Pretoria – Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has congratulated the renowned South African film producer, Anant Singh, for receiving the first Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement Award from the RapidLion Film Festival.

The Department of Arts and Culture on Tuesday said this Award was presented to Singh at the Market Theatre which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year.

“This well-deserved award points to your status as a legend for your role in the film industry. May you continue to tell the South African story in many different ways to audiences at home and all over the world,” said Minister Mthethwa.

Anant Singh was also the recipient of the inaugural Golden Horn Lifetime Achievement Award of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAS) in 2006. He is the producer of more than 80 films, including Sarafina, Long Walk to Freedom and the Oscar nominated film– Yesterday.

“We also congratulate RapidLion on initiating this inaugural award at its Film Festival for which the Department of Arts and Culture has provided support, as we need to celebrate excellence and at the same time increase the exhibition spaces for film in this country.

“In this way this powerful visual medium of film can serve to change mindsets, expand our cultural imagination and provide a better sense of who we are as South Africans, and as part of a growing African continent in the wider world,” said Minister Mthethwa.

SOURCE: SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT NEWS AGENCY