The 16th annual South African Film & Television Awards (Saftas) is set to be a star-studded affair, judging by the hosts alone.
The cream of the crop in the SA entertainment industry has been selected to bring viewers at home all the glitz and glam of the two-day event.
In keeping with the theme, “Frame the Future”, the Saftas announced that those spearheading the celebrations will be a fresh crop of newcomers and familiar faces who represent the future of SA talent.
Get ready to be dazzled and entertained by the likes of multi-talented radio and TV personalities, Smash Afrika and Candice Modiselle; media personality Khutso Theledi; comedian and TV personality Mpho Popps; and, last but not least, actor, TV presenter and GQ’s best-dressed break-out star Ryle De Morny to anchor the main night as the official “Saftas Main Awards Show” hosts, scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 3, at 7pm on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161, and on S3, DStv channel 193.
What would the Saftas be without the glitz and drama of the red carpet?
That’s where daytime presenter Palesa Tembe works her magic, reporting live from the red carpet. Meanwhile, social media personality Lasizwe will be delivering a blow by blow of the night’s best-dressed celebs.
This year’s Saftas will be streamed live on the Saftas YouTube Channel and broadcast on S3 at 6.30pm on Saturday, September 3.
The annual event honours, celebrate and rewards excellence in the South African film and television industry and serves to encourage the development of new talent fostering a generation of filmmakers united in the mission of telling authentic South African stories.
This year’s entries were 426 in total but were sifted to 24 nominations announced in July.
A day before the main event, celebrations kick off with the “Craft Awards” show, which honours excellence within the technology sector of the industry. This event will also be live streamed on the Saftas YouTube channel at 7pm.
Saftas executive producer Anneke de Ridder said the decision to host the event virtually was made at the time the bid for tender was put out to production companies to produce the Saftas16 awards ceremony.
“At the time, SA was still under lockdown and the bid criteria was per Saftas15 guidelines – no public event. Given the restrictions with government institutions when it comes to changing the merits of a tender bid, we had to continue hosting the ceremony virtually.
“While we do acknowledge that it would have been ideal to celebrate with the industry in-person, our production company have worked exceptionally hard to give industry practitioners the honour they deserve.
“Plans for Saftas17 though are already under way and we definitely will resume with an in-person celebration of the industry’s best.”