The 11th kykNET Fiëstas nominations are in

In 2020, the performing arts were under enormous pressure because of the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the festival circuit. The 11^th kykNET Fiëstas will celebrate the arts and artists who persevered and helped carry us through this trying time.

The participating festivals – Toyota SU Woordfees, KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Innibos, Vrystaatfees and Aardklop – had to find creative and innovative ways to present art to audiences.

Give Hope

“The purpose of the Fiësta Awards this year is to give hope – to arts festivals, artists and festivalgoers,” says Karen Meiring, M-Net Director: kykNET channels. “It is important to honour artists, for the magnificent work that was still presented on stage and online.”  

“The panel does not feel that the Fiësta Awards Ceremony has to happen, but we strongly believe that the artists who deserve recognition, have to be acknowledged,” says Herman van der Westhuizen, convenor of the Fiëstas panel of judges. “In a year where artists and all those working behind the scenes were forced to create and perform under difficult circumstances, the panel was especially impressed by the creativity and new ideas forged under this pressure. We salute the festival managements, and all involved.”

Due to lockdown regulations, the kykNET Fiësta Awards Ceremony will only be presented as a television broadcast this year. It will not take place in front of a live theatre audience as usual.

The 11^th kykNET Fiëstas will be broadcast on 7 March at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144). 

11^th kykNET Fiëstas Nominations

Many Fiësta nominees and artists like Corlea Botha, Lynelle Kenned, Devonecia Swartz en Elandré will be a part of this television production directed by Hennie van Greunen and Pedro Kruger. Viewers can look forward to an evening of stylish entertainment in celebration of the arts.

Some of the award categories were revised and a few new ones were added to reflect the changing landscape of the performing arts.

And the nominees are:

Best Actor

• Ben Pienaar – Match (Vrystaatfees)
• Dean Balie – Die poet, wie’s hy? (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Robert Hindley – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Stian Bam – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)

Best Actress

• Anna-Mart van der Merwe – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Melanie Scholtz – Extra large, asseblief? (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Nicole Holm – Tweespoor (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Sandra Prinsloo – Spertyd (Aardklop)

Best Director

• Frieda van den Heever – Die poet, wie’s hy? (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Janice Honeyman – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Marthinus Basson – Huppelkind (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Nico Scheepers – Die engel by die dam (Toyota SU Woordfees)

Best Theatre Design

• Charl-Johan Lingenfelder – Musical direction: Die poet, wie’s hy? (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Chen Nakar – Set design: Die vermoeienis van vlerke (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Elana-Mari Snyman – Set design: Die sonkamer (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Nico Scheepers – Set and lighting design, choreography and manipulation of the puppet: Die engel by die dam (Toyota SU Woordfees)

Best New Afrikaans Text, Adaptation or Translation

• André Gerber – Die sonkamer (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Frieda van den Heever and Dean Balie – Die poet, wie’s hy? (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Saartjie Botha – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Veronique Jephtas – Hoe change hulle (Toyota SU Woordfees)

Best Achievement in Classical Music

• Bryan Wallick (piano), Frank Stadler (violin) and Peter Martens (cello) – Beethoven Triple Concerto (KKNK)
• Hidden Colours of the Free State (Vrystaatfees)
• KSO – Mozart Wind Octets (KKNK)
• Stellenbosch University Choir, conducted by André van der Merwe – Lunch-hour Concerts and Gala Concert (Toyota SU Woordfees)

Best Achievement in Visual Arts

• Barbara Wildenboer – KKNK Festival Artist (KKNK)
• Carol Brown, Zinhle Khumalo, Angela de Jesus (curators) – Folds & Faults: An Exhibition of Women Artists (Vrystaatfees)
• Dineke van der Walt (curator) – KKNK Virtual Gallery (KKNK)
• John Anthony Boerma (curator) – Innibos National Crafts Competition (Innibos)

Best Music-driven Production: Open-air and Podium

• Early B – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Karen Zoid: 20 jaar pops – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Klopse jol – Suidoosterfees
• The Variety Show that Skriks vir Niks – Suidoosterfees

Best Music-driven Production: Theatre

• ’n Lieflike lawaai – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Die poet, wie’s hy? – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Karoo Suite 2: Karoonagte – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Van Broadway na Birdstraat – Toyota SU Woordfees

Best Online Festival Project

• Die dans van my heenkoms – Vrystaatfees
• Beethoven Triple Concerto – KKNK
• #TsekCorona, Hot Gates, A Child in a Faraway Land, Die weduwee se kruik, The World in Union – Suidoosterfees
• Virtual Art Gallery – KKNK

Best Festival Production

• Beethoven Triple Concerto – KKNK
• Die dans van my heenkoms – Vrystaatfees
• Die poet, wie’s hy? – Toyota SU Woordfees
• Valsrivier – Toyota SU Woordfees

Best Up-and-coming Artist

• Lynette du Plessis – Krummelpap, afval en Sunlightseepbaddens (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• René Cloete – Huppelkind (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Robert Hindley – Valsrivier (Toyota SU Woordfees)
• Wian Taljaard – Wag, wat?, Kraai and Lycra en petticoats (Toyota SU Woordfees)

As usual, three legends will be honoured with lifetime achievement awards.

Three mentorship awards will be made for the first time this year to three young artists who will get the opportunity to be mentored for a year in order to boost their careers. The Blue Fiësta – a prize for an extraordinary piece of work that does not belong in any of the other award categories – will also be announced at the ceremony. These awards will only be announced at the awards ceremony.