South African Film and Television Awards, held at the Pretoria State Theatre on Saturday, 20 February 2010, were widely acclaimed as the slickest awards yet, overcoming previous year’s timekeeping problems.

T.O.M. Pictures were the most awarded production company on the night, with seven awards, having been the second most nominated with Curious Pictures at the start of the evening. In the TV Drama category, A Place Called Home won Best Director (Akin Omotoso and Rollie Nikiwe), Supporting Actress (Nolwazi Shange), Editor (Leon Retief), Production Designer (Martha Sibanyoni) and Composer (Neil Solomon), while Lloyd Ross won T.O.M. two awards for his documentary The Silver Fez: Best Director and Cinematographer.

Endemol were the joint second most awarded production company, winning five in the soap opera category, where Isidingo won Best Direction, Supporting Actor (Jack Devnarian), Supporting Actress (Kim Engelbrecht), Ensemble Cast, and Writing Team.

Endemol shared second place with Dv8, who were the most nominated production company going into the awards. Shirley Adams won Best Feature, Director (Oliver Hermanus) and Actress (Denise Newman), while Izulu Lami, their coproduction with Vuleka, won Best Supporting Actor (Tshepang Mohlomi) and Production Designer (Simon Joyner).

With four awards, Paw Paw Films were in joint third place alongside Aquavision and the Human Rights Media Trust. Paw Paw’s Sokhulu and Partners, which earned an International Emmy nomination last year, won Best Full Length TV Drama, Writing Team, and Actress (Linda Sokhulu, who also earned a Special Mention for Supporting Actress in a TV Soap for her role as Ziyanda in Rhythm City), while Natalie Haarhoff won Best Cinematographer on a TV Drama for Paw Paw’s Izingane Zobaba, their King Lear adaptation.

Aquavision cleaned out the Wildlife category, where Dolphin Army won Best TV Wildlife Programme, Director (Billie-Jean Parker), Editor (Susan Scott) and Cinematographer (Peter Lamberti and Riaan Venter). They’d had all the finalists in the category, so were only competing against themselves.

The Human Rights Media Trust similarly cleaned out the Short Documentary category, where xenophobia documentary Burning Man won Best Documentary Short, Director (Adze Ugah), Cinematographer (Adze Ugah) and Editor (Themba Duncan Rikhotso).

A Place Called Home and Isidingo were the two most awarded programmes with five wins, followed by Dolphin Army and Burning Man with four, and Sokhulu and Partners, Shirley Adams, Mr. Bones 2, White Lion and Stokvel with three. 

Last year’s most popular South African film, Leon Schuster’s Mr. Bones 2, won Best Editor (Johan Lategan), Costume Design (Nerine Pienaar), and Make Up and Hair Stylist (Debra Nicoll).

Currently at cinemas, family feature White Lion won Best Cinematographer (Michael Swan), Music Composition (Philip Miller), and Sound Design (Area 5.1’s Ivan Millborrow, Nicky de Beer and Charlotte Buys).

Penguin Film’s Stokvel won Best Director (Vusi Dibakwane), Actor (Tshamano Sebe) and Ensemble Cast in the TV Comedy category.

There were a number of other multiple winners. Morula Pictures’ Generations won Best Actor in a TV Soap (Seputla Sebogodi) and Actress (Katlego Danke), as well as Special Mentions for Art Direction (Meagan Havenga) and Costume Design (Natalie Lundan).

Lisa Key’s Rewind: A Cantata won Best Documentary and Best Editor (Devon Brough), as well as a Special Mention for Sound Design (Simon Falkiner). Feature film Nothing but the Truth won Best Supporting Actress (Motshabi Tyelele) and Best Writer (Dr. John Kani).

Homebrew Films’ Shoreline won Best Factual Educational Entertainment and Cinematographer (Chris Lotz).

Curious Pictures’ The Lab won Best Actor in a TV Drama (Fana Mokoena) and Best Ensemble Cast.

Sosiba Entertainment’s Family Bonds won Best Comedy and Best Actress (Lawrancia Mthembu).

Clive Morris Productions’ 50/50 won Best Magazine Programme and Presenting / Script / Research (Johan Botha).

Mahala Media and Meerkat Media’s Jam Sandwich won Best Music Show and Concept and Script (Deon Maas).

Hanneke Schutte’s Superhero won Best Short Film and Best Cinematographer (Willie Nel).

Arguably the most important Golden Horn of the night, the public vote for Best Soapie, went to SABC2’s 7de Laan, created by Danie Odendaal Productions.

Lifetime achievement awards went to Katinka Heyns for direction and production, Joe Mafela for television performance, and Dr. John Kani for stage and film.

On a refreshingly good-tempered night, Joe was the only person to reference last year’s crisis at the SABC, while John was the most controversial, asking why South African actors are not good enough to play Mandela or Winnie, in reference to Darrell Roodt’s recent decision to cast American Jennifer Hudson as the former First Lady in his upcoming biopic. John’s message to producers and directors was, “It’s time to see us.”

The awards also recognised and remembered esteemed individuals who contributed to the industry, and have since passed on, through the Posthumus Lifetime Achievement Award. Those honoured in this category are Thys Heyns for production; Percival Rubens for direction; Dirk De Villiers for production, writing and direction; and Zakes Mokae for performance.

Other winners included Death of a Queen (Best Mini-Drama Series), Family Bonds (Best Comedy), Big Up (Best Youth and Children), Carte Blanche (Best News and Actuality), Strictly Come Dancing (Best Variety Show), Dis Hoe Dit Is Met Steve (Best Talk Show), Our House (Best Reality Show), Noot vir Noot (Best Game Show), and Harold and Nina (Best Student Film). 

Acting awards went to White Wedding’s Kenneth Nkosi (Best Actor in a Feature Film), Erfsondes’ Terence Bridgett (Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama), and So You Think You Can Dance’s Sade Gilliberti (Best Presenter in a Variety Show).

Craft awards went to Mama What Went Down’s Konrad de Lange (Best Editor in a Variety Show), The Last Hunter’s Ramsden and Justin Elmes (Best Sound in a Student Film) and Marco van de Merwe (Best Visual Effects in a Student Film), and Wamkelekile’s Dorotea Vucic (Best Art Direction in a Student Film), while Scandal’s Multi Camera Team earned a Special Mention in the TV Soap category and AFDA Film School received a Certificate of Recognition for Development.

Hosted by award-winning comedian, John Vlismas, the show featured performances by MXO, Just Jinger and Jamali. Clive Morris Productions produced the awards ceremony.

The awards received a record 221 entries, which were judged by industry experts overseen by overall chairpersons Paul Raleigh and Coco Cachalia. PriceWaterhouse Coopers audited all the entries and the judging process.