The Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards, are presented annually to recognize excellence among professionals working in, or non-African professionals who have contributed to, the African film industry. It was founded by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and is run through the Africa Film Academy. The awards are aimed at honouring and promoting excellence in the African movie industry as well as uniting the African continent through arts and culture. The award presentation is attended by numerous media representatives, celebrities, politicians, journalists, actresses and actors from all across the world. The AMA Awards are widely considered to be Africa's most important film event[1][2] and the most prestigious film award in Africa.[3][4][5][6] A variety of international observers have fondly called the African Movie Academy Awards the "African Oscars".[7][8][9][10]
History
The first Africa Movie Academy Awards was held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, on 30 May 2005.[11][12] 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, FCT for security reasons.[13] In 2012, the awards ceremony was held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in Lagos State. The 9th and 10th edition saw AMAA returning to Yenagoa, while the 2015 ceremony was held outside Nigeria for the first time.
Categories
Current categories
As of 2017, the Africa Movie Academy Awards have 28 merit categories. They include:[14]
AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Film, Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Soundtrack, Achievement in Visual Effects, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Editing, Achievement in Screenplay, Best film in an African Language, Best Child Actor, Best Young/Promising Actor (Thomas Gumede), Best Young/Promising Actor (Sihle Xaba), Best Actor in a leading Role and Best Director.
AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Effects, Heart of Africa, Best Art Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Cinematography and Best Make-Up.
AMAA 2016 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in Supporting Role, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Soundtrack, Best Make-Up, Best Production Design, Best Young/Promising Actor, Best Costume Design, and Best Editing.
AMAA 2011 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in Supporting Role, Best Actor in Supporting Role, Best Child Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Achievement in Sound, Best Soundtrack, Best Make-Up, Best Production Design and Best Editing.
AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Young Actor, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in Supporting Role, Best Actor in Supporting Role, Achievement in Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Visual Effects, Achievement in Soundtrack, Best Production Design and Best Editing.
AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Child Actor, Best Screenplay, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Editing, Achievement in Art Direction, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Makeup and Best Original Soundtrack.
AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Upcoming Actress (Jackie Appiah), Best Upcoming Actress (Yvonne Nelson), Best Upcoming Actor, Best Costume, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Make-Up.
AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Upcoming Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Make-Up, Best Costume, Best Editing, Best Original Effects and Best Visual Effects.
AMAA 2015 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film in an African Language, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Makeup, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design
AMAA 2015 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Makeup, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, Best Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay
AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Film, Best Film in an African language, Best Director, Best Actress in a lead role, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Soundtrack, Best Screenplay, Most promising actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
AMAA 2015 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Film in an African Language, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Soundtrack, Best Child Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Sound and Best Production Design
AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Upcoming Artist, Best Performance by a Child, Best Indigenous Film, Best Nigerian Film, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Edit.
AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Upcoming Artist, Best Nigerian Film, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Edit, Best Visual Effects, Achievement in Costume and Achievement in Make-up.
AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Art Direction, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Costume and Achievement in Make-Up.
AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Film, Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Soundtrack, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Screenplay, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a leading Role and Prize for Best Director.
AMAA 2013 Prize for Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Costume Design, Achievement in Makeup, Achievement in Visual Effects, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Editing, Achievement in Lightning, Best Film in an African Language, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director and Best Film.
AMAA 2017 Prize for Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Editing, Best Film in an African Language, Best Actress in a Leading Role, best supporting actor, Best Director, Best sound, Best soundtrack, best screenplay and Best Film.
AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Most Promising Actor, Best Child Actor, Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Editing, Achievement in Cinematography and Achievement in Visual Effect.
AMAA 2016 Prize for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role,Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Screenplay and Best Sound
AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Child Actor, Achievement in Art Direction, Achievement in Cinematography, Achievement in Visual Effect, Best Original Soundtrack, Heart of Africa.
AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Director (White Waters), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Director (Across the Niger), AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Director (Sitanda), AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Director (76).
AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Director (Behind Closed Door), AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Director (Family Battle) and AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Director (Adesuwa).
AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Director (I Sing of a Well), AMAA 2011 Prize for Best Director (Sinking Sands), AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Director (Ties That Bind).
AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Director (The Perfect Picture), AMAA 2013 Prize for Best Director (The Contract) & AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Director (Potomanto).
AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Director (Day of Atonement), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Director (Mission to Nowhere) & AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Director (Accident).
AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Beyonce: The President's Daughter), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Princess Tyra), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Upcoming Actress (Princess Tyra) and AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (The Perfect Picture).
AMAA 2005 Prize for est Actress in a leading Role, AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actress in a leading Role (30 days & Keep My Will) and AMAA 2011 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Tango with Me).
AMAA 2005 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role, AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Reloaded) and AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Nnenda).
AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Damage), AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Lagos Cougars) and AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Keep My Will).
AMAA 2011 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Pool Party), AMAA 2012 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (Single Six) and AMAA 2013 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (The Contract).
AMAA 2008 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (New Jerusalem), AMAA 2013 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Turning Point) and AMAA 2014 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (After the Proposal).
AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Reloaded), AMAA 2012 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (Mr. and Mrs.) and AMAA 2016 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (Fifty).
AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Behind Closed Door), AMAA 2008 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (Widow) and AMAA 2009 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (State of the Heart).
AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Sitanda), AMAA 2008 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Across the Niger) and AMAA 2016 Prize For Best Actress in a Leading Role (Fifty).
AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actress in a leading Role (Shattered), AMAA 2013 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (The Meeting) and AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (76).
AMAA 2009 Prize for Most Promising Actress (Scorned), AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (The Perfect Picture) and AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Keteke).
AMAA 2008 Prize For Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Cash Money), AMAA 2010 Prize For Best Actress in a Lead Role (Freedom in Chains) and AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Actress in a Lead Role (93 days).
AMAA 2007 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Beyonce: The President's Daughter) and AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Agony of the Christ).
AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Agony of the Christ), AMAA 2010 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Sin of a Soul), AMAA 2011 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Pool Party), AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Somewhere in Africa), AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Brother's Keeper) and AMAA 2017 Prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Slow Country).
AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Upcoming Actor (White Waters), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Check Point), AMAA 2013 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Alan Poza), AMAA 2016 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ayanda) and AMAA 2015 Prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Love or Something Like That).
AMAA 2006 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Family Battle), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actor in a Lead Role (Across the Niger) and AMAA 2014 Prize for Best Actor in a Lead Role (Apaye).
AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actor in a Supporting role (Black Friday), AMAA 2008 Prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Mirror of Reality) and AMAA 2009 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role (The Assassin).