M-Net’s Local Content Strategy Wins Big

M-Net’s local content investment strategy paid off when its channels collectively won 36 Golden Horns, scooping some of the biggest awards – Most Popular Soap, Best Soap, Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Achievement in Scriptwriting, and Best Achievement in Directing-Feature Film – at the 11^th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) held at the Sun City Super Bowl on 18 March. 

Isibaya, Mzansi Magic’s flagship soap, won Most Popular Soap and The Road was awarded Best TV Soap. kykNET won Best Feature Film for Sink, Best Documentary Feature for Nobody’s Died Laughing, and Best Achievement in Scriptwriting for Die Boekklub. M-Net 101 won Best Achievement in Directing-Feature Film for its original film, Shepherds and Butchers. 

Thembisa Mdoda, presenter of Mzansi Magic’s popular reality show, Our Perfect Wedding won Best TV Presenter and Greed and Desire’s Linda Sebezo in the category Best Supporting Actress- TV Soap/Telenovela.  

kykNET (DStv channel 144) won a total of 26 awards including Best Supporting Actress-TV Drama for Die Boekklub won by Jana Cilliers, taking Best Actor- TV Comedy was James Borthwick as well as the 19 Golden Horns from the technical awards evening. 

M-Net’s (DStv channel 101) original film, Shepherds and Butchers directed by Oliver Schmitz won the Best Achievement in Directing in the Feature Film category. A South African story set in the 1980’s focuses on the skewed judicial system of the time. A second win for M-Net was for its ultimate talent contest The Voice South Africa, which won its very first Golden Horn for Best International Format Show. 

Voted for by adoring fans, Isibaya (on DStv channel 161), is a proudly South African story that has captured the hearts of Mzansi. It depicts the battle for wealth and power between rival taxi families, a reality that many South Africans can relate with. Isibaya also won for its brilliant production value in the category Best Achievement in Post Production-Original Music/Score-TV Soap/Telenovela.

Sink, a kykNET original production, is based on the journey of a mother, who needs to make devastating choices. Nobody’s Died Laughing, is a biographic feature documentary, an exploration of the life and times of satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys. 

M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle stated that, ‘From audience approvals to awards, our local content focus is about creating memorable and empowering television, which has allowed our M-Net magic to spread across the continent’. Phahle continued to say that, ‘Our successes are based on the winning partnerships with powerhouse production companies, actors and our employees, who share the M-Net vision of creating local stories that are transformational and entertaining.’ Phahle congratulated all nominees and winners honoured on the evening.

The 11th Annual South African Film and Television (SAFTAs) winners announced – Night 2

 

The 11th Annual South African Film and Television (SAFTAs) winners announced – Night 1