Possibly, in years to come, we might look back, barring the C. J “Fiery” Obasi’s Mami Wata snubs, and say that this is the year the AMVCA rose to its sole responsibility of nominating and awarding excellence.
By Seyi Lasisi
Yesterday, held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, the 10th edition of the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) reiterated its position as the highly-anticipated award ceremony in Nigeria if not Africa. The eagerness of filmmakers to adorn statement outfits, and the palpable enthusiasm of the audience on social media in cheering or sneering at their best or least favourite celebrity makeup and outfits reveal the commitment of both filmmakers and the audience to the award ceremony.
One of the most echoed and harmoniously agreed opinions about this year’s AMVCA is this: the jury system worked. But to what degree the jury — headed by Femi Odugbemi — worked in awarding technical and cinematic excellence might be open to debate. That said, compared to other years when reliance is placed on the audience to select winners, there are well-deserved wins this year. Possibly, in years to come, we might look back, barring the C. J “Fiery” Obasi’s Mami Wata snubs, and say that this is the year the AMVCA rose to its sole responsibility of nominating and awarding excellence. After a decade of the award show, the AMVCA got one thing right — leaving notable categories for the jury over the audience poll, and it reflected in some of the wins.
Weeks before the award ceremony, AMVCA in association with Multichoice Nigeria made an announcement that changed the outlook of the award show. It decided that a jury will decide winners for these much-coveted categories: Best Lead Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Director, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Best Writing in a Movie and TV Series, Best Movie and TV Series, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Sound Design, Editing, and Best Makeup. Whilst these categories: Best Scripted Africa Magic Original, Best Unscripted Africa Magic Original, Best Digital Content Creator, Best Indigenous Language (for West, East, and Southern Africa), Best Multichoice Talent Factory Film, and Best Indigenous Africa Magic Original, will be decided by voters.
Glossing through this year’s nomination and winner’s list, one gets reminded of how Nigerians were deprived of stellar films and performances in 2023. Sadly, 2024 has begun that journey, too. With unmemorable performances and films being chronically released and promoted, championing a nominee was rather complicated. But despite the dire situation, there are possibly standout films and performances, and seeing them win is indeed heartwarming.
When BB Sasore’s Breath of Life appeared on Prime Video it was metaphorically a breath of fresh air for the audience. The acting, cinematography, setting, and production design offered something noticeably distinct. One of the most impressive performances in the film and possibly from last year was given by Ademola Adedoyin who rightly won the Best Supporting Actor category. There is a sense of intimacy and understanding that Adedoyin brought to his performance. The same could be said of Genoveva Umeh’s acting in Breath of Life which won her Best Supporting Actress. Chimezie Imo, who I first learned about through Ema Ediosio’s Kasala!, was not nominated for any acting performance and this caused an uproar. However, the AMVCA tactically abated that uproar by awarding Imo the Trailblazer Award. Having not seen Tolu Ajayi’s Over the Bridge which had KC Obiajulu win over Lilis Soares’ cinematography in Mami Wata for best cinematography, I cannot speak of its win.
As far as representation goes, it’s rightly deserved that Mami Wata was nominated in 11 categories. But, in hindsight, I hold the opinion that it seems sacrilegious that Mami Wata is in close competition with some of the nominated films. Attention to the story told, the building of characters and subplots, with recognisable relationships and its cinematography (not just the unique monochrome colour), set Mami Wata world apart from other titles.
Wale Ojo’s winning Best Actor is expected. Although for an underwhelming Adire, it’s interesting seeing Kehinde Bankole winning the Best Actress category. All the same, the acting categories winning show the jury’s intention in committing to awarding grand performances. With this year’s attempt to award excellence over popularity, one can be hopeful of a better AMVCA in the future.
Here is a complete list of the different categories, nominees and their winners.
Best Lead Actor
Nominees
WINNER: Wale Ojo (Breath of Life)
Stan Nze (Afamefuna)
Marc Zinga (Omen)
Gideon Okeke (Egun)
David Ezekiel (Blood Vessel)
Richard Mofe Damijo (The Black Book)
Adedimeji Lateef (Jagun Jagun)
Gabriel Afolayan (This is Lagos)
Best Lead Actress
Nominees
WINNER: Kehinde Bankole (Adire)
Segilola Ogidan (Over The Bridge)
Lucie Debay (Omen)
Omowunmi Dada (Asiri Ade)
Ireti Doyle (The Origin: Madam Koi Koi)
Adaobi L. Dibor (Blood Vessel)
Evelyne Ily (Mami Wata)
Funke Akindele (A Tribe Called Judah)
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees
WINNER: Ademola Adedoyin (Breath Of Life)
Alexx Ekubo (Afamefuna)
Itele d Icon (Jagun Jagun)
Timini Egbuson (A Tribe Called Judah)
Levi Chikere (Blood Vessel)
Ropo Ewenla (Over The Bridge)
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees
WINNER: Genoveva Umeh (Breath Of Life)
Joke Silva (Over The Bridge)
Fathia Williams (Jagun Jagun)
Bimbo Akintola (The Black Book)
Eliane Umuhire (Omen)
Tana Adelana (Ijogbon)
Ejiro Onojaife (The Origin:Madam Koi Koi)
Trailblazer Award WINNER – Chimezie Imo
Best Director
Nominees
WINNER: BB Sasore (Breath Of Life)
Moses Inwang (Blood Vessel)
Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo (Jagun Jagun)
Johnscott Enah (Half Heaven)
C.J Fiery Obas (Mami Wata)
Kayode Kasum (Afamefuna)
Tolu Ajayi (Over The Bridge)
Best Movie
Nominees
WINNER: Breath of Life
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Over The Bridge
Blood Vessel
A Tribe Called Judah
The Black Book
Mami Wata
Best Cinematography
Nominees
WINNER: Over The Bridge (KC Obiajulu)
Mata Wata (Lilis Soares)
Blood Vessel (Gideon Chukwu)
Breath Of Life (Ola Cardoso)
Jagun Jagun (Adeoluwa Owu)
Ijogbon (Adekunle Nodash Adejuyigbe)
Omen (Joachim Philippe)
Best Digital Content
Nominees
WINNER: Medical Negligence and Copyright Infringement (Issac Ayomide Olayiwola – Layi Wasabi)
National Treasure (Adebola Adeyela – Lizzy Jay)
Hello Neighbour (Elozonam Ogbolu, Lina Idoko and Jemima Osunde)
The Boyfriend (Maryam Apaokagi-Greene – Taaoma)
Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)
Nominees
WINNER: Jagun Jagun (Femi Adebayo)
Mami Wata (CJ Fiery Obasi)
Ijogbon (Kunle Afolayan)
Orisa (Odunlade Adekola)
Nana Akoto (Kwabena Gyansah)
Best Editing
Nominees
WINNER: Antonio Riberio (The Black Book)
Chuka Ejorh and Onyekachi Banjo (Over The Bridge)
Holmes Awa (Breath Of Life)
Alex Kamau and Victor Obok (Volume)
Dayo Nathaniel (Ogeere)
Nathan Delannoy (Mami Wata)
Best Sound Design
Nominees
WINNER: Grey Jones Ossai (Breath Of Life and Blood Vessel)
Ava Momoh (Over The Bridge)
Daniel Pellerin and Amin Bhatia (Kipkemboi)
Samy Bardet (Mami Wata)
Best Art Direction
Nominees
WINNER: Over The Bridge (Abisola Omolade)
Blood Vessel (Victor Akpan)
Breath Of Life (Okechukwu Frost Nwankwo, Kelechi Odu)
The Black Book (Pat Nebo and Chime Temple)
Jagun Jagun (Olatunji Afolayan)
Mami Wata (C.J Fiery Obasi)
Omen (Eve Martin)
Best Costume Design
Nominees
WINNER: Lola Awe (Jagun Jagun)
Demola Adeyemi (Over The Bridge)
Bolanle Austen-Peters, Ituen Basi, Folake Coker and Clement Effanga (Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti)
Bunmi Demilola Fashina (Mami Wata)
Daniel Obasi (Breath Of Life)
Best Makeup
Nominees
WINNER: Campbell Precious (Mami Wata)
Francesca Otaigbe (Over The Bridge)
Hadizat Gambo (Mojisola)
Hakeem Onilogbo (Jagun Jagun)
Feyisayo Oyebisi (A Tribe Called Judah)
Best Writing, TV series
Nominees
WINNER: Volume
Skinny Girl In Transit
Wura, season 2
Visa On Arrival
MTV Shuga Naija
Masquerades Of Aniedo
Slum King
Best Writing in a Movie
Nominees
WINNER: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Tunde Babalola)
Breath Of Life (BB Sasore)
Over The Bridge (Tosin Otudeko)
Jagun Jagun (Adebayo Tijani)
Afamefuna (Anyanwu Sandra Adaora)
A Tribe Called Judah (Funke Akindele, Collins Okoh and Akinlabi Ishola)
Mami Wata
Best Scripted Series
Nominees
WINNER: Itura
Volume
Wura, season 2
Slum King
Chronicles
Best Unscripted Series
Nominees
WINNER: GH Queens, season 2
Lol Naija, season 1
Nightlife In Lasgidi
The Real Housewives Of Lagos, season 2
Mutale Mwanza Unscripted, season 1
Best Multichoice Talent Factory Movie
Nominees
WINNER: Her Dark Past
Grown
Somewhere In Kole
Full Time Husband
The 11th Commandment
Mfumukazi
Best Scripted M-Net Original
Nominees
WINNER: Slum King
Half Open Window
Itura
The Passenger
Magic Room
Best Indigenous M-Net Original
Nominees
WINNER: Irora Iya
The Passenger
Nana Akoto
Apo
Love Transfusion
Best Short Film
Nominees
WINNER: Broken Mask
T’egbon T’aburo
Eighteenth Year
Man And Masquerades
A Place Called Forward
Industry Merit Award –
Esther Idowu Philips (Iya Rainbow)
Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD)
Seyi Lasisi is a Nigerian creative with an obsessive interest in Nigerian and African films as an art form. His film criticism aspires to engage the subtle and obvious politics, sentiments, and opinions of the filmmaker to see how they align with reality. He tweets @SeyiVortex. Email: Seyi.lasisi@afrocritik.com.