boer - Inside the Mind of a Monster“

"Convict Conman“

"Freedom Flyer - The Sailor Malan Story“

“Pale Ya Kosa”

"Rosemary's Hitlist“

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Beyond the Light Barrier“

"Music Is My Life - Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo“

"Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story“

“That's What She Said - A Social Inquiry”

“!AITSA”

BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME

"Baking with the Rey's“

“Takalani Sesame”

"Wandi & Kabz“

"Activated - Disability Show“

"Badimo“

"The Khoekhoe Saga“

BEST FACTUAL PROGRAMME

"Outopsie“

"Rebounders“

"Vimba“

BEST COMPETITION REALITY SHOW

“Clash of the Choirs” S4

"Crown Chasers“

“Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam”

BEST STRUCTURED SOAPIE REALITY SHOW

"Bae Beyond Borders“ S1

"The Mommy Club“ S1

"Young, Famous and African“ S2

BEST STRUCTURED OR DOCU-REALITY SHOW

"Habits of Gen Z“

“Reno Race”

“Sex and Pleasure2

BEST YOUTH PROGRAMME

“100 Days to Succeed”

“MTV Shuga Down South” S3

“Trend“

BEST ONLINE CONTENT

“Awkward Dates” (ZA)

“Giving it Gears with Jason Goliath”

“The Adventures of Noko Mashaba - Struggles of SA Youth”

Production House: Rams Comics

Broadcaster: Youtube/Facebook

BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME

“Die Argitekte”

“Elders: Frankryk”

“The Cook-A-Long”

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME

“Carte Blanche2

“Checkpoint”

“Wie's Nuus?” S2

BEST MADE FOR TV MOVIE

“Kind”

“'n Tyd van Waterpere”

2Ouma Olive die ongelooflike“

BEST INTERNATIONAL FORMAT

“The Brug”

“The Masked Singer” S1

“The Perfect Picture” S2

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME

“Koppestamp”

“Slim vang sy baas” S8

“The Saturday Showdown”

BEST VARIETY SHOW

“One Night With”

“Sip and Talk“

“Sport@10”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING - TV COMEDY

"Miseducation“

“Roomies”

"Tatkiek“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE - TV COMEDY

"Entangled“ S2

"Miseducation“

“Roomies”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND - TV COMEDY

"Miseducation“

"Tatkiek“

"Yoh! Christmas“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION - TV COMEDY

"Magaeng“

“Miseducation”

“Yoh! Christmas”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING - TV COMEDY

"Miseducation“

“uBettina Wethu” season 3

"Yoh! Christmas“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING -TV COMEDY

“Magda Louw”

"Miseducation“

"Yoh! Christmas“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY -TV COMEDY

"Entangled“ S2

“Grown Woman”

“Yoh! Christmas”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING - TV COMEDY

"Miseducation“

"Tatkiek“

“Yoh! Christmas”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING - TV DRAMA

"Lioness“ S2

"Shaka Ilembe“

"Unseen“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE - TV DRAMA

“Hartklop”

"How to Manifest A Man“

"Shaka Ilembe“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION - TV DRAMA

"Dam“ S2

"Lioness“ S2

"Shaka Ilembe“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SPECIAL EFFECTS (SFX) IN HAIR AND MAKE-UP- FILM/TV

"Do Your Worst“

"Hartklop“

"Shaka iLembe“

"Trompoppies“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND - TV DRAMA

“Dam” S2

"Lioness“ S2

"Shaka Ilembe“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/SCORE - TV DRAMA

“Dam” S2

"Lioness“ S2

"Shaka Ilembe“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ORIGINAL SONG – TV DRAMA

"Classified“

"Mooiweer & Warm“

“Shaka Ilembe”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING - TV DRAMA

“Shaka Ilembe”

"Spinners“ S1

“Unseen”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS(VFX) – FILM/TV

"Dam“ S2

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

“Shaka Ilembe”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY - TV DRAMA

"Dam“ S2

"Lioness“ S2

"Shaka Ilembe“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING - TV DRAMA

“Shaka Ilembe”

"Spinners“ S1

"Trompoppie“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING - TV DRAMA

• Dam Season 2

• Shaka Ilembe

• Spinners Season 1

• Unseen

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING - TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

"1802 - Love Defies Time“

"Binnelanders“

"Suidooster“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE - TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

"1802 - Love Defies Time“

"House of Zwide“

"Outlaws“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING –TELENOVELA

“My Brother’s Keeper” S1

"Outlaws“

"The River“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/SCORE – TELENOVELA

"1802- Love Defies Time“

"Isitha“ S1

“Outlaws”

"The River“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ORIGINAL SONG – TELENOVELA

“Isitha” S1

"Redemption“

“The River”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TELENOVELA

"1802 - Love Defies Time“

"Diepe Waters“

"Outlaws“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV SOAP

"Binnelanders“

“Generations: The Legacy”

“Suidooster2

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND –TELENOVELA

"Diepe Waters“

"Outlaws“

"The River“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION - TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

"Outlaws“

“Suidooster”

"The River“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TELENOVELA

“Isitha” S1

"Outlaws“

"The Estate“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING - TELENOVELA

“Diepe Waters”

“Outlaws”

“The River”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV SOAP

"Binnelanders“

"Scandal!“

"Skeem Saam“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV SOAP

"Generations: The Legacy“

"Skeem Saam2

“Suidooster”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING - FEATURE FILM

“Do Your Worst”

"iNumber Number: Jozi Gold“

"Love, Sex & 30 Candles“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN – FEATURE FILM

"Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor“

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

"Runs in the Family“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM

“Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor”

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

"The Queenstown Kings“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN - FEATURE FILM

“Blindelings”

"Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor“

"iNumber Number: Jozi Gold“

"Runs in the Family“

"The Queenstown Kings“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – FEATURE FILM

“Big Nunu's Little Heist”

"Hans Steek die Rubicon Oora“

"Runs in the Family“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE - FEATURE FILM

"Big Nunu's Little Heist“

"Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor“

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

"Runs in the Family“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ORIGINAL SONG - FEATURE FILM

"1960“

“Big Nunu's Little Heist”

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

"Runs in the Family“

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – FEATURE FILM

"Blindelings“

"Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor“

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING - FEATURE FILM

“Do Your Worst”

“Seconds”

“The Fragile King”

BEST STUDENT FILM

"Anguish“

"Bewilderness“

"Boomerang“

"By Two“

"Lights Out!“

BEST ANIMATION

"Headspace“

"Kizazi Moto Generation Fire: Herderboy“

“Twende” S1

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP

Marlee van der Merwe (“Binnelanders”)

Bianca Amato (“Binnelanders”)

Nkhensani Mlondzo (“Scandal!”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV SOAP

Kabelo Thai (“Scandal!”)

Clement Maosa (“Skeem Saam”)

Maruputla Sehlapelo (“Skeem Saam”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA

Lunathi Mampofu (“1802 - Love Defies Time”)

Hlengiwe Lushaba-Madlala (“My Brother's Keeper” S1)

Mmarona Motsegoa (“Redemption”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA

Seputla Sebogodi (“Redemption”)

Mpho Sebeng (“The Estate“)

Thembinkosi Mthembu (“The River”)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP

Je-ani Swiegelaar (“Binnelanders”)

Nolwazi Ngubeni (“Scandal!”)

Elizabeth Serunye (“Skeem Saam”)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SOAP

Germandt Geldenhuys (“Binnelanders”)

Eugene Olof (Hykie) Berg (“Binnelanders”)

Melusi Mbele (“Scandal!”)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA

Zikhona Sodlaka (“Gqeberha - The Empire S1”)

Sindi Dlathu (“The River”)

Connie Chiume (“Gomora” S4)

BEST ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA

Jody Abrahams (“Arendsvlei”)

Lindani Nkosi (“My Brother's Keeper” S 1)

Thembinkosi Mthembu (“Outlaws”)

Themba Ndaba (“Redemption”)

Presley Chweneyagae (“The River”)

BEST TV SOAP

"Scandal!“

"Skeem Saam“

“Suidooster”

BEST TELENOVELA

"Gqeberha - The Empire!“ S1

"House of Zwide“

“Outlaws”

"Redemption“

“The River”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Nandi Nyembe (Adulting)

Renate Stuurman (Hartklop)

Natasha Sutherland (Lioness Season 2)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Nat Ramabulana (“Fatal Seduction”)

Wiseman Mncube (“Shaka iLembe”)

Senzokuhle Radebe (“Shaka iLembe”)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Kgomotso Christopher (“Fatal Seduction”)

Meme Boitshoko Kumalo (“Onse Kasi” S1)

Dorothy Anne Gould (“Yoh! Christmas”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY

Mpho Sebeng (“Miseducation”)

Schalk Bezuidenhout (“Tatkiek”)

Kagiso Modupe (“Yoh! Christmas2)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY

Jo-Anne Reyneke (“Black Tax” S3)

Phuti Khomo (“Entangled” S2)

Marion Holm (“Tatkiek”)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY

Sne Dladla (“Black Tax” S3)

Prev Reddy (“Miseducation”)

Siyabonga Raymond Sepotokele (“Yoh! Christmas”)

BEST TV COMEDY

"Miseducation“

"Tatkiek“

"Yoh! Christmas“

BEST SHORT FILM

"Awake“

"Father's Day“

"Thrift Tot Die Dood“

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

June van Merch (“Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor”)

Brenda Ngxoli (“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”)

Jennifer Steyn (“The Fragile King”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

Bongile Mantsai (“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”)

Deon Lotz (“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”)

Adrian Alper (“Seconds”)

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

Kate Liquorish (“Do Your Worst”)

Mmabatho Mogomotsi (“Seconds”)

Antoinette Louw (“The Fragile King”)

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

Tony Miyambo (“Big Nunu's Little Heist”)

Sdumo Mtshali (“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”)

Vusi Kunene (“Seconds”)

Pierre van Pletzen (“Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor”)

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – FEATURE FILM

"Blindelings“

"Runs in the Family“

"The Fragile King“

BEST FEATURE FILM

“iNumber Number: Jozi Gold”

"Seconds“

"The Fragile King“

BEST NATURAL HISTORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME

"City Beasts: Cape Of Chaos/Otter Chaos“

“Legends of Venom : Viper”

“Snakes in the City” S9

BEST TV PRESENTER (PUBLIC VOTE)

Emihle Matshawu (“Baking with The Rey's”)

Govan Albert Whittles (“Carte Blance“)

Kuhle Adams (“Expresso Morning Show”)

Laconco (“Forever Thina” S1)

Dante Poole (“Hectic Nine-9”)

Emo Adams (“Noot vir Noot”)

Devi Sankaree Govender (“The Devi Show”)

Jolene Martin (“The Khoekhoe Saga”)

Mpho Modikoane (“The Masked Singer”)

Nomalanga Shozi (“The Sauce”)

MOST POPULAR TV SOAP OR TELENOVELA (PUBLIC VOTE)

"1802 - Love Defies Time“

"Arendsvlei“

"Binnelanders“

"Diepe Waters“

"Generations: The Legacy“

"Giyani - Land of Blood“

"Gqeberha - The Empire“

"Gomora“

"House of Zwide“

"Isitha“

"My Brother's Keeper“

"Outlaws“

“Redemption”

"Scandal“

"Sibongile & The Dlamini's“

“Skeem Saam”

"Smoke & Mirrors“

“Suidooster”

"The Estate“

"The River“

"Umkhokha: The Curse“

Fans and viewers are given the opportunity to engage in this year’s SAs with categories Best TV Presenter and Most Popular Telenovela or Soap being open for public votes.

Voting codes will be available on all Saftas social media platforms and the NFVF website from September 9, with voting closing on October 21.2

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