‘The River’ and ‘DAM’ lead SAFTA nominations 2022: Here’s the full list

The South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) nominations for 2022 are out, with The River, DAM and Tali’s Baby Diary leading the list with a whopping 11 nominations each.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced the nominations on Thursday (14 July). The awards, which will be held on 2 and 3 September 2022, showcase local film and TV talent.

‘Frame the Future’

The theme for this year’s SAFTAs, which is the 16th edition since its establishment in 2005, is “Frame the Future.” This is a reference to the challenging post-COVID-19 period, NFVF CEO Makhosazana Khanyile explained.

“With the release of this year’s nominees, we are looking forward to a remarkable show that will showcase the creative innovation that our local industry has continued to display despite the circumstances that have been faced,” Khanyile added.

The MultiChoice Group, which owns DStv, dominates the nominations list. Besides the Group’s The River, DAM and Tali’s Baby Diary, DiepCity and Suidooster earned 10 nominations each and G.I.L nine.

The SABC Group also registered impressive success, with its titles Skeem Saam garnering six nominations, 7 de laan three, Murder in Paris four and Giyani: Land of Blood two.

Popular Showmax telenovela The Wife earned 10 nominations, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Bonko Khoza, Abdul Khoza and Zikhona Sodlaka respectively.

ETV’s House of Zwide won eight nominations while Scandal received nine. Netflix wasn’t left behind, with its How To Ruin Christmas, Season 2 clinching a massive 16 nods.

The public will get to vote for nominees in two categories – Best TV Presenter and Most Popular Soap/Telenovela. Voting lines will open on 1 August 2022, NFVF said.

Writing on Twitter, entertainment commentator Phil Mphela praised the list as “more diverse” compared to last year’s list. However, he added, “This year, the judging panel went for safe and obvious choices. I worry people who judge don’t actually engage with the broader industry content and just watch submitted bits.”

Full list of SAFTA nominations 2022

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND FOR A DOCUMENTARY

The Colonel’s Stray Dogs
I Am Here
Kha Ri Tshine-Ma Afrika Dance
Devilsdorp
Murder In Paris

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING, DOCUMENTARY

Ulwandle – The Ocean
I Am Here
I, Mary
Devilsdorp
The Colonel’s Stray Dogs
Murder In Paris

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – DOCUMENTARY

Devilsdorp
Zero To Zero
Ulwandle – The Ocean
I, Mary
Murder In Paris
I Am Here

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – DOCUMENTARY

Devilsdorp
The Colonel’s Stray Dogs
Ulwandle – The Ocean

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Like Water
Ulwandle – The Ocean
Celebrating Herstory Through Song

BEST MADE FOR TV DOCUMENTARY

Rachel’s Angels: Inspirasie Stories
Devilsdorp
Mapungubwe: Echoes In The Valley

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Murder In Paris
The Colonel’s Stray Dogs
I Am Here

BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME

My Cartoon Friend
Hectic On 3
Siyaya – Come Wild With Us!

BEST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

Techno Squad
Kick It
Aganang

BEST FACTUAL PROGRAMME

The Devi Show
Strangers You Know – The Mooinooi Murders
Die Staat Teen

BEST COMPETITION REALITY SHOW

Ultimate Braai Master
The Taste Master SA
The Longest Date

BEST STRUCTURED SOAPIE REALITY SHOW

The Unexpected – DJ Zinhle
Pastor Wants a Wife
Uthando Nes’thembu

BEST DOCU-REALITY

Abandoned
Ghosted Africa: Love Gone Missing
A Dog for Life

BEST YOUTH PROGRAMME

Signal High
MTV Base: SA’s Hottest MCs
The Kingdom

BEST ONLINE CONTENT

Till Next Time
The Adventures of Noko Mashaba – Makhi’s Chicken
Politically Aweh

BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME

Jan
Elders: Namibië
Die Broer Toer

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME

What The Fog?
Beitbridge Border Post
Corrupt Kidnappings

BEST MADE FOR TV MOVIE

Mike en Mavis
Swirl
Boxing Day

BEST INTERNATIONAL FORMAT

Dance Africa Dance
Celebrity Game Night
Family Feud South Africa

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME

Too Hot to Be Single
Die 11de kykNET Fiestas
Musiek Roulette

BEST VARIETY SHOW

Expresso Morning Show
After The Vows
The Braai Show with Cassper

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – TV COMEDY

African Dreams
G.I.L.
How to Ruin Christmas

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV COMEDY

G.I.L.
How To Ruin Christmas
Troukoors

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV COMEDY

Tali’s Baby Diary
G.I.L.
How to Ruin Christmas

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV COMEDY

G.I.L.
How to Ruin Christmas
Blacktax
Tali’s Baby Diary

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TV COMEDY

Tali’s Baby Diary
How to Ruin Christmas
Troukoors

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING -TV COMEDY

Tali’s Baby Diary
Blacktax
How to Ruin Christmas

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY -TV COMEDY

How to Ruin Christmas
Troukoors
Tali’s Baby Diary

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV COMEDY

How to Ruin Christmas
G.I.L.
Tali’s Baby Diary

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – TV DRAMA

Reyka
4 Mure
Dam

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV DRAMA

Is’phindiselo
4 Mure
Blood & Water

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV DRAMA

Dam
4 Mure
eHostela

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/SCORE – TV DRAMA

Dam
Umkhokha
Dead Places
eHostela

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV DRAMA

Dam
Nqobile
Blood & Water

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TV DRAMA

Slot
Reyka
Jiva
Nêrens Noordkaap

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TV DRAMA

4 Mure
eHostela
Reyka

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV DRAMA

Blood & Water
Umkhokha
Reyka

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV DRAMA

Reyka
Dam
Slot
4 Mure

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

DiepCity
The Wife
The River

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

The River
House of Zwide

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

Gomora
Skeem Saam
The River
House of Zwide
Scandal

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING –TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

House of Zwide
DiepCity
The River
The Wife

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/SCORE – TELENOVELA

Gomora
The River
The Wife

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TELENOVELA

DiepCity
House of Zwide
The Wife

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA

House of Zwide
The River
DiepCity

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TELENOVELA

DiepCity
Giyani – Land of Blood
Legacy

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TELENOVELA

House of Zwide
The Wife
DiepCity

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV SOAP

7de Laan
Skeem Saam
Scandal

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV SOAP

Scandal
Suidooster
Binnelanders

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – FEATURE FILM

Happiness Ever After
Glasshouse
Fried Barry

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN – FEATURE FILM

Mr Johnson
Happiness Ever After
Glasshouse

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN – FEATURE FILM

Atlantis
Fried Barry
I Am All Girls

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – FEATURE FILM

New Material
Glasshouse
I Am All Girls

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM

Glasshouse
I Am All Girls
Daryn’s Gym

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE – FEATURE FILM

I Am All Girls
Fried Barry
Angeliena
Barakat

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – FEATURE FILM

I Am All Girls
Love, Lies & Hybrids
Glasshouse

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – FEATURE FILM

Love, Lies & Hybrids
Atlantis
Freedom

BEST STUDENT FILM

Four Walls and A Roof (The Jozi Film Festival)
Water Is Water (UCT- Centre For Film And Media Studies)
The Invisible (Showmax)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP

Melissa Willering – Suidooster (kykNET & Kie)
Odelle De Wet – Binnelanders (kykNET)
Natasha Sutherland – Scandal (e.TV)
Marion Holm – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
Gcina Nkosi – Scandal (e.TV)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV SOAP

Mortimer Williams – Skeem Saam (SABC1)
Richard September – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNet & Kie)
Marvin-Lee Beukes – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNet & Kie)
Clint Brink – Binnelanders (kykNET)
Jerry Mofokeng Wa Makhetha – Scandal (e.TV)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA

Moshidi Motshegwa – Isono (BET Africa)
Shaleen Surtie Richards (RIP) – Arendsvlei (kykNET, kykNet & Kie)
Michelle Botes – Legacy (M-Net)
Charmaine Mtinta – Isono (BET Africa)
Zikhona Sodlaka – The Wife (Showmax)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA

Abdul Khoza – The Wife (Showmax)
Obed Baloyi – DiepCity (Mzansi Magic)
Jack Devnarain – Imbewu The Seed (e.TV)
Seputla Sebogodi – The River (1Magic)
Don Mlangeni Nawa – Legacy (M-Net)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP

Manaka Ranaka (Lucy) – Generations: The Legacy (SABC1)
Shoki Mmola (Celia Magongwa) – Skeem Saam (SABC1)
Denise Newman (Bridgette Jacobs) – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
Cindy Swanepoel (Annelize Roux) – Binnelanders (kykNET)
Jill Levenberg (Mymoena Samsodien) – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SOAP

Thabo Malema (Bohang) – Scandal (e.TV)
Mathews Rantsoma (Nhlamulo) – Scandal (e.TV)
Cedwyn Joel (AB Samsodien) – Suidooster (kykNET, kykNET & Kie)
Johan Scholtz (Schalk Brand) – Getroud Met Rudgy (kykNET)
Putla Sehlapelo (Alfred Magongwa) – Skeem Saam (SABC1)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA

Tsholofelo Matshaba (Kedibone) – The River (1Magic)
Kgomotso Christopher (Dineo) – Legacy (M-Net)
Mary-Anne Barlow (Felicity) – Legacy (M-Net)
Sindi Dlathu (Lindiwe) – The River (1Magic)
Nthati Moshesh (Mary Ndlovu) – Isono (BET Africa)

BEST ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA

Vusi Kunene (Funani Zwide) – House of Zwide (e.TV)
Robert Hobbs (James) – Legacy (M-Net)
Aubrey Poo (Castro Kamanga) – The Estate (SABC3)
Don Mlangeni Nawa (Shadrack Mokobane) – The Estate (SABC3)
Bonko Khoza (Mqhele Zulu) – The Wife (Showmax)

BEST TV SOAP

Getroud Met Rugby (kykNET)
Suidooster (kykNET, kykNet & Kie)
7de Laan (SABC2)

BEST TELENOVELA

The Wife (Showmax)
DiepCity (Mzansi Magic)
The River (1Magic)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Natasha Loring – Dam (Showmax)
Lele Ledwaba – Nqobile (Mzansi Magic)
Linda Sebezo – eHostela (Mzansi Magic)
Xolile Tshabalala – Blood & Water (Netflix)
June Van Merch – Die Boekklub (kykNET)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Arno Marais – Spoorloos (M-Net)
Siv Ngesi – Dam (Showmax)
Neil Sandilands – Dam (Showmax)
Mduduzi Mabaso – eHostela (Mzansi Magic)
Warren Masemola – Is’phindiselo (eVOD)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Tinarie Van Wyk-Loots (Sandra) – 4 Mure (Kyknet)
Kim Engelbrecht (Reyka) – Reyka (M-Net)
Lea Vivier (Yola) – Dam (Showmax)
Shannon Esra (Samantha) – Lioness (M-Net)
Nqobile Nunu Khumalo (Nqobile Nkosi) – Nqobile (Mzansi Magic)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Brendon Daniels (Trevor) – Skemerdans (Showmax)
Hamilton Dlamini (Hector) – Reyka (M-Net)
Dumisani Dlamini (Celemba) – eHostela (Mzansi Magic)
Pallance Dladla (Themba) – Dam (Showmax)
Thobani Dlomo Nzuza (Mndeni) – eHostela (Mzansi Magic)

BEST TV DRAMA

Reyka (M-Net)
Slot (Kyknet)
Dam (Showmax)
4 Mure (kykNET)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY

Kate Pinchuck – Tali’s Baby Diary (Showmax)
Rami Chuene – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Kate Normington – Tali’s Baby Diary (Showmax)
Thembi Nyandeni – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Charmaine Mtinta – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY

Frank Opperman – G.I.L. (kykNET)
Desmond Dube – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Thabo Malema – African Dreams (SABC1)
Trevor Gumbi – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Rob Van Vuuren – Comedy Mixtape (SABC2)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY

Ashley De Lange (Rietjie) – G.I.L. (kykNET)
Shamilla Miller (Megan Markle) – Comedy Mixtape (SABC2)
Julia Anastasopoulos (Tali Babes) – Tali’s Baby Diary (Showmax)
Ilse-Lee Van Niekerk (Jessica Riekert) – Troukoors (Showmax)
Busisiwe Lurayi (RIP) (Tumi Sello) – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY

Bennie Fourie (Barry Wiese) – G.I.L. (kykNET)
Saint Seseli (Vusi Twala) – How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Riaad Moosa (Mafia Don) – Comedy Mixtape (SABC2)
Anton Taylor (Darren Nudleman) – Tali’s Baby Diary (Showmax)
Motlatsi Mafatshe (Nkanyiso) – Blacktax (BET)

BEST TV COMEDY

G.I.L. (kykNET)
How to Ruin Christmas (Netflix)
Tali’s Baby Diary (Showmax)

BEST SHORT FILM

#Wearedyinghere (Ster Kinekor Rosebank) – Africa Rising International Film Festival
Some Mothers’ Sons – WF TV Woordfees
The Ring of Beasts – South Africa Independent Film Festival

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

Ferry Jele – Freedom (Showmax)
Quanita Adams – Barakat (Ster Kinekor, Numetro, Independent Cinemas in South
Africa)
Nomvelo Makhanya – I Am All Girls (Netflix)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

Tshamano Sebe – Angeliena (Netflix)
Sean Cameron Michael – Fried Barry (DStv BoxOffice)
JP Du Plessis – I Am All Girls (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM

Erica Wessels (Jody Snyman) – I Am All Girls (Netflix)
Hlubi Mboya-Arnold (Ntombizonke Papayi) – I Am All Girls (Netflix)
Vinette Ebrahim (Aisha) – Barakat (Ster Kinekor, Numetro, Independent Cinemas in
South Africa)

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM

Marlon Swarts (Mikhail) – Sons of The Sea (Ster Kinekor)
Paul Slabolepszy (David Johnson) – Mr Johnson (DStv BoxOffice)
Jafta Mamabolo (Freedom) – Freedom (Showmax)

BEST ACHIEVMENT IN DIRECTING – FEATURE FILM

I Am All Girls (Netflix)
Barakat (Ster Kinekor , Numetro, Independent Cinemas in South Africa)
Fried Barry – (DStv BoxOffice, Cinema Premiere)

BEST FEATURE FILM

Fried Barry (DStv BoxOffice, Cinema Premiere)
I Am All Girls (Netflix)
Glasshouse (DStv BoxOffice)

BEST NATURAL HISTORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME

World’s Deadliest Snakes – Africa (DStv)
The Flooded Desert (DStv)
Unholy Alliance (DStv)

BEST TV PRESENTER (PUBLIC VOTE)

Thembisa Mdoda–Nxumalo – Old Mutual Amazing Voices (Mzansi Magic),
Motlatsi Mafatshe – Unefa (Mzansi Magic)
Samora Mangesi – Real Goboza (SABC1)
Devi Sankaree Govender – The Devi Show (e.TV)
Lawrence Maleka – Too Hot to Be Single (SABC1)
Vicky Davis – Pasella (SABC2)
Nico Panagio – Survivor SA Immunity Island (M-Net)
Siphelo Bayana – Roughing It Out (SABC2)
Lourensa Eckard – Kn Verslag (kykNET)
Israel Matseke-Zulu – Kick It (SABC1)