South African movie Inxeba (The Wound) has gone from being taken off circuit and reclassified as an R-rated film to scooping top honours at the 12th annual South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) held this week at Sun City.

This year, Inxeba garnered top votes from the judging panel.

The acclaimed yet contentious movie which explores issues around the Xhosa circumcision ritual and rites of passage for young men as well as homosexuality, was nominated in eight categories at this year’s awards and won most.

John Trengrove took home the golden horn for Best Achievement in Directing - Feature Film. Other wins included Best Achievement in Scriptwriting - Feature Film and Best Editing.

It was the movie’s leads, Nakhane Touré and Bongile Mantsai, who earned the greatest praise for their powerful performances, walking off with Best Actor in a Feature Film and Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film awards.

Rounding off a spectacular awards evening for cast and crew was the Best Feature Film gong.

Since its release earlier this year, Inxeba was taken off circuit and screenings were cancelled at major cinemas following threats of protest by traditionalists; film-makers and actors were inundated with death threats and the film received a X rating (changed to an 18 age restriction).

Some of the main Safta winners are:

Best Student Film - Hewn

Best Achievement in Directing - TV Comedy - Johann Vermaak for Puppet Nation ZA

Best Achievement in Scriptwriting - TV Comedy - Karen Jeynes, Tsitsi Chiumya, Sipumziwe Lucwaba and Angel Campey for Puppet Nation ZA

Best Actress - TV Comedy - Carine Rous as Anna in Elke Skewe Pot

Best Actor - TV Comedy - Mandla Gaduka as Solomon in Gauteng Maboneng

Best Achievement in Directing - TV Soap/Telenovela - Phiwe Mkhanzi and Sthembiso Mathenjwa for Isibaya

Best Actress - TV Soap/Telenovela - Jo-Anne Reyneke as Thandi in Broken Vows

Best Actor - TV Soap/Telenovela - Hamilton Dhlamini as Banzi Motaung in Isithembiso

Best TV Soap - Isibaya

Best Telenovela - High Rollers 3

Best Achievement in Directing - TV Drama - Catharine Cooke, Rolie Nikiwe and Rea Rangak for iNumber Number

Best Achievement in Scriptwriting - TV Drama - Reabetswe Moeti and Mandla Ngcongwane for Lockdown

Best Actress - TV Drama - Thuso Mbedu as Winnie on Is’thunzi

Best Actor - TV Drama - Warren Masemola as MaFred on Tjovitjo

Best Supporting Actress - TV Drama - Jana Cilliers as Anna on Die Boekklub 2

Best Supporting Actor - TV Drama - Emmanuel Castis as Chris Spencer on Erfsondes 4

Best TV Drama - Tjovitjo

Best Documentary Feature - Skulls of my People

Best Talk Show Host - Pabi Moloi on Trending SA

Best Achievement in Scriptwriting - Feature Film - John Trengrove, Malusi Bengu and Thando Mgqolozana for Inxeba (The Wound)

Best Actress - Feature Film - Crystal-Donna Roberts as Krotoa in Krotoa

Best Actor - Feature Film - Nakhane Touré as Xolani in Inxeba (The Wound)

Best Supporting Actress - Feature Film - Nomonde Mbusi as Thobeka Sithole in VAYA

Best Supporting Actor - Feature Film - Bongile Mantsai as Vija in Inxeba (The Wound)

Best Feature Film - Inxeba (The Wound).