AMAA 2022: And the Best Director Award goes to…
The prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ceremony holds tomorrow in Lagos.
Eight directors— Amil Sivji –Tug of War, York-Fabian Raabe – Borga, Bolanle Austen- Peters – Man of God, Vusi’Africa Sindane – Surviving Gaza, Uga Carlini – Angeliena, Walter Banger – Jolly Roger, Ahmed Farah – Ayaanle, and Morris Mugisha – Tembele, will be competing for honours in the best director category of the biggest and most prestigious global reward system for filmmakers in the African continent and Diaspora.
In the last 18 years of the AMAAs, the International Board of Jurors has never given a joint in this category. So, it will be just one director amongst the nominees that will hug the directing crest for AMAA 2022. And the nominees are…
Amir Tug of war
Amil Sivji (Tug of War)
TANZANIAN filmmaker, Amil Sivji, earned a nomination in the best director category for helming the movie Tug Of War. The movie centres on a young revolutionary and a runaway bride as they struggle for forbidden freedoms.
In Amil Shivji’s adaptation of Adam Shafi’s award-winning Swahili novel, set in 1950s Zanzibar, a romance is buffeted by the harsh waves of British rule and the local militant struggle for liberation.
Shivji was born in Tanzania and is a filmmaker and lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam. Amil has written, directed and produced short films that have participated in Rotterdam and FESPACO, winning the People’s Choice Award in Zanzibar and Best Director in Africa.
York Fabian Raabe
York-Fabian Raabe (Borga)
GERMAN-born York-Fabian Raabe earned a nomination in the best director category for helming the movie Borga. The movie centres on two brothers, Kojo and Yoofi, who grew up at the electronic waste dump Agbogbloshi, which is based in Ghana’s capital Accra.
One day Kojo meets a Borga from Germany. His dream of going there is born. Ten years later, he leaves his family behind in order to fulfil his dream of becoming a Borga.
Arriving in Germany after a five-year odyssey through the continents, he realises quickly that he was chasing a myth. Being ashamed of coming home and not having made it, he has to fulfil the picture of the wealthy Borga from Germany.
A collaboration between Ghana and Germany, York-Fabian Raabe is also a producer and writer and he is also known for ‘Between Heaven and Earth (2010) and ‘Sodoms Kinder’ (2013).
Bolanle Austen- Peters (Man of God)
Hailed as the Queen of Nigerian theatre, Bolanle Austen-Peters or BAP for short, earned a nomination in the best director category for helming the Netflix Original movie Man of God (MOG).
Bolanle Austen Peters
The movie centres on Sam (Akah Nnani) who having been scared by his disciplinarian father, Pastor Josiah Obalolu, turns his back on his family, leaving home never to return.
Sam’s soul is trapped in two triangles. On one hand, three women vying for his heart and on the other, the love of God, lust for money, and harbored deep resentment for his father wrestling for his soul.
Listed as BAP’s third movie as a director, the award-winning film and theatre director, producer, executive producer and Founder and Managing Director of Terra Kulture, art and cultural centre in Lagos has earlier directed The Bling Lagosians and Collision Course, which earned several nominations and awards.
Vusi’Africa Sindane (Surviving Gaza)
VUSI’Africa Sindane is the director of the crime thriller Surviving Gaza. The movie is set in the vibrant Kwaito era in South Africa and it tells the story of 17-year-old Phuzi, who has some difficult choices to make.
Yusi Africa Sidane
Sindane was recently announced as the 2022 Mail and Guardian’s Most Influential Young South African and he also became the first South African to be awarded an Artist in Residence at AFDA. Vusi, as he is called for short, has previously directed Letters of Hope and The Empty Kraal.
Uga Carlini
Uga Carlini (Angeliena)
UGA Carlini’s debut fiction film Angeliena, which was produced for the streaming giant Netflix earned a nomination in the best director category. The movie tells the story of the colorful, beloved parking attendant Angeliena who after a string of life-changing revelations, pieces a new plan together and chases her dream of travelling the world.
Uga’s professional background also includes directing commercials, music videos and documentary pieces and she is the Founder and President of the multi-award-winning boutique production company, Towerkop Creations, which has been specialising in female-driven heroine stories since 2010.
Walter Banger (Jolly Roger)
AN award-winning Producer, Director and Screenwriter, Walter Banger earned a nomination for helming Jolly Roger, about an encounter at a police checkpoint manned by two lawless Officers, which sets off a chain of events that turned lives upside down.
Walter Banger
Writer of the original screenplay and an associate producer of the Independent feature film Get Lucky (2013), produced by Gateway Films (UK) & Atlas Independent (US) and distributed by Universal, his film The Wages, which he co-wrote, produced and directed, won the Best Short Film category at AMVCA (2014).
Best known for producing critically acclaimed movies such as Catch.er, Gbomo Gbomo Express and Half Empty Half Full, Walter also created and produced the highly acclaimed TV drama series, Powder Dry and Married To The Game, in partnership with EbonyLife TV.
Ahmed Farah (Ayaanle)
SOMALI Filmmaker, Director, Cinematographer, and Producer Ahmed Farah helmed Ayaanle. Best known for Last Hijack, Farah’s Ayaanle centres on a 21-year-old, young man living in Nairobi who aspires to become an actor and reach Hollywood.
Despite his conservative upbringing and coming from an impoverished background, he remains optimistic about making it in the film industry. His life is turned upside down after a series of unlikely events that led him to become the most wanted man in Kenya and in connection with terror activities across East Africa.
Morris Mugisha
Morris Mugisha (Tembele)
MORRIS Mugisha helmed Tembele. He is a film actor, director and photographer and a graduate of Makerere University with a degree honoring Arts in Arts (Literature communication and film). He has produced and directed the film Stain, Fear Knows My Name and over 50 Television Commercials.
Related
Latest
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.