After the submission of entries for this year’s edition of the
African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, closed on January 30, there followed
a flurry of activities leading to the announcement of nominations on
March 15 in Lilongwe, Malawi. The 9th edition of AMAA with the theme:
‘Africa One’, got a record 671 films in competition with Francophone
countries leading with entries.
The prestigious awards, regarded as Africa’s Oscars, held a
superlative gala night in Malawi with the country’s President Joyce
Banda was chief host, literarily bringing the country to a standstill.
The icing on the cake for Malawi, little known for film, is that Flora
Suya got nominated for the AMAA 2013 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading
Role for her role in Last Fishing Boat, which walked away with four
other nominations including the prize for Best Film.
It was a big celebration for the country and it continued with a
concert by music sensation PSquare the next day at the Golf Club in
Lilongwe with many attesting to the show pulling one of the most
unprecedented
crowds for such gatherings in the country.
The April 20 date for the awards looked like a long way ahead when
announced at the gala but it is finally here heralded by a book and
craft fair beginning today in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital. Already,
Nigerian literary icons have gathered in Yenagoa for the international
book and craft fair that is part of the activities for the 2013 AMAA to
be hosted by actress Dakore Egbuson, comedian Ayo Makun and
British/Ghanaian television presenter and actress, Ama K. Abebrese.
The fair, which will have many readings and technical sessions
according to Fair Director, Mr. Onyeka Nwelue, will have in attendance,
accomplished playwright, Professor Femi Osofisan; NLNG Prize for
Literature winner, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo and former Minister
of Federal Capital, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, who will read from his latest
book, The Accidental Public Servant. Holding till April 19, it will
also have popular Indian writer and supermodel, Shobhaa De and
Portuguese actor, Jose Fildago attending.
When the award night takes place on Saturday, the category everyone
will watch keenly will be the one for Best Film, which has two Nigerian
films in contention, Last Flight To Abuja and Confusion Na Wa. The
former is based on a near miss in which a pilot steers a smoke-filled
plane to safety, while the latter is a social comedy drama that traces
the lives of a disparate group of individuals as their paths cross over
the course of one day.
For being thrilling and adding up to the two nominations in this
coveted category alone, a Nigerian film may well be sure of a win. But
as those who know about such things would indicate, they do not
necessarily go that way all the time. But there is no doubt that any one
of the two films stands a chance. That is not to indicate that the
remaining five are pushovers. The South African film Elelwani tells the
captivating love story of Elelwani and her boyfriend who plan to spend
the rest of their lives together until forces beyond their control step
in. In the last couple of years, South Africa has been Nigeria’s biggest
rival at the AMAA; it is looking to go that way this year as well
particularly when one considers that Elelwani also shows up in the Best
Director as well as Best Actress in a Leading Role categories, among
others.
There are countries such as Kenya, Cameroon, Malawi and Mozambique
all relatively new to the AMAA but packing a punch with Nairobi Half
Life, Ninah’s Dowry, Last Fishing Boat and Virgin Margarida,
respectively, all of them films that cannot be ignored, not only for
quality of production, but also depth of the story.
Then there is Ghana’s Yvonne Okoro (The Contract) and Nigeria’s Rita
Dominic (The Meeting) nominated in the Best Actress in a Leading Role
category for films pundits have continued to speak about since the
nominations were announced. The other contenders in this category
include: Florence Masebe (Elelwani); Mariam Ouedraogo (Moi Zaphira);
Mbutung Seikeh (Ninah’s Diary) and Flora Suya (Last Fishing Boat). It is
unlikely that any one of the two Nigerians actresses may not clinch the
prize, but if that were to happen, it is a prize for any one of the
other actresses.
However, one prize many a Nigerian film enthusiast would like to see
stay in the country is for Justus Esiri’s nomination in the Best Actor
in a Leading Role category for his performance in Assasins’ Practice.
And this is not just that it will be awarded posthumously, it is also
because the late veteran actor, only buried last Friday, was one of the
best Nigeria ever produced. The other contenders in this category are:
OC Ukeje (Alan Poza); Bimbo Manuel (Hereos and Zereos); Lindani Nkosi
(Zama Zama); Hlomla Dandala (The Contract); Femi Jacobs (The Meeting)
and Amurin Wumnembom (Ninah’s Dowry). Should either Esiri, Manuel,
Jacobs or Ukeje (who has worked hard since coming onto the Nigerian
movie scene by winning the now rested Amstel Malta Box Office, AMBO,
reality show contest), win, it will be a big one for Nigeria.
From the look of things, it will be a very interesting awards night
come Saturday as film people in Africa and beyond stand up to be
counted. In all, Elelwani got 11 nominations making it the film to beat
followed by Nairobi Half Life with nine. The Twin Sword, Virgin
Magarida, Blood and Henna, Ninah’s Dowry, The Contract and The Meeting
got six nominations each. Last Fishing Boat, Last Flight To Abuja and
Okoro The Prince each got five nominations.
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