M-Net shows win big at Saftas

Johannesburg - M-Net productions Let's Chat with Mel and All Access have won in their categories at the non-fiction South African Film and Television Awards.

Let's Chat with Mel, presented by Mel Bala, won the Best Talk Show award while the lifestyle programme All Access took home the Best Magazine Show trophy.

Undoubtedly the big winner of the event was the wildlife programme Into the Dragon's Lair by the Natural History Unit of Africa. The documentary, which follows the filmmakers' adventures with crocodiles in Botswana's Okavango caves, won four Saftas, including Best Wildlife Programme. 

TVSA reports that the one-hour documentary thriller has been screened on various channels around the world including Sky TV, the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, who co-produced the film.

Filmmaker brothers Craig and Damon Foster collaborated to make the project a reality.

This year's South African Film and Television Awards kicked off with the non-fiction accolades on Sunday at Madame Zingara's Theatre of Dreams in Melrose Arch.  TimesLive reports that the ceremony was hosted by comedian Joey Rasdien and TV star Thami Ngubeni.

This first leg of the Saftas awarded nominees in the non-fiction categories such as documentaries, variety shows and wildlife programmes.

The ceremony for the fiction categories will take place on Sunday February 27 at the same venue.
 
Here are the Safta winners in the non-fiction categories.

WILDLIFE

Best Director in a Wildlife programme
Craig Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)

Best Editor in a Wildlife programme
Susan Scott (Mother Warthog, Aquavision TV Productions)

Best Cinematographer in a Wildlife Programme
Craig Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)
Damon Foster (Into the Dragon's Lair, NHU Africa)

Best Wildlife Programme
Into the Dragon's Lair (NHU Africa)

DOCUMENTARY

Best Documentary Short
The Killing of Iman (Tuba Films)

Best Documentary Feature
Playing the Enemy (Living Pictures)

Best Director in a Documentary
Rina Jooste (Jammer as ek so bitter, Kika Productions)

Best Editor in a Documentary
Nikki Comninos (My Beautiful Game - A fish out of water, Pulp Films)

Best Cinematographer in a Documentary
Tim Chevalier (The Ancient Astronomers of Timbuktu, Dogged Films)

Best Student Film
Agter die Berge (AFDA)

Best Short Film
Karoo (Kaugoomi)

Best Animation Film
Mune (Jesca Marisa Leibbrandt)

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Best Youth and Children Programme
Ed and Eppa in the Wild (Red Pepper Pictures)

Best Factual / Educational Programme
A Country Imagined (Curious Pictures)

Best Talk Show
Let's Chat with Mel (Clive Morris Productions)

Best Variety Show
MK Awards 2010 (Magic Factory)

Best Reality Show
Die Foon (Urban Brew Studio)

Best Magazine Show
All Access (Homebrew Films)

Best Game Show
Noot vir Noot (Clive Morris Productions)