By Harold Kapindu
Port Harcourt, Nigeria, June 13: What started as a leisure industry, stories and jokes being told in motion pictures, has now transformed into a strong weapon for strengthening African peace and unity.
Under the theme “Promoting peace through entertainment”, Africa’s most prestigious award ceremony, the 12th edition of African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) took place at Port Harcourt in Nigeria on Saturday.
Attracting people from all walks of life from across Africa, delegates and nominees flocked to Port Harcourt which has now been branded “Nigeria’s entertainment hub”.
When it was all said and done, Sekou Toure’s “Eye of the storm” from Burkina Faso walked away with the grand accolade, winning the AMAA 2016 Best Film Award.
“Eye of the storm” competed against Ghana’s “The cursed one”, Nigeria’s “Fifty” and “Dry”, South Africa’s “Ayanda” and “Tell me sweet something” and Niger’s “La Pagne” while Nana Obiri Yeboah won Best Director for the movie “The cursed one”.
Legendary actors and Nollywood’s number one couple Mr. Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva were honored with Life Time Achievement Awards.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Jacobs applauded the AMAAs for consistency and promoting Africa unity and peace.
“We were there at the beginning of these awards. We have been following and we love the consistency,” he said.
According to the awards jury, the academy received more than 480 movie submissions and only 65 movies were considered with the exception of Malawi.
The academy’s jury commended the strong presence of women in front and off camera, the increased number of movie genres and improvement in cinematography.
However, the academy decried the inadequate entries of children movies which are the future of the industry.
According to media reports, Malawian movie makers did not submit their productions on time.
In the previous awards, Malawi’s Flora Suya and Agoloso have won AMAA accolades with other films like B’ella getting nominations.
In 2013, the nomination ceremony took place in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Among others, Zambia’s Mark Zulu, Ghana’s Dancehall artist Rashid and Nigeria’s Kcee performed at this year’s event.
“Tonight, Zambia is celebrating with you. Zambians love and follow your movies. Let’s keep the fire burning,” said Zambia’s Mark Zulu after his performance on stage.
The AMAAs were founded by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and run through the Africa Film Academy.
The awards are aimed at honouring and promoting excellence in the African movie industry as well as uniting the African continent through arts and culture. The award presentation is attended by numerous media representatives, celebrities, politicians, journalists, actresses and actors from all across the world, according to the AMAA website.
Below are the 2016 AMAAs winners:
EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
1. Encounter – Nigeria
2. Le Chemin – Cote De Voire
3. Blood Taxi – Nigeria
4. Meet The Parents – Nigeria/Canada – WINNER
5. Nourah The Holy Light – Burkina Faso
6. Ireti – Nigeria
7. Life of Nigerian Couple – Nigeria
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
1. The Pencil – Burkina Faso – WINNER
2. The Peculiar Life of a Spider – Ghana
3. Funsie Fast Fingers – Nigeria
4. Lazare Sie Pale – Burkina Faso
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
1, My Fathers Funeral – Cameroon
2. Nollywood – Nigeria
3. Tchindas- Cape Verde
4. The Fruitless Tree – Niger — WINNER
5. Runs ‘I too Seek The Horizon’ – Nigeria/UK
6. Camera/Woman – Morocco
MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
1. Lambadina – Ethiopia/USA – WINNER
2. Skinned – Liberia/USA
3. LAPD African Cop – USA/Nigeria
4. Boxing Day – USA/Nigeria
5. MONA – Nigeria/UK
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT
1. Lines – USA
2. Raptors – USA
3. Across The Track – USA – WINNER
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
1. Can You Dig This- USA
2. America’s Blues – USA
3. Spirits of Rebellion – USA — WINNER
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE
1. America Is Still the Place – USA
2. Ben & Ara – USA – WINNER
3. Luv Don’t Live Here – USA
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
1. The Cursed One – Ghana – WINNER
2. Soldiers Story – Nigeria
3. Ayanda- South Africa
4. Missing God – Nigeria
5. Out of Luck- Nigeria
AMAA 2016 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
1. Eye of the storm (Burkina Faso) – WINNER
2. Oshimiri
3. The Cursed One
4. Ayanda
5. Soldiers Story
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
1. Oshimiri
2. The Cursed One
3. Missing God
4. Soldiers Story – WINNER
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
1. O-Town – Nigeria – WINNER
2. Tell Me Sweet Something – South Africa
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Hear me Move – South Africa
5. Le Pagne- Niger
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
1. Hear me Move – South Africa
2. Oshimiri – Nigeria — WINNER
3. Stupid Movie – Nigeria
4. House Arrest – Uganda
5. Soldiers Story – Nigeria
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
1. Eye of the Storm- Burkina Faso
2. Fifty – Nigeria — WINNER
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Behind Closed Doors – Morocco
5. Falling – Nigeria
6. Rebecca- Ghana
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. The Cursed one — WINNER
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Ayanda
4. Tell me Sweet Something
5. Fifty
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
1. Behind Closed Doors
2. Rebecca
3. The Cursed One
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Hear me Move — WINNER
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
1. The Cursed One
2. Tell me Sweet Something — WINNER
3. The Visit
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Beyond Blood
AMAA 2016- RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
1. Beyond Blood
2. Dry — WINNER
3. Fifty
4. Missing God
5. Falling
6. O’Town
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
1. Nyanso Dzedze – Hear Me Move
2. Ophelia Klenam Dzidzornu – The Cursed One
3. Zubaidat Ibrahim Fagge – Dry — WINNER
4. Ifu Ennada – O’Town
5. Eve Esin – Oshimiri
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Joseph Otsiman – The Cursed One
2. Uti Nwachukwu – Breathless
3. Abidine Dioari – Eye of the Storm — WINNER
4. Adeolu Adekola – Taxi Driver
5. Kenneth Nkosi – Ayanda
6. Thomas Gumede- Tell Me Sweet Something
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Thishiwe Ziqubu – Tell me Sweet Something — WINNER
2. Maureen Okpoko – Missing God
3. Ijeoma Grace Agu – Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver
4. Bontte Modiselle – Hear Me Move
5. Nthati Moshesh – Ayanda
6. Linda Ejiofor- Out of Luck
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Oris Erhuero – The Cursed One
2. OC Ukeje – Ayanda
3. Fragass Assande – Eye of the Storm
4. Masego ‘Maps’ Maponyane – Tell me Sweet Something
5. Daniel k. Daniel – Soldiers Story — WINNER
6. Biuferi Yakoubi – La Pagne
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Zineb Odeib – Behind Closed Doors
2. Adesua Etomi- Falling
3. Fulu Mugovhani – Ayanda – WINNER
4. Maimouna N’Daiye – Eye of the Storm
5. Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim, Omoni Oboli – Fifty
6. Nomzamo Mbatha – Tell me Sweet Something
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
1. MONA – Anthony Abuah
2. Beyond Blood – Greg Odutayo — WINNER
3. 8 Bars and a Clef- Chioma Onyenwe
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
1. Nana Obiri-Yeboah – The Cursed One — WINNER
2. Biyi Bandele- Fifty
3. Sekou Toure- Eye of the Storm
4. Sara Blecher- Ayanda
5. Moussa Hamadou Djingarey- La Pagne
6. Stephanie Linus – Dry
7. Akin Omotoso – Tell me Sweet Something
8. Mohammed Ahed Bensouda – Behind Closed Doors
AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
1. The Cursed One – Ghana
2. Fifty – Nigeria
3. Eye of the Storm – Burkina Faso — WINNER
4. Ayanda – South Africa
5. La Pagne- Niger
6. Dry – Nigeria
7. Tell me Sweet Something- South Africa
8. Behind Closed Doors- Morocco
AMAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Olu Jacobs & Joke Silva — WINNER
Richard Mofe Damijo — WINNER
Tony Akposhore — WINNER
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