30 April 2020
Where to stream the big winners from the 2020 SAFTAs
Looking for the cream of the crop of local productions? Over 66% of the winners in the TV categories are ready for a mega-binge on Showmax, including all the telenovela winners, 12 out of the 13 drama winners, the best reality, natural history, lifestyle and variety shows, as well as the best documentary and short film winners. Some of these winners are also available to stream on DStv Now.
Soapies, reality series and telenovelas
The Queen S1-4
Actor Lloyd McDonald was awarded the Best Supporting Actor – Telenovela for The Queen. Stream it on Showmax and on DStv Now.
The River S1-3
It was a celebratory night for The River. The telenovela scooped 10 awards for Best Actress, Best Achievement in Editing, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Achievement in Scriptwriting, Best Achievement in Sound, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Wardrobe, Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Stream it on Showmax and on DStv Now.
Isibaya S1-7
In previous years, Isibaya has came out tops when it comes to the SAFTAs but in 2020 the telenovela went home with only one award for Best Achievement In Original Music/Score. Stream it on Showmax and on DStv Now.
The Republic S1
It’s only in its first season but The Republic has left such an impression in the TV industry that it walked away with seven awards in total.
Set in an alternative present-day South Africa, The Republic follows the country’s first female President, Lufuno Zandile Mulaudzi (Florence Masebe), who’s determined to fight corruption and turn the country around.
Produced by Tshedza Pictures, who also make Best Telenovela winner The River, The Republic won Best Drama, Best Actress (Florence Masebe) and Best Supporting Actor (Seputla Sebogodi) as well as craft awards for Directing, Scriptwriting, Cinematography, Sound, and Music.
Stream it on Showmax.
Ifalakhe S1
Congratulations to Stained Glass Productions for scooping two awards for their riveting drama series Ifalakhe, which won craft awards for Best Wardrobe and Makeup and Hair. Stream it on Showmax.
eHostela S1
A well-deserved win for Wiseman Ncube, who was acknowledged in the Best Actor in a TV drama category for his role in eHostela. Stream it on Showmax.
iThemba S1
Brenda Ngxoli’s award shelf just got heavier with the addition of her third SAFTA for her supporting role in iThemba. Stream it on Showmax.
Living The Dream With Somizi
Congratulations to BarLeader TV, the production house behind Living The Dream With Somizi. The reality series walked away with the Best Structured/Docu-reality show award. BarLeader also produced Somizi & Mohale: The Union and Being Bonang. Stream it on Showmax.
Elders: Japan
At last night’s SAFTAs, kykNET’s Elders: Japan won Best Lifestyle Show.
In this travelogue, Erns Grundling, who gave us Elders: Die Camino, heads to Japan to walk two more pilgrimages and see if the country is ready for the Rugby World Cup.
He attempts to conquer Mount Fuji in thick snow, and interviews several international rugby players ahead of the World Cup. He also explores Japan’s wonderful culture, cuisine, incredible cities and scenery, and even tries to be a samurai warrior, ninja and sumo wrestler.
This fun series will entice you to put Japan on your travel bucket list. Stream it on Showmax.
Rhythm City
The Best Supporting Actor in a TV Soap was awarded to Mncedisi Shabangu for his role on Rhythm City. The soapie also walked away with the Best TV Soap award. Rhythm City is available to stream on DStv Now.
Documentaries
Buddha in Africa
At last night’s SAFTAs, Buddha in Africa won both Best Documentary and Best Directing.
In a Chinese Buddhist orphanage in Africa, a Malawian teenager finds himself torn between his African roots and Chinese upbringing. Once the star performer with dreams of becoming a martial arts hero like Jet Li, Enock is now in his final year of school and has to make some tough decisions about his future. Will he return to his relatives in his home village or study abroad in Taiwan?
Directed by South African Nicole Schafer, Buddha in Africa was praised by Variety as “a complicated portrait of what’s been described as the latest chapter in Africa’s long struggle against colonization.”
Buddha in Africa screened at IDFA 2019, arguably the world’s top documentary festival, as part of their prestigious Best of Fests line-up, after winning Best South African Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival.
Stream it on Showmax.
Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War
At last night’s SAFTAs, Stroop won for Best Natural History and Environmental Programme.
Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War is a gripping wildlife crime thriller of a documentary that takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride between Africa and Asia. Two first-time filmmakers, award-winning editor Susan Scott (The Last Lions) and 50/50 presenter Bonné de Bod, embed themselves on the frontlines of the rhino poaching crisis, where they are given exclusive access to the war as it unfolds on the ground.
Carving out six months for the project, the two women quickly find themselves immersed in a world far larger and more dangerous than they had imagined, only emerging from their odyssey four years later. The resulting film has won over 25 international awards, including Best of Festival at The International Wildlife Film Festival, and was shortlisted for two awards at Jackson Wild, arguably the Oscars of the wildlife filmmaking world.
But that’s not all …
Other SAFTA winners you can stream now on Showmax include:
- Suidooster – Best Actress: TV Soap (Denise Newman)
- Getroud Met Rugby – Best Scriptwriting: TV Soap
- Mooi – Best Variety Show
- The Letter Reader – Best Short Film
- The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story – Best Editing: Documentary
Other SAFTA winners you can stream live on DStv Now include:
