After months of uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other horrible events that characterized the year, organizers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) have finally released the 2020 nominees list.
AMAA jury president, Steve Ayorinde announced the list in a broadcast message shared on AMAA’s social media platforms on Monday, November 30, 2020, ahead of the virtual show billed for December 20, 2020.
This year’s list spots strong contenders across Africa with South Africa’s ‘Knuckle City’ directed by Jahmil X.T Quebeka, leading with 12 nominations including the Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Director categories.
Nigeria’s ‘The Milkmaid’ directed by Desmond Ovbiagele follows with eight nominations and Akin Omotoso’s ‘The Ghost and The House of Truth’ with seven.
- EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
- Baxu & the Giant –Namibia
- Songs About My Mother – South Africa
- Idi Amin’s Boat – Uganda
- Yahoo – Nigeria
- SEMA (Speak Out) – DRC
- The letter reader – South Africa
- A Canvas for a Visa – Senegal
- After the War – Egypt
- JUBRIL MALAFIA AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
- From Here To Timbuktu – Kenya
- Malaika (The Warrior Queen) – Nigeria/USA
- A Special Gift – Mozambique
- The legend of Lwanda Magere – Kenya
- FTFO – Nigeria
- Sankofa – Cote D’Voire
- I am leaving In Ghana Get Me Out of Here – Ghana
- A Gugie Day – Nigeria
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
- January 15, 1970: Untold memoir of the Biafran war- Nigeria
- Journey to Kenya – Sudan
- No gold for kalsaka – B/Faso
- Days of Cannibalism – South Africa
- Finding Sally – Ethiopia/Canada
- The letter – Kenya
- Becoming Black- Togo/Germany
- Influence – South Africa
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT
- Boxed – USA
- June 14 – USA
- Egun – Brazil
- Brick By Brick – USA
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
- Once In Hundred Years – USA
- Revolution From Afar – USA
- Meeting My Father – France
- Becoming Black – Germany
- If Objects Could Speak – Germany
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE
- Aiyai: Wrathful Soul – Australia
- Lola – USA
- A day With Jerusa – Brazil
- Black and Blue – USA
- Joseph – Barbados
- MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
- Eagles Nest – Olivier Assoua
- Two Weeks in Lagos – Kathryn Fasegha
- Idemuza – Olaoye Amoke
- Between – Daniel Adenimokan
- No Shades – Claire Ayiam Osigwe
- OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
- Milk Maid – Nigeria
- Knuckle City – South Africa
- This is Not A Burial…it’s a Resurrection – Lesotho
- Fiela’s Child – South Africa
- The White Line – Namibia
- AMAA 2020 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
- This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection
- Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie
- The White Line
- Ibi (The Birth)
- Foreigner’s God
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
- Knuckle City
- Ratnik
- The Milkmaid
- 1929
- Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
- Fisherman’s Diary
- Coming from Insanity
- Zulu Wedding
- Gold Coast Lounge
- For Maria: Ebun Pataki
- Walking with Shadows
- Living in Bondage
- Mirage
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
- Heroes of Africa; Tette Quarshie
- Desrances
- Knuckle City
- Living in Bondage: Breaking Free
- Badamasi
- Ratnik
- Foreigner’s God
- A Taste of Our Land
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
- Fiela’s Child
- Knuckle City
- Children of The Storm
- The Ghost and House of Truth
- For Maria: Ebun Pataki
- 40 Sticks
- Desrances
- Gold Coast Lounge
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
- Ratnik
- Knuckle City
- Zulu Wedding
- Perfect Picture: Ten Years Later
- This is Not A Burial, It’s a resurrection
- Foreigner’s God
- Gold Coast Lounge
- The Ghost and the House of Truth
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
- The Ghost and House of Truth
- A Fisherman’s Diary
- Knuckle City
- Milk Maid
- 40 Sticks
- Desrances
- This is Not A Burial, It’s a resurrection
- Gold Coast Lounge
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
- Perfect Picture: Ten Years After
- The Ghost and House of Truth
- Knuckle City
- 40 Sticks
- Desrances
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
- For Maria: Ebun Pataki
- The White line
- 4th Republic
- A Fisherman’s Diary
- Knuckle City
- 40 Sticks
- Perfect Picture: Ten Years After
- 3 Days To Go
- AMAA 2020- NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
- Cold Feet
- Living in Bondage: Breaking Free
- 4th Republic
- For Maria: Ebun Pataki
- The Bling Lagosian
- Coming From Insanity
- The Ghost and The House of Truth
- Milk Maid
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
- Faith Fidel – Fisherman’s Diary
- Naomi Nemlin – Desrances
- Chimezie Imo – Nimbe
- Swanky JKA – Living in Bondage: Breaking Free
- Wayne Smith – Fiela’s Child
- Cina Soul – Gold Coast Lounge
- Anthonieta Kalunta – Milk Maid
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
- Arabrun Nyyeneque – 40 Sticks
- Adjatey Annang- Gold Ghost Lounge
- Narcissus Afeli – Desrances
- Cosson Chinepoh – Fisherman’s Diary
- Ramsey Noah Jnr – Living in Bondage: Breaking Free
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
- Maryam Booth – Milk Maid
- Chairmaine Mujeri – Mirage
- Linda Ejiofor – 4th Republic
- Ndano Tramanse – Fisherman’s Diary
- Tina Mba – The Set Up
- Faniswa Yisa – Knuckle City
- Evelyne Juhen – Desrances
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
- Jimmy Jean-Louis – Desrances
- Gabriel Afolayan – Coming From Insanity
- Kang Quintus – Fisherman’s Diary
- Bongile Mantsai – Knuckle City
- Alphonse Menyo – Gold Coast Lounge
- Eyinna Nwigwe – Badamasi
- Robert Agengo/Mwaura Bilal/Andreo Kamau/ Xavier Ywawa – 40 Sticks
- Darrin Dewitt Henson – Zulu Wedding
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
- Joselyn Dumas – Cold Feet
- Mary Twala Mhlongo – This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection
- Stella Damasus – Between
- Meg Otanwa – For Maria: Ebun Pataki
- Zenobia Kloppers – Fiela’s Child
- Elvina Ibru – The Bling Lagosian
- Girley Jazama – The White Line
- Kelly Khumalo – Zulu Wedding
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
- Coming From Insanity – Akinyemi Sebastine Akinropo
- Living in Bondage – Ramsey Noah Jnr
- Bling Lagosian – Bolanle Austen- Peters
- For Maria: Ebun Pataki – Damilola E. Orimogunje
- The Zulu Wedding – Lineo Sekeleoana
- A Taste of Our Land -–Yuhi Amuli –
- Mirage – Malaika Mushandu
- The White Line – Desire Kahikapo
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
- Akin Omotoso – The Ghost and House of Truth
- Enah Johnscott – A Fisherman’s Diary
- Jahmil X.T Quebeka- Knuckle City
- Desmond Ovbiagele- Milk Maid
- Victor Gatonye- 40 Sticks
- Appoline Traore – Desrances
- Jeremiah Lemohang Mosese – This is Not A Burial, It’s a resurrection
- Pascal Aka – Gold Coast Lounge
- AMAA 2020 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
- The Ghost and the House of Truth
- A Fisherman’s Diary
- Knuckle City
- Milk Maid
- 40 Sticks
- Desrances
- This is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection
- Gold Coast Lounge