The nominations for the 13th kykNET Fiësta Awards were announced today. Debut productions presented at the six biggest Afrikaans arts festivals in the cuntry – Aardklop, Innibos, KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Toyota US Woordfees en die Vrystaat Kunstefees – are eligible for Fiësta Awards.
“The uncertainty in the cautious year after the pandemic did nothing to hamper artists’ creativity,” says the convenor of the Fiëstas Panel, Herman van der Westhuizen. “So many of the festivals and artists staged quality productions. The Fiësta Awards should be seen as a standing ovation for the excellent work created in 2022. The panel experienced an amazing year, and we extend warm congratulations to each and every person who helped the arts to step back into the spotlight where it belongs.”
Debut productions staged at the 2022 Toyota SU Woordfees, received 14 nominations – vyf of these for Die moeder which won five Woordtrofees Awards in November last year. Die moeder (originally The Mother) is an unflinching look at empty-nest syndrome by the acclaimed playwright Florian Zeller, who also penned the Oscar-winning The Father.
The play, financially supported by NATi, was nominated for Fiëstas in the following categories: Best Festival Production, Best Director (Christiaan Olwagen), Best Performance in a Leading Role (Sandra Prinsloo), Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Dawid Minnaar) and Best Theatre Design (Birrie le Roux).
Good news for those who missed the show, is that Die moeder starts a run at the Bater Theatre in Cape Town on the 13th of April this year.
Carlo Daniels received Fiësta nominations in the category for Best Performance in a Supporting Role ontvang – one for Athol Fugard and Paula Fourie’s Concerning the Life of Baby Boy Kleintjies, which debuted at the Woordfees and was partially funded by Distell, and a second nomination for his performance in Pieter Fourie’s Ek, Anna van Wyk, staged at the KKNK.
Wian Taljaard was also nominated for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his part in Die Suid-Afrikaners, another play financially supported by NATi.
Three of the four nominees in the category for Best Upcoming Artist (Adriaan Havenga, Gita Fourie and Jacobus de Jager) were on stage at the 2022 Woordfees.
There are eleven categories with four nominees in each category. Hier is the complete list of nominations:
Best Performance in a Leading Role
Antoinette Kellermann – die oerkluts kwyt (KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop)
Marlo Minnaar – Die halwe huis (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
Sandra Prinsloo – Die moeder (Toyota US Woordfees)
Tinarie van Wyk Loots – Ek, Anna van Wyk (KKNK)
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Carlo Daniels – Concerning the Life of Baby Boy Kleintjies (Toyota US Woordfees)
Carlo Daniels – Ek, Anna van Wyk (KKNK)
Dawid Minnaar – Die moeder (Toyota US Woordfees)
Wian Taljaard – Die Suid-Afrikaners (Toyota US Woordfees)
Best Director
Christiaan Olwagen – Die moeder (Toyota US Woordfees)
Gideon Lombard – Karatara (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
Marthinus Basson – Ek, Anna van Wyk (KKNK)
Marthinus Basson – Terminaal 3 (KKNK)
Beste Theatre Design
Birrie le Roux – Set and costume design: Die moeder (Toyota US Woordfees)
Gideon Lombard – Soundtrack and set design: Karatara (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
Marthinus Basson – Set design, costumes and set presentation: Ek, Anna van Wyk (KKNK)
Nataniël – Musical arrangements: Die Smitstraat Suite (Aardklop)
Best New Afrikaans Text, Adaptation or Translation
Adriaan Havenga – Iewers in die grys (Toyota US Woordfees)
Frieda van den Heever – Compilation of die oerkluts kwyt (KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop)
Nataniël – Die Smitstraat Suite (Aardklop)
Ricardo Arendse – Die halwe huis (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
Best Achievement in Classical Music
Handel at Home (Toyota US Woordfees, KKNK)
Late (and Last) Works by Schubert, Brahms, Debussy (Toyota US Woordfees)
Le Roux Marais: Pionier (Toyota US Woordfees)
The Gqeberha Trio (KKNK)
Best Achievement in Visual Arts
André Badenhorst – Taalgenoot-foto-uitstalling (Vrystaat Kunstefees)
Ingrid Uys – Fladder (Aardklop)
Karin Preller – Beyond Memory (KKNK)
Pitika Ntuli – Azibuyele Emasisweni / Terugkeer na die bron (Vrystaat Kunstefees)
Best Music Production
Femme is fatale (Vrystaat Kunstefees)
Ligval (Aardklop)
Die Smitstraat Suite – Nataniël (Aardklop)
Prima donna (KKNK)
Best Contribution to a Music Production
Akustika Chamber Choir – Die Smitstraat Suite (Aardklop)
Juan Floors Oosthuizen – Prima donna (KKNK)
Lynelle Kenned – Handel at Home (KKNK)
The Ancient Voices (Nomapostile Nyiti and Lungiswa Plaatjies) – die oerkluts kwyt (KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop)
Best Upcoming Artist
Adriaan Havenga – Iewers in die grys: Text Toyota US Woordfees) and Om skoon te wees: Performance and text (KKNK)
Conradie van Heerden – Om skoon te wees: Performance (KKNK)
Gita Fourie – Afval: Text (Toyota US Woordfees)
Jacobus de Jager – Bach (to a) Blast!: Conductor (Toyota US Woordfees)
Best Festival Production
Die halwe huis (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
Die moeder (Toyota US Woordfees)
Ek, Anna van Wyk (KKNK)
Karatara (KKNK, Suidoosterfees)
The kykNET Fiësta Awards Ceremony will take place on 9 March in Cape Town. It will be a smaller, more intimate event than in pre-pandemic years. The Fiëstas won’t be televised.
