On Saturday, the 10th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) took place in Lagos, Nigeria. It was a grand event celebrating the film industry, bringing together many professionals for one night. Since its inception in 2013, the AMVCA, organized by MultiChoice, has become one of the most prestigious film awards in Africa.
This year’s event came after a trend of increased investment in Nigerian and African filmmaking. Many new voices and faces have emerged, telling interesting and exciting stories that reach a wide audience through major streaming platforms, and channels.
Here are some takeaways from the prestigious award night.
Breath of Life’s Sweeping Win
Amazon Prime Video original, Breath Of Life was the winner at this year’s AMVCA. The movie started off by winning the Best Overall Movie on the award night.
Produced by BB Sasore and Derin Adeyokunnu, the film won in the five different categories it was nominated in; Best Director for BB Sasore, Best Lead Actor for Wale Ojo, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Ademola Adedoyin and Genoveva Umeh respectively. The talented actor Chimezie Imo also received the Trailblazer Award.
Breath Of Life’s sweeping win at the awards is a big deal for Amazon Prime in Africa. The company had said a few months ago that it was scaling down on funding local original content in Africa, as part of its plan to “prioritize resources on what matters most to customers” and “focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success.”
Layi Wasabi’s Deserved Win
In an online space full of digital content that often focuses on familiar themes (read sexualisation of women), Layi Wasabi has managed to stand out. His quick wit and unmatched creativity have made him a standout in the online space.
His emergence as the Digital Content Creator of the Year award has cemented his reputation as a master of wit and humor. His work on ‘Medical Negligence and Copyright Infringement’ showcases his ability to deliver humor and social commentary that resonates with audiences.
In all of these, Layi Wasabi’s path to stardom wasn’t overnight. It has been consistent practice and passion, aiding his steady climb of the ladder with his unique style of humor. His rise as a skitmaker has been impressive, winning over fans not only in Nigeria but also beyond.
Banking On Kehinde Bankole
Kehinde Bankole won the award for Best Lead Actress for her role in the movie Adire. In the film, she plays a sex worker who decides to start her own lingerie business, creating conflict with a local preacher’s wife. This win at the tenth edition of the AMVCA wasn’t surprising for those who have followed Bankole’s career journey since her time on Wale Adenuga’s Super Story.
Winner! Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards BEST LEAD ACTRESS (ADIRE)
2024 ❤️ . Thank you #Amvca2024 #Amvca10 @africamagic #Adire #KehindeBankole #BestLeadActress pic.twitter.com/SiJeOlW8cg— KEHINDE BANKOLE (@_kehindebankole) May 12, 2024
Prior to Adire, Bankole delivered outstanding performances in movies like Sistà, Blood Sisters, The Set Up, Dear Affy, Find Hubby, and more. These films showcased Bankole’s talent, and her win for Best Lead Actress is a well-deserved recognition of her skill. It also sets a high standard for her future performances.
A Tribe Called Judah Snubbed
Nigeria’s highest-grossing film of 2023, A Tribe of Judah didn’t win any of its nominations. Despite being nominated for several categories like Best Makeup, Best Writing in a Movie, Best Lead Actress, Best Movie, and Best Supporting Actor, A Tribe of Judah went home empty-handed.
Feyisayo Oyebisi’s impressive makeup artistry was outshined by Campbell Precious’s exceptional work on Mami Wata. The writing team of Funke Akindele, Collins Okoh, and Akinlabi Ishola couldn’t beat Tunde Babalola’s brilliant script for Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s biopic.
Funke Akindele’s powerful acting was overshadowed by Kehinde Bankole’s captivating performance in Adire, which earned her the Best Lead Actress award. Even though A Tribe of Judah made history as the first Nollywood film to gross N1bn within 21 days, it lost to Breath of Life in the Best Movie category, and Timini Egbuson’s supporting role was surpassed by Demola Adedoyin’s outstanding performance in Breath of Life.
The Return of the Jury System
One sore point from last year’s awards night was the manner in which the winners were selected. For a long time, the AMVCA let fans at home vote their favorites. Naturally, this meant the contest evolved from a pure qualitative framework to a popularity contest. Last year, Anikulapo star Kunle Remi didn’t even make it to the list of nominees. And while Anikulapo won big, its main actor didn’t get any awards.
This year, to fix this, the AMVCA brought back the jury system. The jury comprised experienced filmmakers from all over Africa, led by Femi Odugbemi. They selected winners for 16 categories while fans still got to vote for winners in 8 other categories.
The jury system worked well. It meant deserving actors and actresses got befitting recognition. It’s a step in the right direction!
Chimezie Imo’s Star Power
“My name is Chimezie Imo, and I am an actor!” he said on the stage while acknowledging the Trailblazer award from AMVCA. His speech at the African movie industry’s biggest award night was emotional. It was a surprise to many because he wasn’t nominated for any award category despite his stellar performance on Breath Of Life but little did we know that there was an award in recognition of his talent.
In a shout-out to young actors like him, Imo recognized his days of little beginnings from NdaniTV’s web series; Afrocity and to his break into the mainstream, Chimezie Imo has bodied every role he has played. With his trailblazing pace, Chimezie is the next big thing waiting to happen to Nollywood, and if you haven’t bought into his stock which has skyrocketed, the next best time to buy is now!
