The Africa Movie Academy Awards is an annual entertainment award ceremony presented to recognize excellence among African and non-African professionals, who have contributed to the African

film industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production company, production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre- ...

. The award was founded by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and is run by the Africa Film Academy. It is regarded as one of Africa's most notable film events, and have been sometimes referenced as the "African Oscars".

History

The first Africa Movie Academy Awards was held in

Yenagoa Yenagoa is a Local Government Area and capital city of Bayelsa State, Southern Nigeria. It is located at the Niger-Delta region of the country at coordinates . The LGA has an area of 706 km2 and an estimated population of 798,466 at 2024. ...

Bayelsa State Bayelsa is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital, Yenag ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, on 30 May 2005. All other subsequent African Academy Awards before 2012 were held at the same venue, except for the 2008 AMAA Awards which was moved to

Abuja Abuja (; , ) is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, strategically situated at the geographic midpoint of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As the seat of the Federal G ...

, FCT for security reasons. In 2012, the awards ceremony was held at

Eko Hotels and Suites Eko Hotels and Suites is a five-star conference centre hotel in Lagos. History Established in 1977 as ''Èkó Holiday Inn'' and built on Victoria Island, it is the largest hotel in Nigeria. It was designed by architect Oluwole Olumuyiwa in co ...

Victoria Island, Lagos Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name neighbouring Lagos Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki Peninsula by the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and finance, financial centre of Lagos State, Niger ...

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

. The 9th and 10th edition saw AMAA returning to

, while the 2015 ceremony was held outside Nigeria for the first time.

Jury members

* Berni Goldblat 2007–present *

John Akomfrah Sir John Akomfrah (born 4 May 1957) is a Ghanaian-born British artist, writer, film director, screenwriter, theorist and curator of Ghanaian descent, whose "commitment to a radicalism both of politics and of cinematic form finds expression in ...

* Steve Ayorinde 2005–2015 * Keith Shiri * June Givanni * Hyginus Ekwuazi * Shaibu Husseini * Ayoku Babu * Asantewa Olatunji * Dorothee Wenner 2005–present * Charles Burnett 2014–present * Filippe Savadogo 2014–present *

Amaka Igwe Amaka Igwe (2 January 1963 – 28 April 2014) was a Nigerian filmmaker and broadcasting executive. Igwe was the owner oTop Radio90.9 Lagos and Amaka Igwe Studios. She was recognized as one of the second-generation filmmakers who helped begin t ...

2005

Categories

As of 2017, the Africa Movie Academy Awards had 28 merit categories. They include: * Best Short Film: since 2010 * Best Documentary: since 2006 * Best Diaspora Feature: since 2011 * Best Diaspora Documentary: since 2011 * Best Animation: since 2008 * Achievement in Production Design: since 2008 * Achievement in Costume Design: since 2005 * Achievement in Make-Up: since 2005 * Achievement in Soundtrack: since 2005 * Achievement in Visual Effects: since 2005 * Achievement in Sound: since 2005 * Achievement in Cinematography: since 2005 * Achievement in Editing: since 2005 * Best Film by an African Living Abroad: (2008; 2010–2013; 2015–present) * Best Comedy Film *

Best Actor in a Leading Role The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ro ...

: since 2005 *

Best Actress in a Leading Role Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

: since 2005 * Best First Feature Film by a Director * Best Diaspora Short Film * Achievement in Screenplay: since 2005 * Best Nigerian Film: since 2007 * Best Film in an African Language: since 2005 * Most Promising Actor: since 2006 * Best Child Actor *

Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role may refer to: * AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role * BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role * Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male * Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a ...

: since 2005 * Best Actress in a Supporting Role: since 2005 *

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...

: since 2005 * Best Film: since 2005

Discontinued categories

Several categories have been renamed, retired, or merged. Below is a list of some of the retired categories.

Special categories

* Lifetime Achievement Awards (2005-2007; 2013–present) * Special Recognition of Pillars of Nollywood (2013 only) * Special Jury Award (2012–present) * Madiba Africa Vision Awards (2014 only) * Best Film for Women Empowerment (2014 only)

References

External links

* {{Continental film awards Awards established in 2005 Nigerian film awards