Inside the glamour of the kykNET Silwerskerm Awards, the Spinners S2 screening buzz and why the industry's storytellers make the schedule worth it.
Beáta Bena Green on the blue carpet at the glamorous kykNET Silwerskerm Awards for Film and TV at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Picture: Supplied, Silwerskerm
There’s a reason why the Silwerskerm Film Festival has built a 14-year reputation as one of the standout events on South Africa’s entertainment calendar, and after attending for the first time this year, I finally understand the hype.
More than just awards
While the main awards are the headline event, what struck me most as a first-timer was everything happening around them. Friday’s screening of the upcoming second season of the critically acclaimed Spinners was a standout and the main reason I attended. If the industry’s excitement for what’s coming next is anything to go by, I’d be keen to find out how audiences at home will feel once they finally get a glimpse of the show whose return they’ve been begging for.
What impressed me even more was how effortless the networking felt.
Silwerskerm is one of the few remaining convergence points for actors, directors, presenters and journalists in the same room without it feeling forced or hierarchical. Other such spaces include the Durban and Johannesburg international film festivals. Conversations flowed as easily poolside as they did in formal sessions, and by the end of the weekend it was clear why so many industry relationships are forged here.
Where polish meets purpose
The awards ceremony itself, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, was a genuine showcase of production quality, and I marvelled at the slick, well-paced movement of the pre-recorded show that, to me, showcased it as the product of serious institutional muscle behind it.
It’s easy to see why MultiChoice’s Waldimar Pelser, director for Premium Channels, described the industry’s creative power as something that “astounds” him every year.
for ‘Wie Word ‘n Miljoenêr’ at the kykNET Silwerskerm Awards for Film and TV. Picture: Supplied
The night belonged in large part to presenter Rian van Heerden, called up three times for Silwerskerm statuettes, and to the feature film Landmyn, which swept four of the headline categories – best feature film, best actor for Ben Albertyn, best actress for Anna-Mart van der Merwe, and best female supporting performer for Nicole Holm.
Just as memorable were the lifetime achievement honours handed out earlier in the weekend. Legendary filmmaker Koos Roets (83) – whose career stretches back to 1962 as an assistant cameraman for Jamie Uys – received his award at The Bay Hotel on the Saturday morning.
That evening, actor Ivan Abrahams and comedy giant Willie Esterhuizen were honoured on the main stage for their own lifetime contributions to the industry.
The one downside: sleep is not on the agenda
If there’s one honest critique to offer a first-timer’s guide to Silwerskerm, it’s this – you will not sleep.
Between the screenings, the industry mixers, the panel sessions, the awards themselves, and the after parties, the schedule doesn’t leave much room to recover before the next thing starts. By the final day, exhaustion was very real and Monday morning feels far longer than it should.
However, the sentimental industry gal in me who is also a lifelong film lover (regardless of the language) loved watching storytellers, old and new, get properly celebrated for their craft. It made every sleep-deprived hour worth it.
And, being able to follow the live ceremony sans subtitles reminded me why teenage me used to get the occasional letter of recognition from the organisers of the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) for my academic performance in Afrikaans. Years later, that understanding came in really handy.
Full list of winners:
- Best lead performer in a comedy: Albert Pretorius (Flip) – Die kantoor
- Best supporting performer in a comedy: Schalk Bezuidenhout (Tjaart) – Die kantoor
- Best supporting performer in a telenovela or soap opera: Gretchen Ramsden (Patty Paulsen) – Skemergrond
- Best newcomer in a telenovela or soap opera: Izette Blignaut (Petro) – Binnelanders
- Best actor in a telenovela or soap opera: Germandt Geldenhuys (Louis) – Binnelanders
- Best actress in a telenovela or soap opera: Sandi Schultz (Zelda Joubert) – Diepe waters
- Best actor in a drama: Albert Pretorius (Gustaff Fouché) – Niggies
- Best actress in a drama: Rolanda Marais (Adri Joubert) – Die nuusmakers
- Best male supporting performer in a drama: Ian Roberts (Jakkals) – Appels en tee
- Best female supporting performer in a drama: Roeline Daneel (Maks Fouché) – Niggies
- Best presenter in a lifestyle programme: Hannes van Wyk – Kwêla
- Best presenter in an entertainment programme: Rian van Heerden – Wie word ‘n miljoenêr
- Best presenter in a reality programme: Reandi Grey – Boer soek ‘n vrou
- Best presenter in a talk show or current affairs programme: Rian van Heerden – Laataand by Rian
- Best presenter in a documentary programme: Rian van Heerden – Schuster
- Best ensemble presenter team: Hamilton Wessels, Rika Calitz, Breyton Paulse, Bakkies Botha, Jonathan Mokuena, Jannie du Plessis, Rikus de Beer, Tommy Dickson (Chef Vaatjie) – Toks en Tjops
WINNERS IN SOME OF THE FEATURE FILM CATEGORIES:
- Best female supporting performer: Nicole Holm – Landmyn
- Best actor: Ben Albertyn –Landmyn
- Best actress: Anna-Mart van der Merwe – Landmyn
- Best feature film: Landmyn
– Kaunda Selisho was a guest of Multichoice/Canal+.
