Local Film Distributor Celebrates Tempo Nominations For Three Films On Its Slate

The nominations for Huisgenoot’s popular Tempo awards, which recognise and honour the best in Afrikaans film, television, radio and music of the year, have been announced. The magazine’s readers are able to vote for their favourites, with entries closing on 12 July. This year, the nominations for the Afrikaans Film of the Year award include three movies distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution.

“The Tempo awards are an annual highlight on the Afrikaans entertainment calendar,” says Helen Kuun, CEO of Indigenous Film Distribution. “They represent the cream of the Afrikaans cultural scene, and we are excited to see that three of the films we distributed are among the top five that have been nominated. That means we are accurately gauging what audiences want to see.”

The first of the three films nominated is popular romantic comedy ‘Fanie Fourie’s Lobola’, which recently won the audience awards at the Seattle International Film Festival, the Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona, and the Jozi Film Festival. The movie is about a couple, an Afrikaans man and a Zulu woman, who fall in love and have to navigate their way through the complicated process of lobola – payment by the bridegroom’s family, in cash or cattle, to the bride’s family. It was directed by Henk Pretorius with Zethu Dlomo and Eduan van Jaarsveld playing the couple.

Next on the list is heart-warming feel good film ‘Klein Karoo’, directed by Regardt van den Bergh. It tells the story of Cybil, a dedicated young teacher who will do anything in her power to ensure that her dream of building a recreational centre at the local farm school comes true. She’s engaged to the town’s top winemaker, but she soon realises that he is not what he seem. When she meets Frans, a television journalist, her world is turned upside fdown. The film stas Donnalee Roberts, Hykie Berg and Tim Theron.

The third film is Afrikaans musical ‘Pretville’, directed by Linda Korsten and starring Marlee van der Merwe, Terence Bridgett, Marno Van der Merwe and Steve Hofmeyr. It celebrates the thrill of first love by paying tribute to the music of the 50s and the foot-tapping classics that evoke innocence and discovery.

“Overall, it’s been a good year for South Africa films, and for Afrikaans content in particular,” says Kuun. “It’s become increasingly clear that local audiences across the board are keen to be entertained. Romantic comedies are performing really well. Over and above that, it’s reassuring to witness the evolution of production quality, as is apparent in all the films that have been nominated.”

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb

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