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.
