At the 20th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, which took place on November 2 at the Balmoral Convention Center in Lagos, Nigeria’s The Weekend and South Africa’s Queenstown Kings shared the spoils, winning four awards each.
Daniel Oriahi’s The Weekend won Best Film, Best Nigerian Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. Jahmil X.T Qubeka’s Queenstown Kings won Best Director, Best Actor in a leading role, Best Sound, and Best Film in an African Language.
In an Instagram post after the event, Oriahi expressed his joy: “A huge congratulations to the entire team-this is our shared victory!” He added: “To my friends and family, your unwavering support and love especially through this unique phase of my life have truly made me feel like a winner. Grateful for each and every one of you.”
The Weekend stars Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Bucci Franklin, Ekpenyong Bassey Inyang, Meg Otanwa, Gloria Anozie–Young, Damilola Ogunsi, James Gardiner and Bryan Okoye. The film tells the story of Nikya, an orphan, seeking a family connection with her fiancé Luke, who is somewhat estranged from his family. The Weekend premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June 2024, making it the first and only Nigerian film to have premiered at the Tribeca.
Queenstown Kings follows a faded athlete seeking redemption in his hometown. Qubeka, its director, was absent at the AMAAs as was his film’s entire cast and crew. Queenstown Kings is currently available on Netflix.
Other winners on the night include Jagun Jagun, which won for its visual effects, supporting actor, and make-up. Elsie Abang took home the supporting actress role for Kipkemboi. Michell Lemuya won Best Young Promising Actor for Nawi. South
Africa’s Zolisa Xaluva won Best Actor in Leading Role for Queenstown Kings, while Ghana’s Jackie Appiah won Best Actress in Leading Role for Red Carpet.
Souleymane Cissé from Mali, Nacer Khemir from Tunisia, and Haile Gerima from Ethiopia were honoured with lifetime achievement awards. Alain Gomis from Senegal and Gabon, as well as Tsitsi Dangarembya from Zimbabwe received special recognition awards.
The full list of AMAA 2024 winners is below.
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 DIASPORA SHORT FILM
● The Neighbourhood Alert (USA) – WINNER
● Bottled Up (Jamaica)
● The Golden Boy (USA)
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 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)
BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
● The Wu Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA) – WINNER
● A Rising Tide (USA)
● Colour (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 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 MAKE-UP
● The Weekend
● Nawi
● Letters to Goddo
● Out of Breath
● Jagun Jagun – WINNER
● Anjola
● White and Black
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 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 PRODUCTION DESIGN
● Orah
● The Queenstown Kings
● The Weekend
● Jagun Jagun
● Kipkemboi
● Makula
● Out of Breath – WINNER
ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY
● Under The Hanging Tree
● The Weekend – WINNER
● Letter To Goddo
● This is Lagos
● Boda love
● The Queenstown Kings
● Out of Breath
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
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) – WINNER
● Tessa Twala (The Queenstown Kings)
● Bukunmi Oluwashina (White and Black)
● Somkele Iyamah-Idhalamah (Orah)
● Chioma Akpotha (Mojisola)
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 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 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)
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
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
● Souleymane Cisse (Mali)
● Nacer Khemir (Tunisia)
● Haile Gerima (Ethiopia)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
● Alain Gomis (Senegal/Gabon)
● Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe)
