Simon "Mabhunu" Sabela KZN Film and Television Award winners announced

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Hosted by the award-winning bKhaya Mthethwa, the awards were graced by government representatives, industry professionals and television and film personalities.

The event was opened with an upbeat Qhom performance by KZN’s Beast. The KZN Film Commission Board chairperson, Nise Malange, welcomed the guests, followed by a Keynote speech by Ravi Pillay, MEC Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. The Overall chairperson of the judging panel, represented by the head of Afda Film School, Temara Prem declared the judging press transparent and fair.

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The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Junaid Ahmed posthumously. Ahmed was an International Award-winning filmmaker born in Durban in 1959. He went to Southlands High School and graduated from the University of Durban Westville in the ‘80s with a BA (Honours) degree in Drama. Ahmed’s passion was always in the creative industries and had a varied and prolific career in the arts. He produced, workshopped, acted in and directed many theatre productions at various community venues, including the Asoka Theatre, the Market Theatre, and the National Arts Arts Festival. He also wrote and directed the acclaimed musical, Bombay Crush, which starred well-known SA actress Kajal Bagwandeen.

He directed the feature film More Than Just A Game for which Sony Pictures International (SPI) acquired the international distribution rights and was broadcast in over 40 countries. Together with Helena Spring, Ahmed was, at the time of his death, producing a slate of nine films supported by the NFVF. The first of these, Hard To Get opened the 2014 Durban International Film Festival and was released in cinemas later that year. Then in February of that year, their co-produced film Happiness is a Four Letter Word (with Khanyi Mbau, Renate Stuurman and Mmabatho Montsho in lead roles) was the best-performing film of all new releases, in South Africa on its opening weekend.

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The Awards were hosted by the KZN Film Commission in association with the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and produced by Khulasande SSS Holdings. Under Glam Night at the Sabela’s theme, the awards streamed live on KZN Film Commission’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page.

Established in 2013, with the aim of celebrating and recognising excellence within the KwaZulu-Natal film and television industry, the Simon 'Mabhunu' Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards aims to shine the spotlight on the great strides being made by the many talented television and film practitioners by celebrating their outstanding achievements across South Africa, with a special focus on KwaZulu-Natal.

For a full list of winners go here.