The 19th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) concluded in grand style on Sunday, October 29, honoring outstanding achievements in African cinema. Filmmakers from various corners of the world gathered to celebrate the brilliance of African cinema in an event hosted by Nancy Isime, Rahama Sadau, and Richard Ato Turkson.
“Anikulapo”, the epic movie directed by Kunle Afolayan, and “Mami Wata” by C.J. Obasi emerged as some of the evening’s biggest winners.
“Anikulapo” secured the prestigious Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language, while “Mami Wata” was honored with the Campell Precious Arebamen Prize for Best Achievement in Make-Up.
The AMAA event recognized excellence across various categories, and here’s a glimpse of the full list of winners:
Efere Ozaka Award For Best Short Film:
– Lions (Ethiopia) – Winner
– Riel (Namibia)
– Enmity Djin (Mauritania)
Jubril Malaifia Award For Best Animation:
– Lost (Uganda)
– Azania Rises (South Africa)
– Jabari (Ghana) – Winner
– Bashorum Gaa (Nigeria)
Best Documentary:
– Africa Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization (Senegal/Canada)
– Nightlife in Lasgidi (Nigeria)
– Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border (Senegal)
– Ifine (Beauty) (Sierra Leone)
– Le Spectre de Boko Haram (Cameroon) – Winner
Ousmane Sembene Award For Best Film In An African Language:
– Pusha Pressa Phanda (South Africa)
– Anikulapo (Nigeria) – Winner
– The Kitera Chronicle (Uganda)
– Four Walls (South Africa)
– Mami Wata (Nigeria)
Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award For Best Film By An African-Born Director Living Abroad:
– Talia’s Journey (Senegal/Belgium) – Christophe Rolin
– Golden Stripes (Nigeria/UK) – Peace Osigbe
– KOFA (Nigeria/Canada) – Jude Idada – Winner
Best Diaspora Short Film:
– We Were Meant To (United States) – directed by Tari Wariebi
– The Ballad of Olive Morris (United Kingdom) – directed by Alex Kayode-Kay
– Fifty-Four Days (United Kingdom) – directed by Cat White and Phoebe Torrance
– Raw Materials (Jamaica) – Directed by Sosiessia Nixon – Winner
Best Diaspora Documentary:
– Sound of the Police (United States) – Directed by Stanley Nelson – Winner
– Fantastico Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet (United States) – directed by Yvan Iturriaga and Francisco Nuñez
– Black Rio (Brazil) – directed by Fernando Sousa and Gabriel Barbosa
Best Diaspora Narrative Feature:
– Cheese (Trinidad & Tobago) – directed by Damian Marcano
– Our Father, The Devil (United States) – Directed by Ellie Foumbi – Winner
– The Pastor and the Revolutionary (Brazil) – directed by José Eduardo Belmonte
Best Achievement in Production Design:
– Pat Nebo – Anikulapo – Nigeria – Winner
– Eve Martin – Omen – DRC
– Sira – Burkina Faso
– Antoine Nshimiyimana – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
– Chantel Carter – Gereza – South Africa
Best Achievement in Costume Design:
– Bunmi Demilola Fashina – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
– Millicent Jack – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
– Djibril Drame – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
– Elkehoste and Baloji Omen – DRC
– Sidi Ouedraogo Sira – Burkina Faso
Best Achievement in Make-Up:
– Campell Precious Arebamen – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
– Hakeem Effect and Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
– Lila Vander Elst – Omen – DRC
– Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
– Omowunmi Okungbure – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
Best Achievement in Soundtrack:
– Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda – Winner
– L’Axe Lourd (The Highway) – Cameroon
– Gereza – South Africa
– Omen – DRC
– Obinna Arua – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Best Achievement in Visual Effects:
– Andrej Gregori, Voranc Kumar, Ziga Radulji – Omen – DRC
– Alexandre Dachkevitch – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Josh Borrill – The Trade – Nigeria
– Emmanuel Bassey – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria – Winner
Best Achievement in Sound:
– Juliana Oswald – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
– Vianney Aube – Sira – Burkina Faso – Winner
– Erik Griekspoor – Omen – DRC
– Samy Bardet – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Michel Tsagli – Xalé – Senegal
Best Achievement in Cinematography:
– Lilis Soares – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
– Joachim Philippe – Omen – DRC
– Richard Henkels – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
– Thomas Wilski – Talia’s Journey – Senegal/Belgium
– Eduardo Kropotkine – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Best Achievement in Editing:
– Nathan Delannoy – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Bertrand Conard – Omen – DRC – Winner
– Sylvie Gadner – Sira – Burkina Faso
– Layla Swart – Gereza
– Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl
Best Achievement in Screenplay:
– C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Ufuoma MeHHri – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
– Moussa Sene Absa, Pierre Magny, Ben Diogay Beye – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
– Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award for Best Nigerian Film:
– Mami Wata – Winner
– Anikulapo
– 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
– Gangs of Lagos
– The Trade
– L.I.F.E.
– Brotherhood
Best Young/Promising Actor:
– Maleek Sanni – Gangs of Lagos – Winner
– Ewube – L’axe Lourd (The Highway)
– Darisimi Nadi – Obara’m
– Sanou Titiama – Le chant des fusils (The Song of the Rifle)
– Eyiyemi Afolyan – Anikulapo
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
– Francis Onwuchei – The Trade – Nigeria
– Jeff Jackson – Four Walls – South Africa
– Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
– Jimmy-Jean Louis – Rise – Winner
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
– Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Mami Wata – Nigeria
– Rokhaya Niang – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
– Clarck Natmbwe – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
– Richard Mofe Demalo – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
– Marc Zunga – Omen – DRC
– Fenando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate – Uganda
– Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood – Nigeria – Winner
– Justine Murichii – Shimoni – Kenya
– Mike Danon – Sira – Burkina Faso
Best Actress in a Leading Role:
– Lucie Debay – Omen – DRC
– Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa – 4 Walls – South Africa
– Nafissatou Sisse – Sira – Burkina Faso
– Adesua Etomi – Guns of Lagos – Nigeria
– Nse Ikpe Etim – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria – Winner
– Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo – Nigeria
– Ama Qamata – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
First Debut Feature by a Director:
– Baloji – Omen – DRC – Winner
– Ery Claver – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
– Jean Elliot Ilboudo (le Chant des fusils)The Song of the Riffle – Cameroon
Best Director:
– Moussa Sene Absa – Xalé
– C. J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata
– Baloji – Omen
– Apolline Traore – Sira – Winner
– Izu Ojukwu – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
– Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
– Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvaiś Dunn – 4 Walls
Best Film:
– Xalé- Senegal – Winner
– Mami Wata – Nigeria
– 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) Nigeria
– Omen – DRC
– 4 Walls – South Africa
– Sira – Burkina Faso
– Anikulapo – Nigeria