Entertainment
Nigerian films, Weekend, Jagun Jagun shine most at 2024 AMAA nominations
The prestigious African Movies and Academy Awards (AMAA) founded 19 years ago by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe in 2005, has again enlivened its importance and relevance in 2024 awards nominations. The idea behind it is to promote African filmmaking excellence under the Africa Film Academy.
The awards annually celebrate industry professionals, and renowned as the premier accolade in African cinema, coming from a televised event into a year-round platform.
The inaugural 2005 ceremony in Yenagoa, Nigeria, set the ball rolling for subsequent editions largely hosted there until the first international event in 2015.
The Africa Film Academy, which has unveiled the nominees for the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards has set the movie buffs guessing about winners of the ultimate prizes in different categories, which will be announced in November.
At a recent press briefing held at the Sheraton Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, the organisers announced the nominations for the prestigious event, which will celebrate its 20th edition under the theme βCelebrating African Creativity.β
Topping theΒ pyramidΒ is Uche Okochaβs Nigerian film, ββThe Weekendββ, with 16 nominations, followed by Femi Adebayoβs ββJagun Jagunββ, which securedΒ sevenΒ approvals.
It should be noted that the highly anticipated awards ceremony will take place November 2 in Lagos, in collaboration with the Lagos State government. Alfred Irele, a film critic and scholar, told Business Hallmark that ββthis yearβs nominations show brilliant and diverse talents from across Africa, noting, really, the African cinema has come of age.
Dr. El-Yakubu Dabai, a literary critic and theatre scholar told Business Hallmark that ββthere has been remarkable progress in African cinema, but leading the pack is Nigeria with her rich, culturally textured potpourri of dramatic offerings that reflect diverse human experience. Apart from Hollywood and Bollywood, Nigeria’s NollywoodΒ is the next in global cinema.ββ
Full list of the nominations 547.2K:
1. Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film.
The Last Shoe Maker β Uganda
Seben β Mali
Dear Future Wife β South Africa
Isolated β Nigeria
Jolie β Angola
Strike A Blow And Die β Malawi
Donβt Call Me Beautiful β Ghana
Sins Of A Father β Zimbabwe/USA
2. Jubril Malaifia Award for Best Animation:
Heavy crown β Libya
Counter punch β Kenya
Journey of the legend β Cameroon
Hadu β Nigeria
Between Paya and Koulou β Senegal
Oya (The goddess of gods) β Nigeria
Set Pieces β Sudan
3. Best Documentary
A Quand LβAfrique β Congo Brazzaville
The Night Still Smells of Gun Powder- Mozambique
The Return Train β Mali
Gateway To Dreams β Cameroon
Rainbow Nation β South Africa
Dela- The Making of EL-Anatsui β Nigeria
Donga β Libya
Rising Up At Night β DRC
4. Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language
Makula -Uganda
Jagun Jagun- Nigeria
The Queenstown Kings β South Africa
Kaka β Nigeria
Eskhalemi Sikantombella- South Africa
Unheard β Uganda
Out of Breath β Nigeria
5. Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African-Born Director Living Abroad
Out Of Breath β Nigeria/UK
Orah β Nigeria/Canada
Isolated β Nigeria/UK
Under The Hanging Tree- Namibia/UK
Kipkemboi β Nigeria/ Canada
6. Best Diaspora Short Film
The Neigbourhood AlertβUSA
Bottled Up β Jamaica
The Golden BoyβUSA
7. Best Diaspora Documentary
The Wu Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre β USA
A Rising Tide β USA
Colour β USA
8. Best Diaspora Narrative Feature
Outlaw Posse β USA
Mickey Hardaway-USA
Love After Holidays β USA
9. Best Achievement in Production Design
Orah
The Queenstown kings
The Weekend
Jagun Jagun
Kipkemboi
Makula
Out of breath
10. Best Achievement in Costume Design
The Beads
The Weekend
White and Black
Jagun Jagun
The Queenstown Kings
Mai Martaba
Out of Breath
11. Best Achievement in Make-Up
The Weekend
Nawi
Letters to Goddo
Out of Breath
Jagun Jagun
Anjola
White and Black
12. Best Achievement in Soundtrack
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
The Queenstown Kings
Orah
Boda Love
Mojisola
Red Carpet
13. Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Kipkemboi
Jagun Jagun
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
Bokwagter
Out of breath
14. Best Achievement in Sound
A Smile, A Wink and a Tear
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
The Queenstown Kings
This is Lagos
Kipkemboi
Boda Love
15. Best Achievement in Cinematography
The Weekend
Nawi
Kipkemboi
Letters to Goddo
This is Lagos
The Queenstown Kings
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
16. Best Achievement in Editing
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
This is Lagos
Nawi
Kipkemboi
The Beads
Anjola
17. Best Achievement in Screenplay
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
Letter To Goddo
This is Lagos
Boda Love
The Queenstown King
Out of Breath
18. National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award for Best Nigerian Film
The Weekend
This is Lagos
Afamefuna
Jagun Jagun
Mai Martaba
A Smile, A Wink and a Tear
Out of Breath
19. Best Young/Promising Actor
Michell Lemuya (Nawi)
Likhona Mgali (The Queenstown Kings)
Agape mngomezulu β Orah
William Dias β Bokwagter
Kofi Adu-Gyamfi -Tejiri
Ruby Akubueze β She
Fatima Muhammed β Mai Martaba
20. Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sandile Mahlangu β The Queenstown Kings
Ochungo Benson β Nawi
Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey β The Weekend
Ikechukwu Onunaku -Afamefuna
Lucky Ejim β Orah
Solomon Fixon Owoo β Letters to Goddo
Femi Adebayo- Jagun Jagun
21. Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Meg Otanwa β The Weekend
Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa β The Queenstown Kings
Elsie Chidera Abang β Kipkemboi
Tessa Twala β The Queenstown Kings
Bukunmi Oluwashina β White and Black
Somkele Iyamah-Idhalamah β Orah
Chioma Akpotha β Mojisola
22. Zolixa Xaluva β The Queenstown Kings
Gabriel Afolayan β This is Lagos
Duncan Murunyu Mungai β Boda Love
Nenesenor Abloso β Letters to Goddo
Bucci Franklyn β The Weekend
Femi Jacobs β Anjola
Chidi Mokeme β Out of Breath
23. Best Actress in a Leading Role
Girley Jazama β Under The Hanging Tree
Oyin Oladejo β Orah
Unati Faku β The Queenstown Kings
Uzoamaka Aniunoh β The Weekend
Laura Pepple β This is Lagos
Jackie Appiah -Red Carpet
Ife Irele- A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
24. First Debut Feature by a Director
Letters to Goddo β Harry Bentil
Rising Up At Night β Nelson Makengo
She β Seun Richards
25. Best Director
Daniel Emeke Oriahi β The Weekend
Kenneth Gyang β This Is Lagos
Jahmil X.T Qubeka β The Queenstown Kings
Perivi Katjavivi β Under The Hanging Tree
Lonzo Nzekwe β Orah
Harry Bentil β Letters To Goddo
Izu Ojukwu- A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
26. Best Film
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
This is Lagos
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
Orah
Letters to Goddo
The Queenstown Kings