How CJ Obasi’s Mami Wata Received Multiple Awards At 2023 AMAA

CJ Obasi’s Mami Wata earned three awards at the 2023 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for its impact on the African movie scene after garnering twelve nominations ahead of its counterparts.

The black and white folk film won the Best Achievement in Make-Up, Best Achievement in Cinematography, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Award for Best Nigerian Film at the award show.

AMAA 2023 themed ‘The Renaissance’ was held at The Balmoral event centre on Sunday, October 29, 2023, and was hosted by Nancy Isime, Rahama Sadau, and Richard Ato Turkson, as the audience in attendance celebrated the best of African cinema.

Personalities like Nse-Ikpe Etim, Tobi Bakre, Maleek Sanni, and more earned accolades for their outstanding performance in Nollywood films Brotherhood, Gangs of Lagos, and 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four).

Here’s the complete list of winners:

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 CivilizaHon – Senegal/Canada
Nightlife in Lasgidi – Nigeria
Maayo Wonaa Keerol – The River is not a Border –Senegal
Ifine (Beauty) – Sierra Leone
LeSpectre de Boko Haram – Cameron

Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language

Pusha Pressa Phanda – South Africa
Anikulapo – Nigeria
The Kitera 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

Campell 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 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
Fenando 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 Riffle – 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

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