And the award goes to..

Despite the rain, the CTICC sparkled with glitz and glam on Saturday, 23 August, as the kykNET Silwerskerm Awards took centre stage. Not even the gloomy weather could dampen the spirits of South Africa’s television and film stars, who lit up the ‘blou tapyt’ with style and pride.  

The Silwerkserm trophies were awarded to filmmakers, actors and presenters, while industry legends were honoured for their lifetime contribution to the national entertainment industry.   

Trophies were awarded for several categories. M-Net Channel Director, Premium Channels, Waldimar Pelsner, says there were several standout films and performances that showcased South Africa’s remarkable talent this year.  

“Nico Scheepers’s psychological horror Hen walked away with the highest number of awards, including for best director, the top film prize of the festival went to Imran Hamdulay’s The Heart Is A Muscle, which moved the independent adjudication panel and audiences at Silwerskerm to tears,”  said Pelsner   

He added, “This was the first year kykNET admitted independent films into competition, a decision which enriched the experience of audiences, and led to better conversations at the festival itself, which already combines first-time film-makers, film veterans, and the stars of the TV industry in a remarkable creative fulcrum. The Heart Is A Muscle is a fantastic example of an indie movie which will now get a wider audience on broadcast television after its cinema run.”   

The Heart Is A Muscle received ‘The best feature film’ award. The film features scenes of Ottery and Wynberg, following Ryan, a young father whose son goes missing during a celebration. What follows is not just a search for a missing child, but a deep confrontation with the past, with manhood, and with the unseen burdens we inherit.  

The film has been nominated and screened at both Berlinale and Sydney film festivals and has won the Panorama independent jury prize at the Berlinale festival and is now honoured on home ground.   

The Heart is a Muscle, makes its cinema debut in September.   

Pelser said kykNET and MultiChoice are proud to bring together such a rich diversity of talent in Afrikaans film and television.  

“We are especially thrilled to be able to combine our primary responsibility, which is to serve our viewers, with our responsibility towards industry development. First-time producers and writers on the short film project, now in its 14th year, enjoy tremendous artistic freedom when they create work for Silwerskerm, but they are also reminded of market realities: Having a broadcaster attached to a festival means your work will get seen much more widely than is ordinarily the case with festival films; so this is an opportunity to start thinking about what real-world audiences want and need,” he said   

Starting on Sunday, 31 August, all shorts will be broadcast on kykNET, starting with short documentaries at 8pm on DStv channel 144.   

Click here for the schedule.  

THE WINNERS IN THE TELEVISION CATEGORIES:  

Best Lead in a Comedy  

Bianca Flanders – Mince jou hare (S1)  

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy  

Tobie Cronjé – Pronk Primêr (S1)  

Best Actor in a Drama  

Frank Opperman – Nêrens, Noord-Kaap (S2)  

Best Actress in a Drama  

Ilse Klink – Nêrens, Noord-Kaap (S2)  

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama  

Geon Nel – Nêrens, Noord-Kaap (S2)  

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama  

Daneel van der Walt – Nêrens, Noord-Kaap (S2)  

Best Actor in a Telenovela or Soap  

Justin Strydom – Diepe waters (S3)  

Best Actress in a Telenovela or Soap  

Nadia Valvekens – Diepe waters (S3)  

Best Supporting Actor in a Telenovela or Soap  

Therese Bam – Wyfie (S2)  

Best Newcomer in a Telenovela or Soap  

Mila de Villiers – Reënboogrant (S1)  

Best Entertainment Show Presenter  

Emo Adams – Oppi noot  

Best Lifestyle Show Presenter (including talk and magazine shows)  

Hannon Bothma – Glam Guru  

Best Current Affairs or Talk Show Presenter  

Lourensa Eckard – In gesprek (S9)  

Best Reality Show Presenters  

Bertus Basson & Kobus Botha – Kokkedoor: Vuur & vlam  

Best Ensemble Presenting Team  

Breyton Paulse, Hamilton Wessels, Rika Nieuwoudt, Rikus de Beer, Janina Oberholzer, Jean de Villiers, Jonathan Mokuena, Jannie du Plessis, Tommy Dickson (Chef Vaatjie) – Toks & tjops  

THE WINNERS IN THE FEATURE FILM CATEGORIES:  

Best Supporting Actor  

Francois Jacobs – Khaki Fever  

Best Supporting Actress  

Zandélle Meyer – My f*k, Marelize!  

Best Actor  

Stian Bam – Hen  

Best Actress  

Je-ani Swiegelaar – My f*k, Marelize!  

Best Feature Film  

The Heart Is a Muscle  

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:  

• Leon Schuster – Actor and Filmmaker  

• Vinette Ebrahim – Actress  

• Marida Swanepoel – Former kykNET channel head, scriptwriter and producer