Uganda Scoops Three Nominations at AMA Awards 2023, But...

Uganda has received three nominations at the 2023 AMA Awards. The nominees include "Lost" by Ashiraf Mulima, which was nominated for the Jubril Malaifia Award for Best Animation, "Kitara Chronicles" by Yiga Sadat, nominated in the Best Film in an African Language category, and Fernando Kamugisha, nominated for the Best Actor in the Lead Role for his performance in "The Fallen Advocate" by Kevin Johns Nabukenya. Maybe if we also want to tie the Ugandaness on Brotherhood, it also scooped two Awards having been directed by Ugandan Director Loukman. 

However, these nominations are way fewer compared to Uganda's recent nominations from AMAAs. For instance, in 2022, Uganda secured fifteen nominations, with Moriss Mugisha's "Tembele" leading with ten nominations, followed by Hassan Mageye's "Tinka's Story" with two nominations, and more. In 2021, we had twelve nominations from Uganda, still led by Moriss Mugisha's Stain on the list of nominations. What could be the reason for the decrease in nominations? Is it because Ugandan filmmakers submitted fewer films due to reduced indie film activity in the industry, or did they submit subpar films that couldn't compete?

The list appears to be dominated by Nigeria in all categories, with three films from the country in the Best Film category. Notable films in this category include "Xalé" from Senegal, released in 2022 as the third installment of Moussa Sene Absa's trilogy focused on women. It was Senegal's Oscar submission for the international feature category, although it didn't make the shortlist, making it a significant contender at the AMA Awards. "Mami Wata" from Nigeria, directed by CJ "Fiery" Obasi, is also a big contender, it is acclaimed as the first Nigerian feature by a Nigeria-based filmmaker to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. "4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)," another Nigerian film in the category, focuses on mental health and was released on Prime Video late last year. Other films include "Omen" from DRC, "Four Walls" from South Africa, "Sira" from Burkina Faso, and "Anikulapo," which was the most-watched movie on Netflix in Nigeria and won Best Overall Movie at this year's AMVCAs. Very tight category.

We’ll be here waiting for when the winners are announced.

Here is the full list of nominations for the 2023 AMAAs:

Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film:

• Lions – Ethiopia
• Riel – Namibia
•  Enmity Djin – Mauritania

Jubril Malaifia Award for Best Animation:

• Lost – Uganda
• Azania Rises – South Africa
• Jabari – Ghana
• Bashorum Gaa – Nigeria

Best Documentary:

• Africa Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization – Senegal/Canada
• Nightlife in Lasgidi – Nigeria
• Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border – Senegal
• Ifine (Beauty) – Sierra Leone
• Le Spectre de Boko Haram – Cameroon

Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language:

• Pusha Pressa Phanda – South Africa
• Anikulapo – Nigeria
• The Kitara Chronicle – Uganda
• Four Walls – South Africa
• Mami Wata – Nigeria

Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African-born Director Living Abroad:

• Talia's Journey – Christophe Rolin (Senegal/Belgium)
•  Golden Stripes – Peace Osigbe (Nigeria/UK)
• KOFA – Jude Idada (Nigeria/Canada)

Best Diaspora Short Film:

• We Were Meant To – (United States) – directed by Tari Wariebi
• The Ballad of Olive Morris – (United Kingdom) – directed by Alex Kayode-Kay
• Fifty-Four Days – (United Kingdom) – directed by Cat White and Phoebe Torrance
• Raw Materials – (Jamaica) – directed by Sosiessia Nixon-Kelly

Best Diaspora Documentary:

• Sound of the Police – (United States) – directed by Stanley Nelson
• Fantastico Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet – (United States) – directed by Yvan Iturriaga and Francisco Nuñez
• Black Rio – (Brazil) directed by Fernando Sousa and Gabriel Barbosa

Best Diaspora Narrative Feature:

• Chee$e – (Trinidad & Tobago) directed by Damian Marcano
• Our Father, The Devil – (United States) directed by Ellie Foumbi
• The Pastor and the Revolutionary – (Brazil) directed by José Eduardo Belmonte

Best Achievement in Production Design:

• Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Eve Martin – Omen – DRC
• Sira – Burkina Faso
• Antoine Nshimiyimana – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Chantel Carter – Gereza – South Africa

Best Achievement in Costume Design:

• Bunmi Demilola Fashina – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Toyin Bifrain Ogundeji – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Millicent Jack – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Djibril Drame – Xalé – Senegal
• Elkehoste and Baloji Omen – DRC
• Sidi Ouedraogo Sira – Burkina Faso

Best Achievement in Make-Up:

• Campbell Precious Arebamen – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Hakeem Effect – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Lila Vander Elst – Omen – DRC
• Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Omowunmi Okungbure – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria

Best Achievement in Soundtrack:

• Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• L'Axe Lourd (The Highway) – Cameroon
• Gereza – South Africa
• Omen – DRC
• Obinna Arua – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria

Best Achievement in Visual Effects:

• Andrej Gregori, Voranc Kumar, Ziga Radulji - Omen – DRC
• Alexandre Dachkevitch – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Josh Borrill – The Trade – Nigeria
• Emmanuel Bassey – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria

Best Achievement in Sound:

• Juliana Oswald – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Vianney Aube Sira – Burkina Faso
• Erik Griekspoor – Omen – DRC
• Samy Bardet – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Michel Tsagli – Xalé – Senegal

Best Achievement in Cinematography:

• Lilis Soares – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Joachim Philippe – Omen – DRC
• Richard Henkels – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Thomas Wilski – Talia's Journey – Senegal/Belgium
• Eduardo Kropotkine – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola

Best Achievement in Editing:

• Nathan Delannoy – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Bertrand Conard – Omen – DRC
• Sylvie Gadner – Sira – Burkina Faso
• Layla Swart – Gereza
• Madhew Leutwyler – DRC

Best Achievement in Screenplay:

• C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Ufuoma MeHHri – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Moussa Sene Absa, Pierre Magny, Ben Diogay Beye – Xalé – Senegal
• Madhew Leutwyler – Fight Like a Girl – DRC

National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVB) Award for Best Nigerian Film:

• Mami Wata
• Anikulapo
• 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
• Gangs of Lagos
• The Trade
• L.I.F.E.
• Brotherhood

Best Young/Promising Actor:

• Maleek Sanni – Gangs of Lagos
• Jennifer Ewube - L'Axe Lourd (The Highway)
• Darisimi Nadi – Obara'm
• Sanou Titiama – Le chant des fusils (The Song of the Rifle)
• Eyiyemi Afolyan – Anikulapo

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

• Francis Onwuchei – The Trade – Nigeria
• Jeff Jackson – Four Walls – South Africa
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Fight Like a Girl – DRC
• Jimmy-Jean Louis - Rise

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

• Uzoamaka Aniunoh – Mami Wata – Nigeria
• Rokhaya Niang – Xalé – Senegal
• Clarck Natmbwe – Fight Like a Girl – DRC

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

• Richard Mofe Demalo – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Marc Zinga – Omen – DRC
• Fernando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate – Uganda
• Tobi Bakre – Brotherhood – Nigeria
• Justine Murichii – Shimoni – Kenya
• Mike Danon – Sira – Burkina Faso

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

• Lucie Debay – Omen – DRC
• Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa – Four Walls – South Africa
• Nafissatou Cissé – Sira – Burkina Faso
• Adesua Etomi – Gangs of Lagos – Nigeria
• Nse Ikpe Etim – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
•  Bimbo Ademoye – Anikulapo – Nigeria
• Ama Qamata – Fight Like a Girl – DRC

First Debut Feature by a Director:

• Baloji – Omen – DRC
• Ery Claver – Our Lady of the Chinese Shop – Angola
• Jean Elliot Ilboudo (le Chant des fusils) – The Song of the Rifle – Burkina Faso

Best Director:

• Moussa Sene Absa – Xalé
• C. J. 'Fiery' Obasi – Mami Wata
• Baloji – Omen
• Apolline Traore – Sira
• Izu Ojukwu – 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
• Kunle Afolayan – Anikulapo
• Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvaiś Dunn – Four Walls

Best Film:

• Xalé - Senegal
• Mami Wata – Nigeria
• 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four) – Nigeria
• Omen – DRC
• Four Walls – South Africa
• Sira – Burkina Faso
• Anikulapo – Nigeria.

By Martin Kabagambe