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‘Viva Riva’ and ‘Sinking Sands’ lead nominations as AMAA looks for new frontiers in African movies
For the second year running, Ghanaian film maker, Leila Djansi made a huge impression on the Africa Movie Academy by receiving multiple nominations for the 2011 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Unlike the previous year when she topped the list of nominations; this year, she comes a close second to Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s ‘Viva […]
For the second year running, Ghanaian film maker, Leila Djansi made a huge impression on the Africa Movie Academy by receiving multiple nominations for the 2011 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Unlike the previous year when she topped the list of nominations; this year, she comes a close second to Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s ‘Viva Riva’ from Congo. Leila’s widely acclaimed ‘Sinking Sands’, a psychological drama about a love affair that turns into a relationship full of abuse, received 9 nominations including Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Cinematography and others.
‘Viva Riva’ received 11 nominations. It is a crime thriller about a nasty gang war ignited by a fuel crisis in Congo, a breathless story of the rise and fall of Riva, a Congolese smuggler who makes a fortune overnight and is hunted down in Kinshasa. Kinshasa is a city of silky smooth and pulsating nightlife, always ready to go on forever. The happy few who have it all live the high life, never looking back on those who have nothing and live in envy, dreaming of their turn as kings and queens of the night.
Riva is one of those dreamers who had nothing, until he returned from ten years away with pockets full of cash and determined to have the time of his life. With his old pal, J.M., he sets out for a night of drink, dance and debauchery. Queen of the night, mysterious, distant beauty, Nora’s dance transfixes Riva. No matter that she belongs to a local gangster, Riva must have her. The money Riva is spending belongs to his old boss in Angola, who, in hot pursuit, wreaks bloody havoc every step of his way through town to find Riva. The dream becomes a nightmare, as Riva suffers the cold light of day – and his glory time runs out in a sordid pit on the edge of town.
Other movies that received multiple nominations include Hopevile, Aramatou, Soul boy among others. There is also a keen competition for the Best Actor in Leading Role nod between Themba Ndaba (Hopeville), Patsha Bay (Viva Riva), Jimmy Jean-Louis (Sinking Sands), Ekow Blankson (Checkmate)and
Antar Laniyan (Yemoja). The Best Actress in Leading Role race is between Idiat Shobande (Aramotu)
Omoni Oboli (Anchor Baby), Manie Malone (Viva Riva),Ama K. Abebrese (Sinking Sands), Denise Newman (Shirley Adams).
The entry from new African countries into the scheme; and the conspicuous absence of the names of the popular faces in the leading Actor and actress categories reflects the new frontier theme for the 2011 AMAA scheduled for Saturday, March 26 in Nigeria.
Below is the full list of nominees:
Best Short Film
BOUGFEN – PETRA BANINLA SUNJO (CAMEROUN)
WEAKNESS – WANJIRU KAIRU (KENYA)
NO JERSEY NO MATCH – DANIEL ADEMINOKAN (NIGERIA)
DUTY – MAK KUSARE (NIGERIA)
BONLAMBO – ZWE LESIZWE NTULI (SOUTH AFRICA)
ZEBU AND THE PHOTOFISH – ZIPPORAH NYARORI (KENYA)
DINA – MICKEY FONSECA (MOZAMBIQUE)
ALLAHKABO – BOUNA CHERIF FOFANA (TOGO)
Best Short Documentary
SYMPHONY KINSASHA – DIENDO HAMADI & DINTA WA LUSULA (CONGO)
NAIJA DIAMOND (Feature on Dr. Rahmat Mohammed) – NFORM LEONARD (NIGERIA)
AFTER THE MINE – DIENDO HAMADI & DINTA WA LUSULA (DRC)
STEPPING INTO THE UNKNOWN – ROWENA ALDOUS & JILL HANAS-HANCOCK (SOUTH AFRICA)
YEABU’S HOMECOMING – JENNY CHU (SIERRALEONE)
Best Documentary
KONDI ET LE JEUDI NATIONALE – ARIANA ASTRID ATODJI (CAMEROUN)
HEADLINES IN HISTORY – ZOBBY BRESSON (KENYA)
CO-EXIST – ADAM MAZO (RWANDA)
STATE OF MIND- DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA (CONGO)
NAIJA DIAMONDS- NFROM LEONARD (NIGERIA)
Best Diaspora Feature
SUICIDE DOLLS – KEITH SHAW (USA)
TESTED – RUSSELL COSTANZO (USA)
NOTHING LESS-WAYNE SAUNDERS (UK)
THE VILLAGE -WAYNE SAUNDERS (UK)
Best Diaspora Documentary
STUBORN AS A MULE – MILLER BARGERON JR & ARCELOUS DEIELS (USA)
MOMENTUM- ZEINABU IRENE DAVIS (USA)
IF NOT NOW – LOUIS HAGGART (USA)
MOTHERLAND – OWEN ALIK SHAHADAH (USA)
CHANGEMENT – CHIARA CAVALLAZI (ITALY)
Best Diaspora Short Film
CYCLE- ROY CLOVIS (USA)
UNDER TOW – MILES ORION FELD (USA)
HABITUAL AGGRESSION – TEMI OJO (USA)
LITTLE SOLDIER – DALLAS KING (USA)
THE NEW N WORD – SOWANDE TICHAWONNA (USA)
PRECIPICE – JULIUS AMEDUME (UK)
Best Film for African Abroad
ANCHOR BABY – LONZO NZEKWE (NIGERIA/CANADA)
IN AMERICA: THE STORY OF THE SOUL SISTERS- RAHMAN OLADIGBOLU (NIGERIA/USA)
MIRROR BOY – OBI EMELONYE (NIGERIA/UK)
AFRICA UNITED – DEBS GARDNER-BROOK (RWANDA/UK)
Best Production Design
TANGO WITH ME
VIVA RIVA
HOPEVILLE
6 HOURS TO CHRISTMAS
MAAMI
Best Costume Design
INALE
YEMOJA
SINKING SANDS
ARAMOTU
ELMINA
Best Make Up
INALE
SINKING SANDS
A PRIVATE STORM
VIVA RIVA
A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT
Best Soundtrack
VIVA RIVA
AFRICA UNITED
IZULU LAMI
INALE
A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT
Best Visual Effects
ARAMOTU
NANI
WHO OWNS DA CITY
INALE
A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT
Best Achievement in Sound
SINKING SANDS
SHIRLEY ADAMS
IZULU LAMI
VIVA RIVA
TANGO WITH ME
Best Cinematography
SINKING SANDS
MAAMI
IZULU LAMI
HOPEVILLE
VIVA RIVA
Best Screenplay
SOUL BOY
SINKING SANDS
HOPEVILLE
SHIRLEY ADAMS
IZULU LAMI
Best Nigerian Film
MAAMI – TUNDE KELANI
ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI
TANGO WITH ME – MAHMOOD ALI- BALOGUN
INALE – JETA AMATA
A PRIVATE STORM – LANCELOT ODUWA IMASEUN/IKECHUKWU ONYEKA
Best Film in African Language
ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI (NIGERIA)
IZULU LAMI – MADODA NCAYIYANA (SOUTH AFRICA)
SOUL BOY- HAWA ESSUMAN (KENYA)
SUWI – MUSOLA CATHERINE KASEKETI (ZAMBIA)
FISHING THE LITTLE STONE – KAZ KASOZI (UGANDA)
Best Child Actor
SOBAHLE MKHABASE (THEMBI), TSCHEPANG MOHLOMI (CHILI-BITE) AND SIBONELO MALINGA(KHWEZI) – IZULU LAMI
ERIYA NDAYAMBAJE- DUDU IN AFRICA UNITED
JORDAN NTUNGA- ANTO IN VIVA RIVA
AYOMIDE ABATTI- YOUNG KASHI IN MAAMI
BENJAMIN ABEMIGISHA- ZEBU IN ZEBU AND THE PHOTOFISH
SHANTEL MWABI- BUPE IN SUWI
Best Young Actor
YVES DUSENGE (CHILD SOLDIER) AND ROGER NSENGIYUMUA (FOOTBALLER)- AFRICA UNITED
SAMSON ODHIAMBO AND LEILA DAYAN OPOU – SOUL BOY
EDWARD KAGUTUZI – MIRROR BOY
DONOVAN ADAMS – SHIRLEY ADAMS
JUNIOR SINGO – HOPEVILLE
Best Actor in Supporting Role
OSITA IHEME – MIRROR BOY
HOJI FORTUNA – VIVA RIVA
MPILO VUSI KUNENE – A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT
JOHN DUMELO – A PRIVATE STORM
DESMOND DUBE- HOPEVILLE
Best Actress in Supporting Role
MARY TWALA – HOPEVILLE
JOYCE NTALABE – THE RIVALING SHADOW
MARLENE LONGAGE- VIVA RIVA
TINA MBA -TANGO WITH ME
YVONNE OKORO – POOL PARTY
Best Actor in Leading Role
THEMBA NDABA – HOPEVILLE
PATSHA BAY -VIVA RIVA
JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS – SINKING SANDS
EKOW BLANKSON – CHECKMATE
ANTAR LANIYAN – YEMOJA
MAJID MICHEL – POOL PARTY
Best Actress in Leading Role
IDIAT SHOBANDE -ARAMOTU
OMONI OBOLI- ANCHOR BABY
MANIE MALONE – VIVA RIVA
AMA K. ABEBRESE- SINKING SANDS
DENISE NEWMAN -SHIRLEY ADAMS
GENEVIEVE NNAJI – TANGO WITH ME
Best Director
SOUL BOY – HAWA ESSUMAN
SHIRLEY ADAMS – OLIVER HERMANUS
VIVA RIVA – DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA
ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI
A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT – JAHMAIL. X. T QUBEKA
SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI
Best Film
VIVA RIVA – DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA (CONGO)
SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI (GHANA)
ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI (NIGERIA)
SOUL BOY – HAWA ESSUMAN (KENYA)
HOPEVILLE – JOHN TRENGOVE (SOUTH AFRICA)
A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT – JAHMIL X.T QUBEKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
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