Nigerian film Phoenix Fury emerged the big winner at the 2024 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), claiming the Best Film award as well as the Best Director award. The ceremony took place at Lagos’s Oriental Hotel on November 10.
Written, directed, and produced by Ifeoma Nkiruka Chukwuogo (credited as Ifeoma N Chukwuogo), Phoenix Fury is the story of a woman who’s wronged in her youth by a man she later meets as an adult. The movie stars Ama K. Abebrese, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Adjetey Anang, Onyinye Odokoro, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), and Uzoamaka Aniunoh.
At the awards ceremony, which is officially named the AFRIFF Globe Awards, Mother City, directed by South Africa’s Miki Redelinghuys won the Best African Documentary award. Other notable winners included Uzoamaka Onuoha, who won the Best Female Performance in a Feature award for her role in Agemo. Nigerian-British rapper Skepta won the Audience Choice Award for Tribal Mark.
The ceremony honoured Chef Tolu Eros and Ugo Mozie as they both received the Herbert Wigwe Trailblazer Award for Culinary Arts and Fashion, respectively.
The festival had begun on November 3, kicking off off with Michael Ndiomu’s feature film debut, Headless. It closed with Obi Emelonye’s Out of Breath.
Speaking about the festival, AFRIFF founder Chioma Ude said, “AFRIFF is more than a film festival; it’s a movement that celebrates the beauty and complexity of our stories”.
Below is a full list of winners and honorees at AFRIFF 2024.
BEST FEATURE FILM
Phoenix Fury – Directed by Ifeoma N Chukwuogo (Nigeria)
BEST DIRECTOR
Ifeoma N Chukwuogo – Phoenix Fury (Nigeria)
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Uzoamaka Onuoha – Agemo (Nigeria)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Calladita/The Quiet Maid – Directed by Miguel Faus (Spain)
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Man Died – Bode Asiyanbi (Nigeria)
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
From God to Man – Directed by Lansana Mansaray (Sierra Leone)
BEST AFRICAN DOCUMENTARY
Mother City – Directed by Miki Redelinghuys (South Africa)
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
Memories of Love Returned – Directed by Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (US)
BEST ANIMATION
Hadu – Directed by Damilola Solesi (Nigeria)
BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM
Last Minutes – Directed by Nicole E. Emechebe (Nigeria)
BEST AFRICAN SHORT FILM
Adunni – Directed by Tola Falonipe (Nigeria)
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
Cookie Box – Directed by Adam Zurawiecki (Poland)
AMBITIOUS WORK JURY PRIZE
Freedom Way – Directed by Afolabi Olalekan (Nigeria)
THE HERBERT WIGWE TRAILBLAZER AWARDS FOR CULINARY ARTS
Chef Tolu Eros (Nigeria)
THE HERBERT WIGWE TRAILBLAZER AWARDS FOR FASHION
Ugo Mozie (Nigeria)
