One of the most important dates in the annual celebration of African film making is the Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA.
On Sunday (27 October), media representatives, celebrities, politicians, journalists, actresses and actors from all across the world gathered in Lagos, Nigeria, to mark this year’s event and celebrate excellence among professionals working in, or non-African professionals who have contributed to, the African film industry.
AMAA 2019, which took place at the Landmark Event Centre in the highbrow Lagos district of Victoria Island, was an event of high fashion and culture with celebrities turned out at their best to honour an industry that not only entertains, educates, informs but also, and very importantly, unites Africa.
Mercy of the Jungle (Rwanda) emerged winner as the Best Film while its lead actor Marc Zinga (Rwanda) also took the trophy as the Best Actor in a Leading Role. Nigerian Ola Sobowale won the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her part in King of Boys (Nigeria) The Best Young/Promising Actor award went to the Ghanaian Cynthia Dankwa (Esi) for her role in The Burial of Kojo.
Other AMA Awards 2019 winners include:
Best Director: Jahmi X.T Qubeka
Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language: Rafiki (Kenya)
Best Film by an African in Diaspora: Rattle Snake (UK, USA)
Best Diaspora Documentary: My Friend Fela (Brazil)
Best Diaspora Short Film: Bail (UK)
Best Documentary: Khartoum Offside (Sudan)
Best Nigerian Film: King of Boys (Nigeria)
Efere Ozako Award For Best Short Film: A Tune of Kora (Senegal)
Best Animation: Choices (Nigeria)
Best Director-First Feature Film: Blitz Bazawule – The Burial of Kojo (Ghana)
Best Director: Jahmil X. Qubeka – Sew the Winter to My Skin (South Africa)
Best soundtrack: Mabata Bata (Mozambique)
Best Visual Effects: Delivery Boy (Nigeria)
Best Sound: Sew the Winter in My Skin (South Africa)
Best Cinematography: Sew the Winter in My Skin (South Africa)
Best Editing: Rafiki (Kenya)
Best Screenplay: Redemption (Mozambique)
Kola Tella, Lagos