The MultiChoice VUKA! Awards were announced at a gala awards evening held at The Bassline in Newtown last night.

Representing MultiChoice’s flagship corporate social investment programme, the VUKA! Awards encourage established and aspirant creatives to produce a TV commercial for a charity or cause that is close to their hearts in the form of Public Service Announcements (PSAs). The top 20 commercials – 10 made by professionals and 10 by industry newcomers – will be screened on DStv channels from January next year.

Says Jacki Rikotla, Corporate Affairs General Manager Multichoice: “Every year we dare aspiring and professional filmmakers and advertising creatives to put their skills and energy into making an advert that counts for our society. And every year without hesitation they meet and surpass that challenge. We are proud to be associated with the powerful work that contributes to showcasing the talents of South African filmmakers and we are proud to be associated with a project that delivers hope and endless opportunity. Congratulations to all the entrants who have so passionately brought their stories to life, we wish them well in their future endeavours.”

The overall winner in the professional category is Anti-Human Trafficking which raised awareness for the International Organisation for Migration with the hard-hitting message that human trafficking is slavery. It was produced by Lesley Anne Roe of Saatchi and Saatchi and directed by Amy Alais. It also walked away with the best soundtrack award.

Another big winner in the professional category included the poignant Father from production house Groundglass for The Tomorrow Trust which focuses on the tragic story of child-headed households - children who are being raised by other children because of the devastation caused by HIV/Aids. It won for best direction and best creative concept/script.

Happy Together by Fresh Eye Film Productions for the South African National Blood Service won best creative editing; Surfer by Faith Creations /Young & Rubicam CT (one of a beautiful trio of commercials) for Al Anon won in the best cinematography category and A Clean Start by Afrofusion Communications for Indalo Yethu Environmental in the best animation category.

In the best newcomer category the overall winner went to the animated Handle Your Gambling which was directed by the Animation School’s Simon Anderson and Lani Greenhill for the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation. The commercial walked away with four other awards – for best direction, best animation, best soundtrack and best creative concept and/or script.

The other winner in the newcomer category was the hard-hitting Perceptions produced by AFDA in Cape Town for the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women & Children. Produced by Thobile Mkhwanazi and directed by Rio Allen, it looks at how abuse in the home affects all members of the family.

All entries are judged on merit and judges do not know who the entrants are. The 2007 Judges were Peter Van Jaarsveld (Metropolitan Republic); Gerd Muller (Ministry of Illusion); Ian Wilson (The Front Film Productions); Paul Warner (Metropolitan Republic); Peter Carr (Velocity Films); Dimitri Repanis; Rachel Andreotti (FCB); Werner Maritz (Dop); Gary King (Picture Tree); Angus Gibson; Graham Hickson; Marge Hughes; John Culverwell (Sonovision Studios) Jeremy Holden (Riverstone Films), Judith Mofutsanyana (Mc Cann Erickson); Clinton Bridgeford (Y & R); Sandy De Witt; Richard Starkey (Guillotine); Pam Marsh (The Refinery); Bongi Selane (M-Net) and Dylan Lloyd.