Africa Movie Academy Awards

Africa Movie Academy Awards
The Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards, is presented annually to recognize excellence among professionals working in, or non-African professionals who have contributed to, the African film industry. It was founded by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and is 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. The AMA Awards is widely considered to be Africa's most important film event and the most prestigious film award in Africa.
History
The first Africa Movie Academy Awards was held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria on 30 May 2005. All other subsequent African Academy Awards before 2012 were held at the same venue, except for the 2008 AMAA Awards which was moved to Abuja, FCT for security reasons. In 2012, the awards ceremony was held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in Lagos State. The 9th and 10th edition saw AMAA returning to Yenagoa, while the 2015 ceremony was held outside Nigeria for the first time.
Categories
Current categories
As of 2017, the Africa Movie Academy Awards have 28 merit categories. They include:
Best Short Film: since 2010
Best Documentary: since 2006
Best Diaspora Feature: since 2011
Best Diaspora Documentary: since 2011
Best Animation: since 2008
Achievement in Production Design: since 2008
Achievement in Costume Design: since 2005
Achievement in Make-Up: since 2005
Achievement in Soundtrack: since 2005
Achievement in Visual Effects: since 2005
Achievement in Sound: since 2005
Achievement in Cinematography: since 2005
Achievement in Editing: since 2005
Best Film by an African Living Abroad: (2008; 2010–2013; 2015–present)
Best Comedy Film
Best Actor in a Leading Role: since 2005
Best Actress in a Leading Role: since 2005
Best First Feature Film by a Director
Best Diaspora Short Film
Achievement in Screenplay: since 2005
Best Nigerian Film: since 2007
Best Film in an African Language: since 2005
Most Promising Actor: since 2006
Best Child Actor
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: since 2005
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: since 2005
Best Director: since 2005
Best Film: since 2005
Discontinued categories
Several categories have been renamed, retired, or merged. Below is a list of some of the retired categories.
Special categories
Lifetime Achievement Awards (2005-2007; 2013–present)
Special Recognition of Pillars of Nollywood (2013 only)
Special Jury Award (2012–present)
Madiba Africa Vision Awards (2014 only)
Best Film for Women Empowerment (2014 only)
Jury members
Berni Goldblat 2007–present
John Akomfrah
Steve Ayorinde 2005–2015
Keith Shiri
June Givanni
Hyginus Ekwuazi
Shaibu Husseini
Ayoku Babu
Asantewa Olatunji
Dorothee Wenner 2005–present
Charles Burnett 2014–present
Filippe Savadogo 2014–present
Amaka Igwe 2005
Awards statistics
The statistics below are valid as of the 13th edition (2017).
Most nominations
By a film
10 and up
By a director
Twice and more:
By an actress
Twice and more:
By an actor
Twice and more:
Most wins
By a film
Five times and more:
By country
The "Best Film" category has been won by a Nigerian film for a record six times.
By an actress
By an actor
Other notable records
Egyptian actor Farouk Al-Fichawi was the first non-Nigerian actor to win an award. He did so for his role in Seventh Heaven.
Ghanaian actress Jackie Appiah was the first non-Nigerian actress to win an award.
See also
List of Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremonies
References
External links
Awards established in 2005
Nigerian film awards