20th AMAA: Femi Adebayo wins big, emerges best supporting actor

Nollywood actor Femi Adebayo has emerged as the Best Actor in Supporting Role for his historical thriller, “Jagun Jagun," at the 20th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held on Saturday in Lagos.

Adebayo’s “Jagun Jagun” which earlier attracted seven nominations, also clinched the Achievement Award in visual effect and in make-up respectively.

Actress Elsie Abang won the ‘Best Actress in Supporting Role’ in "KIPKEMBOI," while Michell Lemuya emerged as the ‘Best Young Promising Actor’ in "NAWI.”

Also, Zolisa Xaluva won ‘Best Actor in Leading Role’ in “The Queenstown King”, while Jackie Appiah emery ‘Best Actress in Leading Role in “Red Carpet”.

The award for best feature film by a director went to “Letters to Goddo”, by Harry Bentil, and Jahmil X.T Qubeka won the best director in “The Queenstown Kings”.

Souleymane Cissé from Mali, Nacer Khemir from Tunisia, and Haile Gerima from Ethiopia bagged lifetime achievement awards.

Alain Gomis from Senegal and Gabon as well as Tsitsi Dangarembya from Zimbabwe won special recognition awards.

“The Weekend” bagged the AMAA best film award as it also clinched the achievement award in Screenplay, achievement award in Cinematography and the National Film and Video Censors Board Award for best Nigerian film.

“Out of Bound” won achievement award in Production, “Boda Love” clinched achievement award in Soundtrack, “Mai Martaba” bagged the achievement award in Costume Design while “Queenstown King” attracted achievement award in sound.

The achievement award in editing went to “Under The Hanging Tree”.

“The Last Shoemaker”, from Uganda, won the Efere Ozako Award for best short film, Kenya’s “Counter Punch” clinched the Jubril Malafia best animation award while the best documentary went to “The Nearest Smell of Gun Powder” from Mozambique.

The Michael Anyiam-Osigwe award for best film by an African living abroad went to “Under the Hanging Tree”, from Namibia, while South Africa’s “The Queenstown King” clinched the Ousmane Sembere Award for best film in African Language.

“Outlaw Posse” won the best diaspora narrative feature, “The Wu Thang Clan Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre” clinched the best diaspora documentry while “The Neighbourhood Alert” won the best diaspora shot.

Earlier, Dr Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, appreciated the team that made the award ceremony a reality.

Anyiam-Osigwe specifically appreciated Lagos and Bayelsa states, as well as international tourists from the U.S., for the love displayed towards AMAA.

He described AMAA as a special event that truly portrayed the story of Africa on the global stage.

“AMAA is not just celebrating the winners, but celebrating excellence and richness of our African history.

“AMAA in its second decade, a new chapter in the history book opens,” he said.