Africa Movie Academy Awards 2009 - Agony of the Christ nominated

So I never saw the Agony of the Christ. Frankly, I checked out the trailer and thought it may be like all the other 'traditional' movies that Venus/AA Productions have been trying to pull. I never really enjoyed the whole 'let's speak in English though the film is set in a Ghanaian village' type movies. But, Ghana's "Passion of the Christ" remake has picked up a number of nominations at the upcoming African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) so I have been forced to pay attention. I am going to watch this movie soon and hopefully write a review. Yeah, Esi, I got you, that is called support. The Ghanaian movie industry is on the up people. Ghallywood is arriving.

Before 'Run Baby Run' won at the 2009 Pan-African Film Festival, it had picked up 4 awards at the 2008 AMAA's in Nigeria. Jackie Appiah, star of the Sparrow productions' The Perfect Picture, won the best supporting actress award in 2007. Guess for which movie, she was nominated. Yes, the ever popular Beyonce - The President's Daughter. Trust me, Beyonce may be the most popular African film of the last few years riding the likes of Nadia Buari, Jackie and Van Vicker, but award-winning? I beg.

Agony of the Christ has been rated highly by various people who saw the movie. It was also premiered at the National Theatre. It is gunning for AMAA Achievement in Visual Effect, AMAA Achievement in Make-up, Best original soundtrack, and AMAA Achievement in Costume. Majid Michel is nominated for Best Actor and leading lady Nadia Buari (Mrs. Michael Essien) is nominated for Best Actress. Our favorite (committee of one) upcoming Ghanaian actress Lydia Forson is nominated for Most Promising Actress for her role in Scorned. Good luck to them. Also, I hope one of Agya Koo's movies gets nominated for Best African Language film next year since they failed to make the cut this year.

The AMAAs is an offshoot of the African Film Academy. The Academy is founded on the best film tradition, geared towards research, training and propagating film making in Africa. Behind it are film producers, directors, designers, writers, critics and scholars who share in the belief of a renaissant African film. It's Nollywood inspired and pretty much is their version of the American Oscars. The 2009 edition of the awards billed to hold in Yenagoa, the capital of the oil-rich but politically volatile Niger Delta state of Bayelsa on April 4 2009.

Here are the full nominees, thanks to my good friend Bella Naija.

1. BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Per Second Killer (Nigeria)
Coming of Age (Kenya)
Santos the survivor (Kenya)
Lost in the South (Rwanda)
Congo my foot (FAR)

2. BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Private Files – Egypt
Shit on the Rock – Nigeria
Grandma’s not Home – South Africa
For the Best and for the Onion – Niger
Malcom’s Echo – Dami Akinnusi

3. BEST SHORT FILM
Pamela – Kenya
Who is Best? -Zimbabwe
The Sharing day – Cameroun
Killer Necklace
Love Is …

4. BEST ANIMATION
Lolo (Burkina Faso)
Leila (Burkina Faso)
Little Learning is different – Kenya
Manani Ogre – Kenya
Cheprono – Kenya
Wanuri Kahiu - Kenya

5. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
From a Whisper
Battle of the Soul
Seventh Heaven
Gugu and Andile
Grey Focus

6. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
Cindy’s Note
Reloaded
Modupe Temi
Battle of the Soul
From a Whisper

7. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
Small Boy – Michelle Bello
Five Apostles – Ifeanyi Onyeabor
Agony of the Christ – Jude Odoh
Gugu and Andile – Kay Tickerman
Revolution – Eddybongo Uka

8. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
Agony of the Christ
Live to Remember
From a whisper
The Assassin
Ase n’tedumare

9. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
Five Apostle
Battle of the Soul
Smoke and Mirrors
Agony of the Christ
Revolution

10. Best ORIGINAL IN SOUNDTRACK
Arugba
Beautiful Soul
From a whisper
Agony of the Christ
Jenifa

11. MOST PROMISING ACTOR
Litha Booi – Gugu and Andile
Mavila Anthana Keriario – Battle of the Soul
Ruffy Samuel – Dead End
Segun Adefila – Arugba
Sherrif Ramzy – Seventh Heaven

12. MOST PROMISING ACTRESS
Bhaira Mcwizu – Cindy’s Note
Bukola Awoyemi – Arugba
Lydia Forson – Scorned
Lungelo Dhladha – Gugu and Andile
Mfouemon Bea. Flore – Ma Saah Sah

13. BEST PERFORMANCE BY A CHILD ACTOR
Celia Greenwoood - The Assassin
Richard Chukwuma - Small Boy
Shanlar Kirunga – Battle of the Soul
Samara Milgwi – From a whisper

14. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Godfrey Odhiamba – From a whisper
Mike Ezuruonye – The Assassin
Michel Majid – Agony of the Christ
Peter Badejo – Arugba
Farouk Alfishawi – Seventh Heaven

15. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Stephanie Okereke and Nse Etim – Reloaded
Stella Damasus-Aboderin – State of the Heart
Corine Onyango – From a whisper
Nadia Buari – Agony of the Christ
Funke Akindele – Jenifa

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Femi Adebayo – Apaadi
Abubakar Mvenda and Ken Ambani – From a Whisper
Neil Mc Carthy – Gugu and Andile
Yemi Blaq – Grey Focus
Joel Okuyo Prynce – Battle of the Soul

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Aggie Kebirungi – Battle of the Soul
Mercy Johnson – Live to Remember
Mosunmola Filani – Jenifa
Daphney Hlomoku – Gugu and Andile
Chika Ike – The Assassin

18. BEST FILM IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Gugu and Andile – South Africa
Arugba – Nigeria
Mah Saah Sa – Cameroun
Uyai – Nigeria
Apaadi – Nigeria

19. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
From a Whisper – Marius Van Graan
Seventh Heaven - Ramses Marzouk
Cindy’s Note – Izu Ojukwu
Gugu and Andile –Greg Heimann
Battle of the Soul – Stephen Njero and Tony Matomi
Saad Hendawy - Egypt

20. AMAA ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME
Agony of the Christ
Apaadi
Live to Remember
Arugba
Seventh Heaven

21. HEART OF AFRICA AWARD FOR BEST FILMS FROM NIGERIA
Cindy’s Note – Izu Ojukwu
Arugba – Tunde Kelani
Beautiful Soul – Tchidi Chikere
State of the Heart – Kingsley Omoife and Richard Mofe-Damijo
Jenifa – Funke Akindele

22. BEST SCREENPLAY
From a Whisper – Matt Bishanga
Seventh Heaven – Zainab Aziz
Through the Glass – Stephanie Okereke
Reloaded – Emem Isong
Beautiful soul – Tchidi Chikere

23. BEST PICTURE
From a Whisper – Kenya
Arugba – Nigeria
Gugu and Andile – South Africa
Battle of the Soul - Uganda
Seventh Heaven - Egypt

24. BEST DIRECTOR
Wanuri Kahiu – From a Whisper (Kenya)
Tunde Kelani – Arugba (Nigeria)
Minky Schlesinger – Gugu and Andile (South Africa)
Matt Bish – Battle of the Soul (Uganda)

Now that the nominees are through. How isn't Jerusalema nominated? I've not even seen the movie before but I am its biggest fan. This awards seems to have movies from all over the continent which is great. I wonder what the nominees for the last FESPACO was.

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