Both Worlds Pictures Score 13 Nominations at the 19th SAFTAs

Congratulations to Both Worlds Pictures on an outstanding showing at this year’s SAFTAs

By Simon Manda

Cape Town-based production house Both Worlds Pictures has landed an impressive 13 nominations at the 19th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), making it one of the most nominated independent production companies at this year’s ceremony. The achievement places the company 7th among 117 nominated production houses—a remarkable feat for an independent outfit that has been quietly building a world-class slate of scripted content from its base in the Mother City since 1998.

The SAFTA nominations span three distinct productions, each one showcasing the depth and range of storytelling that has become the company’s hallmark. Leading the charge is The Morning After, the comedy-drama series that streams on Prime Video, which picked up seven nominations alone. These include nods for Best TV Comedy, Best Achievement in Cinematography (Brandon Blight), Best Achievement in Editing (Björn Johansen and Gordon Midgley), Best Achievement in Sound (Sebastian Scheepers and Daniel Eppel), Best Achievement in Art Direction (Kate Van Der Merwe), Best Achievement in Wardrobe (Mariechen Vosloo), and Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling (Marika Weber Collop). Seven nominations for a single comedy series is a strong statement about the calibre of craft that went into every frame of this production.

The beloved drama series Recipes for Love and Murder Season 2, which airs on M-Net locally and on Acorn TV internationally through AMC Networks, earned four SAFTA nominations. Among them is a Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama nod for Robyn Scott, alongside recognition for Wardrobe (Sulet Meintjies), Art Direction (Rocco Pool), and Editing (Björn Johansen and Gordon Midgley). The series, now in its second season, has built a loyal following both at home and abroad, and these nominations confirm that the quality behind it continues to grow.

Rounding out the trio is the Afrikaans drama Die Nuusmakers, which secured SAFTA nominations for Best Achievement in Scriptwriting for a TV Drama and Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling. Die Nuusmakers, which airs on kykNET, tells the gripping story of veteran news anchor Adri Joubert, whose personal life is torn apart when her husband is murdered—just as a national crisis demands she hold steady behind the news desk. The scriptwriting nomination recognises the collaborative work of Karen Jeynes, Anathi Rubela, Vicki Bawcombe, Jozua Malherbe, Helène Truter, Ludwig Binge, Karen Meiring, and Lester Kiewit, while Sulani Saayman earned the make-up and hairstyling nod.

Karen Jeynes: Head Writer and Producer at Both World Pictures is instrumental in her team receiving 13 nominations at the 2026 SAFTAs — **Karen Jeynes: Head Writer and Producer at Both World Pictures is instrumental in leading her team to get 13 nominations at the 2026 SAFTAs**

Karen Jeynes: The Creative Force Behind Both Worlds’ Storytelling

Among the names woven through these nominations, Karen Jeynes stands out as a driving creative force at Both Worlds Pictures. Jeynes serves as Head Writer and Producer at the company, where she has played a central role in developing and overseeing productions alongside creative partner and Both Worlds founder Thierry Cassuto. She co-wrote and co-directed The Morning After and Recipes for Love and Murder, and is the lead writer and director on Die Nuusmakers. Her nomination for Best Achievement in Scriptwriting at this year’s SAFTAs adds to an already extensive body of work that includes the twice International Emmy-nominated ZANews: Puppet Nation, which she steered as head writer.

Jeynes joined Both Worlds in 2014, bringing with her a rich background in both stage and screen. Her award-winning plays, including Everybody Else (is Fcking Perfect)* and Laying Blame, have been translated into seven languages. On the television front, she served as head writer for the long-running SABC drama 90 Plein Street and has written across a wide range of South African productions. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Pretoria, focusing on autistic representation in South African television — a research pursuit that reflects her deep personal commitment to inclusion.

Co-founder of DAWN: Championing Disability Inclusion in Film and Television

Beyond her creative output, Jeynes is a co-founder of DAWN — the Disabled Audiovisual Workers Network. DAWN is a South African advocacy network that works to foster inclusivity, accessibility, and meaningful representation of persons with disabilities within the country’s film and television industry. The network brings together disabled professionals who are working in or aspiring to join the audiovisual sector, along with representatives from industry bodies, broadcasters, and funding entities, to advocate collectively for systemic change.

DAWN was officially launched at the Durban FilmMart in July 2024, an event co-led by Jeynes and Simon Manda, and has since continued its mission with a follow-up panel at the 2025 Durban FilmMart focused on the Disabled Actors Database. The network lobbies for better representation both in front of and behind the camera, pushes for accessible production environments, and works with funding bodies and professional organisations to embed disability inclusion into industry policies and contracts.

To see one of DAWN’s co-founders nominated among the country’s finest television writers is a reminder that inclusion and excellence are not separate pursuits—they go hand in hand.

A Moment for the Industry

In announcing the nominations on their LinkedIn page, Both Worlds Pictures was careful to share the spotlight, noting that this SAFTA recognition belongs to every cast and crew member who worked across the three productions. The company also used the moment to draw attention to a difficult reality facing the broader industry: the prolonged absence of the DTIC production incentive, which continues to place enormous strain on production companies, crews, and the wider ecosystem that sustains South African storytelling.

Both Worlds Pictures has earned two International Emmy Award nominations, 27 SAFTAs, and two Venice TV Award nominations and has been twice selected for the Berlinale Series Market over the course of its history. The company is also a Level 3 B-BBEE contributor.

The SAFTAs Craft Awards ceremony will be streamed live on the SAFTAs YouTube page and social media platforms on 13 March 2026, with the main awards ceremony simulcast live on Mzansi Magic (Channel 161) and SABC 2 on 14 March 2026.

Congratulations to Both Worlds Pictures, Karen Jeynes, and all the nominated cast and crew on what promises to be a memorable awards night. May the Golden Horns find their way home to Cape Town.