Nigeria, last Saturday night, in the oil rich Bayelsa State, reclaimed
her lost glory as the “Lion Heart of Film Making in Africa” when the
country carted away 13 out of the 24 main prizes at this year’s
Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Nigeria’s victory was led by actor-cum-director, Kunle Afolayan.
He, alone, won five trophies, including Heart of Africa Award for
Best Film from Nigeria, Best Picture, Achievement in
Cinematography, Achievement in Visual Effect, and Best
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, which was won by
Ramsey Nouah to put the nation in the lead.
Unfortunately, Afolayan, whose “The
Figurine”film received nine
nominations, did not win the coveted
Best Director award, as he lost the
same to his Ghanaian counterpart,
Shirley Frimong-Manso.
Besides Afolayan’s victory, other big
winners from Nigeria were Femi
Odugbemi whose “Bariga Boys”film
won Best Documentary award, “The
Child” directed by Izu Chukwu won
two awards: AMAA Achievement in
Editing and AMA Achievement in Make-
Up. ”
Others were “The Tenant” which won
the Best Screen play, “Soul Diaspora” by Odera Ozoka won the
Best Film by African film maker in Diaspora and AMAA
Achievement in Art Direction which was won by “Fulani.” Nigeria’s
Chelsea Eze of “Silent Scandal” and Rahema Nanfuka of Ugandan
“Imani” jointly won the Most Promising Actress of the Year.
Judging from the outcome of this year’s AMAA, it was obvious
that Nigerian film makers, following the defeat they suffered in the
hands of Kenya, South Africa, and Ugandan counterparts during
last year ’s edition, was out this year to stamp its authority on the
African film making landscape.
Afoloyan, in one of his acceptance speeches, confirmed this claim
when he said, “Nigeria is set to harvest even more awards in
future. We have many stories in the pipeline.”
Ahead of the award night, the feeling was that the battle would be
between Nollywood and Ghallywood of Ghana, which many
perceived to be an emerging force in African film making sector.
But Ghana was far away from Nigeria, carting away only seven
awards in less fancied categories, except in Best Performance won
by an actress in a leading role. It was jointly won by pretty, Jackie
Appiah, Lydia Forson and Naa Ashorkor Mensah_Doku for their
roles in Shirley Frimpong Manso ’s ‘Perfect Picture’.
The three competed with Nigeria’s Stephanie Okereke (Nnenda),
Akofa Edjeani Asiedu (I sing of a well), Flora Suya (Season of a life)
and Bimbo Akintola (Freedom in Chains).
Also, this year ushered Malawi on screen with lots of fanfare.
Though, the country managed to win just one out of eight
nominations, it was not lost on pundits that this Southern African
nation has arrived to claim her share in the African film industry.
Malawian director Charles Shemu Joyah’s “Season of a Life” was a
strong contender for the Best Screenplay, Best Original
Soundtrack, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role,
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and Best
Director.
Sylvia Tapiwa Gwaza won the Performance Award by an Actress
in a Supporting Role, wrestling it from strong Ghanaian and
Nigerian competitors Doris Sakitey (A Sting in a Tale), Funlola
Aoifeyebi_Raini (The Figurine) and Yvonne Nelson (Heart of Men).
Unlike last year, when Kenya won the major awards, leaving
Nigeria with less important ones, the country lost the grip this
year, winning only one award, (Most Promising Actor) while
sharing, ‘Best Performance by A Child Actor” with Nigeria’s Tobe
Oboli of ‘The Figurine.”
However, South Africa, which had only one nomination, went
home with one award- Best Short Film, whereas Uganda shared
Most Promising Actress award with Nigeria ’s Chelsea Eze of Silent
Scandal.
All the same, this year’s entries, despite the odds, according to the
8-man panel of judges, was an improvement on the previous
entries received in the last six editions of the continental film
festival.
The African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) is held annually to
honour distinguished actors and actresses, directors and writers
in the African movie industry. This year ’s event, held amidst blitz
and glamour, in Yenogoa, pulled hordes of celebrities in and
around the African continent. AMAA is comparable to America’s
Academy Awards in terms of its class, glamour and importance
in African film making.
Full list of AMAA 2010 Winners
* Best Documentary Film- Bariga Boys, Nigeria
* Best Short Film- The Abbys Boys, South Africa
* Best Animation- Honyan ’s Shoe, Egypt
* Best Film by an African in the Diaspora: Soul Diaspora, USA/
Nigeria
* Best Film in an African Language: Imani, Uganda
* Heart of Africa Award for Best Film from Nigeria: Araromire/
The Figurine
* AMAA Achievement in Sound: I sing of a well, Ghana
* AMAA Achievement in Editing: The Child, Nigeria
* AMAA Achievement in Art Direction: Fulani, Nigeria
* AMAA Achievement in Make Up: The Child, Nigeria
* AMAA Achievement in Costume:
I sing of a Well, Ghana
* AMAA Achievement in Visual Effect: Araromire/The Figurine,
Nigeria
* Best Original Soundtrack: A sting in a Tale, Ghana
* Best Performance by a Child Actor: Teddy Onyango and Bill
Oloo —Togetherness Supreme, Kenya
* Most Promising Actress: Chelsea Eze—Silent Scandal,Nigeria/
Rahema Nanfuka—Imani, Uganda
* Most Promising Actor: Wilson Maina—Togetherness Supreme,
Kenya
* Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Adjatey
Anang —The Perfect Picture, Ghana
* Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Tapiwa
Gwaza —Seasons of a Life, Malawi
* Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Jackie
Appiah, Lydia Farson, Naa Ashoku Mensa_Doku —The Perfect
Picture, Ghana
* Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Ramsey
Nouah —The Figurine, Nigeria
* Best Screenplay: The Tenant, Nigeria
* AMAA Achievement in Cinematography: Araromire/The
Figurine, Nigeria
* Best Picture: Araromire/The Figurine, Nigeria
* Best Director: Kunle Afolayan —Araromire/The Figurine,
Nigeria.
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