# 16th Africa Movie Academy Awards

The 2020 Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on Sunday 20 December 2020 online at the AMAA website due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The award night was hosted by Lorenzo Menakaya. After the film entries were submitted, the date for the announcement of nominees was shifted from 20 November to 30 November. Knuckle City led with 10 nominations followed by Desrances with 10 nominations. The Milkmaid won the most awards including Best film in an African language, Best film and Best Nigerian film.

## Awards

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
| Best Film | Best Director |
| The Milkmaid – Nigeria Knuckle City – South Africa The Fisherman’s Diary －Cameroon The Ghost and the House of Truth – Nigeria 40 Sticks – Kenya Desrances – Burkina Faso This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection – Lesotho Gold Coast Lounge – Ghana | Jeremiah Lemohang Mosese – This is Not a Burial, It’s a resurrection Akin Omotoso – The Ghost and House of Truth Enah Johnscott – A Fisherman’s Diary Jahmil X.T Quebeka – Knuckle City Desmond Ovbiagele – The Milkmaid Victor Gatonye – 40 Sticks Appoline Traore – Desrances Appoline Traore – Desrances Pascal Aka – Gold Coast Lounge |
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Jimmy Jean-Louis – Desrances Gabriel Afolayan – Coming From Insanity Kang Quintus – The Fisherman’s Diary Bongile Mantsai – Knuckle City Alphonse Menyo – Gold Coast Lounge Eyinna Nwigwe – Badamasi Robert Agengo/Mwaura Bilal/Andreo Kamau/ Xavier Ywawa – 40 Sticks Darrin Dewitt Henson – Zulu Wedding | Mary Twala Mhlongo – This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection Joselyn Dumas – Cold Feet Meg Otanwa – For Maria: Ebun Pataki Zenobia Kloppers – Fiela’s Child Elvina Ibru – The Bling Lagosians Girley Jazama – The White Line Kelly Khumalo – Zulu Wedding |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| Ramsey Nouah Jnr – Living in Bondage: Breaking Free Arabrun Nyyeneque – 40 Sticks Adjatey Annang - Gold Coast Lounge Narcissus Afeli – Desrances Cosson Chinepoh – The Fisherman’s Diary | Maryam Booth – The Milkmaid Chairmaine Mujeri – Mirage Linda Ejiofor – 4th Republic Ndano Tramanse –The Fisherman’s Diary Tina Mba – The Set Up Faniswa Yisa – Knuckle City Evelyne Juhen – Desrances |
| Achievement in Costume Design | Achievement in Makeup |
| This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection －Lesotho Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie – Ghana The White Line – Namibia Ibi (The Birth) – Nigeria Foreigner’s God – Nigeria | The Milkmaid – Nigeria Knuckle City – South Africa Ratnik – Nigeria 1929 – Nigeria Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie － Ghana |
| Achievement in Cinematography | Achievement in Production Design |
| This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection The Ghost and House of Truth The Fisherman’s Diary Knuckle City The Milkmaid 40 Sticks Desrances Gold Coast Lounge | Knuckle City Ratnik Zulu Wedding Perfect Picture: Ten Years Later This is Not A Burial, It’s a resurrection Foreigner’s God Gold Coast Lounge The Ghost and the House of Truth |
| Achievement in Editing | Achievement in Screenplay |
| The Ghost and the House of Truth Perfect Picture: Ten Years Later Knuckle City 40 Sticks Desrances | The Fisherman’s Diary For Maria: Ebun Pataki The White Line 4th Republic Knuckle City 40 Sticks Perfect Picture: Ten Years Later 3 Days To Go |
| Best Film in An African Language | Best Nigerian Film |
| The Milkmaid – Nigeria Knuckle City – South Africa This is Not A Burial, it’s a Resurrection – Lesotho Fiela’s Child – South Africa The White Line – Namibia | The Milkmaid Cold Feet Living in Bondage: Breaking Free 4th Republic For Maria: Ebun Pataki The Bling Lagosians Coming From Insanity The Ghost and The House of Truth |
| Best Short Film | Best Animation |
| The Letter Reader – South Africa Baxu & the Giant – Namibia Songs About My Mother – South Africa Idi Amin’s Boat – Uganda Yahoo – Nigeria SEMA (Speak Out) – DRC A Canvas for a Visa – Senegal After the War – Egypt | I am leaving In Ghana Get Me Out of Here – Ghana From Here To Timbuktu – Kenya Malaika (The Warrior Queen) – Nigeria/USA A Special Gift – Mozambique The Legend of Lwanda Magere – Kenya FTFO – Nigeria Sankofa – Cote D’Voire A Gugle Day – Nigeria |
| Best Documentary | Best Film by an African Living Abroad |
| No Gold for Kalsaka － Burkina Faso January 15, 1970: Untold memoir of the Biafran War – Nigeria Journey to Kenya – Sudan Daysm of Cannibalism – South Africa Finding Sally – Ethiopia/Canada The Letter – Kenya Becoming Black – Togo/Germany Influence – South Africa | No Shade – Clare Anyiam-Osigwe Eagles’ Nest – Olivier Assoua 2 Weeks in Lagos – Kathryn Fasegha Idemuza – Aloaye Omoake Between – Daniel Adenimokan |
| Best Diaspora Short Film | Best Diaspora Documentary |
| Boxed – USA June 14 – USA Egun – Brazil Brick By Brick – USA | Becoming Black – Germany Revolution From Afar – USA Meeting My Father – France If Objects Could Speak – Germany |
| Best Diaspora Feature | Best Soundtrack |
| Joseph – Barbados Aiyai: Wrathful Soul – Australia Lola – USA A Day With Jerusa – Brazil Black and Blue – USA | Gold Coast Lounge – Ghana The Fisherman’s Diary – Cameroon Coming from Insanity – Nigeria Zulu Wedding – South Africa For Maria: Ebun Pataki – Nigeria Walking with Shadows – Nigeria Living in Bondage: Breaking Free – Nigeria Mirage – Zimbabwe |
| Best Visual Effects | Best Sound |
| Knuckle City – South Africa Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie – Ghana Desrances – Burkina Faso Living in Bondage: Breaking Free – Nigeria Badamasi – Nigeria Ratnik － Nigeria Foreigner’s God – Nigeria A Taste of Our Land – Rwanda | Fiela’s Child – South Africa Knuckle City – South Africa Children of the Storm – South Africa The Ghost and House of Truth – Nigeria For Maria: Ebun Pataki – Nigeria 40 Sticks – Kenya Desrances – Burkina Faso Gold Coast Lounge – Ghana |
| Most Promising Actor | Best First Feature Film by a Director |
| Faith Fidel – The Fisherman’s Diary Naomi Nemlin – Desrances Chimezie Imo – Nimbe Swanky JKA – Living in Bondage: Breaking Free Wayne Smith – Fiela’s Child Cina Soul – Gold Coast Lounge Anthonieta Kalunta – The Milkmaid | A Taste of Our Land – Yuhi Amuli Coming From Insanity – Akinyemi Sebastine Akinropo Living in Bondage: Breaking free – Ramsey Nouah Jnr. The Bling Lagosians – Bolanle Austen- Peters For Maria: Ebun Pataki – Damilola E. Orimogunje Zulu Wedding – Lineo Sekeleoana Mirage – Malaika Mushandu The White Line – Desiree Kahikopo-Meiffret |