The 19th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) took place on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Ikeja, Lagos. The awards gala celebrated the best of African cinema, with filmmakers from across the globe converging under the same roof.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Nancy Isime, Rahama Sadau, and Richard Ato Turkson.

Among the winners this year is “Anikulapo,” which won the Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language. The film is a historical epic directed by Kunle Afolayan and starring Kunle Remi, Sola Sobowale, and Bimbo Ademoye. Jude Idada, the director of “KOFA,” won the Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African-Born Director Living Abroad. “Jabari,” a captivating animated film produced by the Ghana-based animation studio, won the Jubril Malaifia Award for Best Animation.

Here is a complete list of the winners at the 2023 AMAA Awards:

Efere Ozaka Award For Best Short Film

Lions (Ethiopia) – Winner
Riel (Namibia)
Enmity Djin (Mauritania)

Jubril Malaifia Award For Best Animation

Lost (Uganda)
Azania Rises (South Africa)
Jabari (Ghana) –  Winner
Bashorum Gaa (Nigeria)

Best Documentary

Africa Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization (Senegal/Canada)
Nightlife in Lasgidi (Nigeria)
Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border (Senegal)
Ifine (Beauty) (Sierra Leone)
Le Spectre de Boko Haram (Cameroon) – Winner

Ousmane Sembene Award For Best Film In An African Language

Pusha Pressa Phanda (South Africa)
Anikulapo (Nigeria) – Winner
The Kitera Chronicle (Uganda)
Four Walls (South Africa)
Mami Wata (Nigeria)

Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award For Best Film By An African-Born Director Living Abroad

Talia’s Journey (Senegal/Belgium) – Christophe Rolin
Golden Stripes (Nigeria/UK) – Peace Osigbe
KOFA (Nigeria/Canada) – Jude Idada – Winner

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 – Winner

Best Diaspora Documentary

Sound of the Police (United States) – Directed by Stanley Nelson – Winner
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

Best Diaspora Narrative Feature

Cheese (Trinidad & Tobago) – directed by Damian Marcano
Our Father, The Devil (United States) – Directed by Ellie Foumbi – Winner
The Pastor and the Revolutionary (Brazil) – directed by José Eduardo Belmonte

Best Achievement in Production Design

Pat Nebo – Anikulapo – Nigeria – Winner
Eve Martin – Omen – DRC
Sira – Burkina Faso
Antoine Nshimiyimana – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Chantel Carter – Gereza – South Africa

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Bunmi Demilola Fashina – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Millicent Jack – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Djibril Drame – Xalé – Senegal – Winner 
Elkehoste and Baloji Omen – DRC
Sidi Ouedraogo Sira – Burkina Faso

Best Achievement in Make-Up

Campell Precious Arebamen – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
Hakeem Effect and Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Lila Vander Elst – Omen – DRC
Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Omowunmi Okungbure – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria

Best Achievement in Soundtrack

Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda – Winner
L’Axe Lourd (The Highway) – Cameroon
Gereza – South Africa
Omen – DRC
Obinna Arua – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria

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 – Winner

Best Achievement in Sound

Juliana Oswald – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Vianney Aube – Sira – Burkina Faso – Winner
Erik Griekspoor – Omen – DRC
Samy Bardet – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Michel Tsagli – Xalé – Senegal

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Lilis Soares – Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
Joachim Philippe – Omen – DRC
Richard Henkels – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Thomas Wilski – Talia’s Journey – Senegal/Belgium
Eduardo Kropotkine – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola

Best Achievement in Editing

Nathan Delannoy – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Bertrand Conard – Omen – DRC – Winner
Sylvie Gadner – Sira – Burkina Faso
Layla Swart – Gereza
Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl

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 – Winner
Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda

National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award for Best Nigerian Film

Mami Wata – Nigeria – Winner
Anikulapo
4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
Gangs of Lagos
The Trade
L.I.F.E.
Brotherhood

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Best Young/Promising Actor

Maleek Sanni – Gangs of Lagos (Winner)
Ewube -L’axe Lourd (The Highway)
Darisimi Nadi – Obara’m
Sanou Titiama – Le chant des fusils (The Song of the Rifle)
Eyiyemi Afolyan – Anikulapo

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Francis Onwuchei – The Trade – Nigeria
Jeff Jackson – Four Walls – South Africa
Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda
Jimmy-Jean Louis -Rise – Winner

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Mami Wata – Nigeria
Rokhaya Niang – Xalé – Senegal – Winner
Clarck Natmbwe – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Richard Mofe Demalo – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
Marc Zunga – Omen – DRC
Fenando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate –Uganda
Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood – Nigeria – Winner
Justine Murichii – Shimoni – Kenya
Mike Danon – Sira – Burkina Faso

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Lucie Debay – Omen – DRC
Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa – 4 Walls – South Africa
Nafissatou Sisse – Sira – Burkina Faso
Adesua Etomi – Guns of Lagos – Nigeria
Nse Ikpe Etim – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria – Winner
Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo – Nigeria
Ama Qamata – Fight Like a Girl – Rwanda

First Debut Feature by a Director

Baloji – Omen – DRC – Winner
Ery Claver – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
Jean Elliot Ilboudo (le Chant des fusils)The Song of the Riffle – Cameron

Best Director

Moussa Sene Absa – Xalé
C. J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi – Mami Wata
Baloji – Omen
Apolline Traore – Sira – Winner
Izu Ojukwu – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvaiś Dunn – 4 Walls

Best Film

Xalé- Senegal – Winner
Mami Wata – Nigeria
4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) Nigeria
Omen – DRC
4 Walls – South Africa
Sira – Burkina Faso
Anikulapo – Nigeria