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:
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
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