“The Weekend,” “Jagun Jagun,” and “Mai Martaba” Lead Wins at 2024 AMAA

The 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held on November 2 at the Balmoral Center in Ikeja, brought together leading figures in African cinema to celebrate outstanding achievements in film and to recognize pivotal contributions to the industry across the continent.

 

This year’s AMAAs saw Daniel Oriahi’s “The Weekend”, Femi Adebayo’s “Jagun Jagun”, and the Kannywood epic “Mai Martaba” emerge as notable winners. “The Weekend” led with four awards, securing wins in Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Screenplay, Best Nigerian Film, and the coveted Best Film prize.

 

In “Jagun Jagun”, Adebayo won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Ogundiji, and the film itself received awards for Achievement in Visual Effects and Achievement in Makeup.

 

“Mai Martaba” received recognition in the Achievement in Costume Design category, just days after the Nigerian Official Selection Committee announced the film as Nigeria’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.

 

Canadian-Ghanaian actress Jackie Appiah won Best Actress in a Leading Role, marking her third AMAA win for her performance in “Red Carpet”. Another highlight was Zolisa Xaluva’s unexpected win for Best Actor in a Leading Role in “The Queenstown Kings”, where he outshone a competitive field that included Nigerian actors Gabriel Afolayan, Femi Jacobs, Bucci Franklin, and veteran Chidi Mokeme.

 

Several of the evening’s winners had been previously highlighted by The Nollywood Reporter, which anticipated their success, further shows the publication’s expertise in African cinema trends.

 

Find the full list of winners below.

 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Souleymane Cisse (Mali)

Nacer Khemir (Tunisia)

Haile Gerima (Ethiopia)

 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Alain Gomis (Senegal/Gabon)

Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)

 

BEST FILM

Under The Hanging Tree

The Weekend- WINNER

This is Lagos

A Smile, A Wink and A Tear

Orah

Letters to Goddo

The Queenstown Kings

 

NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

The Weekend- WINNER

This is Lagos

Afamefuna

Jagun Jagun

Mai Martaba

A Smile, A Wink and A Tear

Out of Breath

 

EFERE OZAKO AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

The Last Shoe Maker (Uganda)- WINNER

Seben (Mali)

Dear Future Wife (South Africa)

Isolated (Nigeria)

Joia (Angola)

Strike A Blow And Die (Malawi)

Don’t Call Me Beautiful (Ghana)

Sins Of A Father (Zimbabwe/USA)

 

JUBRIL MALAFIA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION

Heavy Crown (Libya)

Counter Punch (Kenya) – WINNER

Journey of the Legend (Cameroon)

Hadu (Nigeria)

Between Paya and Koulou (Senegal)

Oya (The goddess of gods) (Nigeria)

Set Pieces (Sudan)

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY

A Quand L’Afrique (Congo Brazzaville)

The Night Still Smells of Gun Powder (Mozambique) – WINNER

The Return Train (Mali)

Gateway To Dreams (Cameroon)

Rainbow Nation (South Africa)

Dela- The Making of EL-Anatsui (Nigeria)

Donga (Libya)

Rising Up At Night (DRC)

 

BEST DIASPORA SHORT FILM

The Neigbourhood Alert (USA)- WINNER

Bottled Up (Jamaica)

The Golden Boy (USA)

 

BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

The Wu Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA) – WINNER

A Rising Tide (USA)

Colour (USA)

 

BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE

Outlaw Posse (USA)- WINNER

Mickey Hardaway (USA)

Love After Holidays (USA)

 

MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD

Out Of Breath (Nigeria/UK)

Orah (Nigeria/Canada)

Isolated (Nigeria/UK)

Under The Hanging Tree (Namibia/UK)- WINNER

Kipkemboi (Nigeria/ Canada)

 

OUSMANE SEMBENE AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

Makula (Uganda)

Jagun Jagun (Nigeria)

The Queenstown Kings (South Africa)- WINNER

Kaka (Nigeria)

Eskhalemi Sikantombella (South Africa)

Unheard (Uganda)

Out of Breath (Nigeria)

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

The Beads

The Weekend

White and Black

Jagun Jagun

The Queenstown Kings

Mai Martaba- WINNER

Out of Breath

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

The Weekend

Nawi

Letters to Goddo

Out of Breath

Jagun Jagun – WINNER

Anjola

White and Black

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

Kipkemboi

Jagun Jagun- WINNER

Under The Hanging Tree

The Weekend

Bokwagter

Out of Breath

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

The Weekend

Under the Hanging Tree

The Queenstown Kings

Orah

Mojisola

Red Carpet

Boda Love – WINNER

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

A Smile, A Wink and A Tear

The Weekend

Under the Hanging Tree

The Queenstown Kings- WINNER

Boda Love

Kipkemboi

Boda Love

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

Orah

The Queenstown Kings

The Weekend

Jagun Jagun

Kipkemboi

Makula

Out of Breath- WINNER

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Weekend- WINNER

Nawi

Kipkemboi

Letters to Goddo

This is Lagos

The Queenstown Kings

A Smile, A Wink and A Tear

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

Under The Hanging Tree- WINNER

The Weekend

This is Lagos

Nawi

Kipkemboi

The Beads

Anjola

 

ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY

Under The Hanging Tree

The Weekend- WINNER

Letter To Goddo

This is Lagos

Boda love

The Queenstown Kings

Out of Breath

BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR

Michell Lemuya (Nawi)- WINNER

Likhona Mgali (The Queenstown Kings)

Agape mngomezulu (Orah)

William Dias (Bokwagter)

Kofi Adu-Gyamfi (Tejiri)

Ruby Akubueze (She)

Fatima Muhammed (Mai Martaba)

 

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Sandile Mahlangu (The Queenstown Kings)

Ochungo Benson (Nawi)

Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey (The Weekend)

Ikechukwu Onunaku (This is Lagos)

Lucky Ejim (Orah)

Solomon Fixon Owoo (Letters to Goddo)

Femi Adebayo (Jagun Jagun)- WINNER

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Meg Otanwa (The Weekend)

Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa (The Queenstown Kings)

Elsie Chidera Abang (Kipkemboi)- WINNNER

Tessa Twala (The Queenstown Kings)

Bukunmi Oluwashina (White and Black)

Somkele Iyamah-Idhalamah (Orah)

Chioma Akpotha (Mojisola)

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Zolixa Xaluva (The Queenstown Kings)- WINNER

Gabriel Afolayan (This is Lagos)

Duncan Murunyu Mungai (Boda Love)

Nenesenor Abloso (Letters to Goddo)

Bucci Franklin (The Weekend)

Femi Jacobs (Anjola)

Chidi Mokeme (Out of Breath)

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Girley Jazama (Under The Hanging Tree)

Oyin Oladejo (Orah)

Unati Faku (The Queenstown Kings)

Uzoamaka Aniunoh (The Weekend)

Laura Pepple (This is Lagos)

Jackie Appiah (Red Carpet)- WINNER

Efe Irele (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)

 

BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR

LETTERS TO GODDO (Harry Bentil)- WINNER

RISING UP AT NIGHT (Nelson Makengo)

SHE (Seun Richards)

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Daniel Emeka Oriahi (The Weekend)

Kenneth Gyang (This Is Lagos)

Jahmil X.T Qubeka (The Queenstown Kings)- WINNER

Perivi Katjavivi (Under The Hanging Tree)

Lonzo Nzekwe (Orah)

Harry Bentil ( Letters To Goddo)

Izu Ojukwu (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)