The Africa Movie Academy (AMA) Awards organisers have officially announced the nominees for the 19th edition of this prestigious continental awards ceremony.
The 2023 AMA Awards will showcase excellence in 26 categories, celebrating outstanding achievements in African cinema.
Among the highly anticipated categories is “Best Nigerian Film,” which includes top contenders such as “Gangs of Lagos,” “Brotherhood,” “Anikulapo,” “Mami Wata,” “4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four),” “L.I.F.E,” and “The Trade.”
Also known as The AMA Awards, is presented annually to recognise excellence among professionals working in, or non-African professionals who have contributed to, the African film industry.
It was founded by the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.
See the full list below:
1. Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film
- Lions – Ethiopia
- Riel – Namibia
- Enmity Djin – Mauritania
2. Jubril Malaifia Award for Best Animation
• Lost – Uganda
• Azania Rises – South Africa • Jabari – Ghana
• Bashorum Gaa – Nigeria
3. Best Documentary
• Africa Cradle of Humanity and Modern CivilizaHon – Senegal/Canada
• Nightlife in Lasgidi – Nigeria
• Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border –
Senegal
• Ifine (Beauty) – Sierra Leone
• LeSpectre de Boko Haram – Cameron
4. Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language
• Pusha Pressa Phanda – South Africa •
• Anikulapo – Nigeria
• The Kitera Chronicle – Uganda
• Four Walls – South Africa
• Mami Wata – Nigeria
5. Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an
African-Born Director Living Abroad
• Talia’s Journey – Christophe Rolin (Senegal/Belgium)
• Golden Stripes – Peace Osigbe (Nigeria/UK)
• KOFA – Jude Idada (Nigeria/Canada)
6. 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-Kelly
7. Best Diaspora Documentary
• Sound of the Police – (United States) – directed by Stanley Nelson
• 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
8. Best Diaspora Narrative Feature
• Chee$e – (Trinidad & Tobago) directed by Damian Marcano
• Our Father, The Devil – (United States) directed by Ellie Foumbi
• The Pastor and the Revolutionary – (Brazil) directed by José Eduardo Belmonte
9. Best Achievement in Production Design
• Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Eve Martin – Omen – DRC
• Sira – Burkina Faso
• Antoine Nshimiyimana – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Chantel Carter – Gereza – South Africa
10. Best Achievement in Costume Design
• Bunmi Demilola Fashina – Mami Wata – Nigeria •
Toyin Bifrain Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Millicent Jack – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Djibril Drame – Xalé – Senegal
• Elkehoste and Baloji Omen – DRC
• Sidi Ouedraogo Sira – Burkina Faso
11. Best Achievement in Make-Up
• Campell Precious Arebamen – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Hakeem Effect – Anikulapo
– Nigeria
• Lila Vander Elst – Omen – DRC
• Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Omowunmi Okungbure – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
12. Best Achievement in Soundtrack
• Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• L’Axe Lourd (The Highway) – Cameroon
• Gereza – South Africa
• Omen – DRC
• Obinna Arua – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
13. 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
14. Best Achievement in Sound
• Juliana Oswald – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Vianney Aube Sira – Burkina Faso
• Erik Griekspoor – Omen – DRC
• Samy Bardet – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Michel Tsagli – Xalé – Senegal
15. Best Achievement in Cinematography
• Lilis Soares – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Joachim Philippe – Omen – DRC
• Richard Henkels – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Thomas Wilski – Talia’s Journey – Senegal/Belgium
• Eduardo Kropotkine – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
16. Best Achievement in Editing
• Nathan Delannoy – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Bertrand Conard – Omen – DRC
• Sylvie Gadner – Sira – Burkina Faso
• Layla Swart – Gereza
• Madhew Leutwyler – DRC
17. 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
• Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
18. National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award
for Best Nigerian Film
• Mami Wata
• Anikulapo
• 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
• Gangs of Lagos
• The Trade
• L.I.F.E.
• Brotherhood
19. Best Young/Promising Actor
• Maleek Sanni – Gangs of Lagos
• Jennifer Ewube -L’axe Lourd (The Highway)
• Darisimi Nadi – Obara’m
• Sanou Titiama – Le chant des fusils (The Song of the Rifle)
• Eyiyemi Afolyan – Anikulapo
20. Best Actor in a Supporting Role
• Francis Onwuchei – The Trade – Nigeria
• Jeff Jackson – Four Walls – South Africa
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Jimmy-Jean Louis -Rise
21. Best Actress in a Supporting Role
• Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Rokhaya Niang – Xalé – Senegal
• Clarck Natmbwe – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
22. Best Actor in a Leading Role
• Richard Mofe Demalo – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Marc Zinga – Omen – DRC
• Fenando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate –Uganda
• Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood – Nigeria
• Justine Murichii – Shimoni – Kenya
• Mike Danon – Sira – Burkina Faso
23. Best Actress in a Leading Role
• Lucie Debay – Omen – DRC
• Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa – Four Walls – South Africa
• Nafissatou Cissé – Sira – Burkina Faso
• Adesua Etomi – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
• Nse Ikpe Etim – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Ama Qamata – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
24. First Debut Feature by a Director
• Baloji – Omen – DRC
• Ery Claver – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Jean Elliot Ilboudo (le Chant des fusils)The Song of the Riffle – Burkina Faso
25. Best Director
• Moussa Sene Absa – Xalé
• C. J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata
• Baloji – Omen
• Apolline Traore – Sira
• Izu Ojukwu – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
• Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
• Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvai? Dunn – Four
Walls
26. Best Film
• Xalé- Senegal
• Mami Wata – Nigeria
• 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) Nigeria
• Omen – DRC
• Four Walls – South Africa
• Sira – Burkina Faso
• Anikulapo – Nigeria
