AMAA 2015 holds in June, receives 800 films

African Movie Academy Awards has once again confirmed its preeminent status as the most prestigious and respected continental and transcontinental motion picture awards in Africa with over 800 films already received for the 2015 edition.

The films came from over 60 countries of the world mostly within Africa, South America, United States and North America.

According to Shaibu Hussein, a film critic and the Chairman College of Screeners, the organisers received a good number of entries from what could be considered new territories for AMAA from such countries as Cuba, Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.

“The enthusiasm and interest of Filmmakers from South America, Francophone countries  and North Africa are increasing by the day with the amount of films submitted for the awards from the countries in these regions. We are quite excited about this development,” said Hussein

Already the pre-selection screening has started.

This is the stage where the entries are screened in line with entry rules before the films that comply with the entry requirements are sent to the College of Screeners where the real job of adjudication starts.

AMAA 2015 will hold in June at a date to be announced while the Nomination Gala night will hold in May before the inauguration of the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, on May 29, 2015.

The Chairman of the Jury for this year awards is Keith Shiri, a Zimbabwean film festival organizer and programmer.

Two distinguished motion picture practitioners of international repute, Charles Burnett, an American, and Filippe Savadogo, a former Minister of Culture, Tourism and Communications in Burkina Faso, recently joined the current body of Jurors.

The current Jury members include Ayuko Babu, the Director of Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles; John Akomfrah (OBE), a Ghanaian-British filmmaker; Shaibu Hussein, Nigerian journalist and film critic; Keith Shiri, a Zimbabwean Film Festival programmer; Prof. Hyginus Ekwuazi, a Nigerian Film academic with the University of Ibadan; Steve Ayorinde, a Nigerian senior journalist and film critic; and Berni Goldblat, a Swedish and film festival organiser.

Others are Dorothee Wenner, Berlin Film Festival Curator; June Givanni, London-based West Indian Film Festival programmer; and Dr. Asantewa Olatunji, Co-Director of Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, United States.