AMAA 2023 Winners: Tobi Bakre Named Best Actor, ‘Xalé’ Takes Best Film

In a dazzling night of glitz and glamour, the African film industry came together to honour its brightest talents at the 2023 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The prestigious event, held in a breathtaking ceremony, recognised the outstanding achievements of African filmmakers, actors, and creative professionals across various categories. Here’s a closer look at the AMAA 2023 nominees and winners:

Best Film:

• Winner: ‘Xalé’ (Senegal)
• ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’ (Nigeria)
• ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• ‘Four Walls’ (South Africa)
• ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• ‘Anikulapo’ (Nigeria)

Best Director:

• Winner: Apolline Traore, ‘Sira‘
• Moussa Sene Absa, ‘Xalé’
• C. J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi, ‘Mami Wata’
• Baloji, ‘Omen’
• Izu Ojukwu, 4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)
• Kunle Afolayan, ‘Anikulapo’
• Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela, Juvaiś Dunn, ‘Four Walls’

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

• Winner: Tobi Bakre, ‘Brotherhood‘ (Nigeria)
• Richard Mofe Damijo, ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’ (Nigeria)
• Marc Zunga, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Fenando Kamugisha, ‘The Fallen Advocate’ (Uganda)
• Justine Murichii, ‘Shimoni’ (Kenya)
• Mike Danon, ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

• Winner: Nse Ikpe Etim, ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’ (Nigeria)
• Lucie Debay, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Ehle Mbali Mlotshwa, ‘Four Walls’ (South Africa)
• Nafissatou Sisse, ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• Adesua Etomi, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ (Nigeria)
• Bimbo Ademoye, ‘Anikulapo’ (Nigeria)
• Ama Qamata, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)

Best Achievement in Screenplay:

• Winner: Moussa Sene Absa, Pierre Magny, Ben Diogay Beye, ‘Xalé’ (Senegal)
• C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Ufuoma Mehhri, ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’ Nigeria
• Madhew Leutwyler, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)

Best Young/Promising Actor:

• Winner: Maleek Sanni, ‘Gangs of Lagos‘
• Ewube, ‘L’axe Lourd (The Highway)’
• Darisimi Nadi, ‘Obara’m’
• Sanou Titiama, ‘Le Chant des Fusils (The Song of the Rifle)’
• Eyiyemi Afolayan, ‘Anikulapo’

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

• Winner: Jimmy-Jean Louis, ‘Rise‘
• Francis Onwuchei, ‘The Trade’ (Nigeria)
• Jeff Jackson, ‘Four Walls’ (South Africa)
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

• Winner: Rokhaya Niang, ‘Xalé’ (Senegal)
• Uzoamaka Aniunoh, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Clarck Natmbwe, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)

First Debut Feature by a Director:

• Winner: Baloji, ‘Omen‘ (DRC)
• Ery Claver, ‘Our Lady of the Chinese Shop’ (Angola)
• Jean Elliot Ilboudo, ‘Le Chant des Fusils (The Song of the Riffle)’ (Cameroon)

Best Nigerian Film:

• Winner: ‘Mami Wata‘
• ‘Anikulapo’
• ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’
• ‘Gangs of Lagos’
• ‘The Trade’
• ‘L.I.F.E.’
• ‘Brotherhood’

Best Achievement in Production Design:

• Winner: Pat Nebo, ‘Anikulapo‘ (Nigeria)
• Eve Martin, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• Antoine Nshimiyimana, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)
• Chantel Carter, ‘Gereza’ (South Africa)

Best Achievement in Costume Design:

• Winner: Djibril Drame, ‘Xalé’ (Senegal)
• Bunmi Demilola Fashina, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji, ‘Anikulapo’ (Nigeria)
• Millicent Jack, ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four)’ (Nigeria)
• Elkehoste and Baloji, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Sidi Ouedraogo, ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)

Best Achievement in Make-Up:

• Winner: Campell Precious Arebamen, ‘Mami Wata‘ (Nigeria)
• Hakeem Effect and Toyin Bifarin Ogundeji, ‘Anikulapo’ (Nigeria)
• Lila Vander Elst, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• ‘Our Lady of the Chinese Shop’ (Angola)
• Omowunmi Okungbure, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ (Nigeria)

Best Achievement in Soundtrack:

• Winner: ‘Fight Like a Girl‘ (Rwanda)
• ‘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:

• Winner: Emmanuel Bassey, ‘Gangs of Lagos‘ (Nigeria)
• Andrej Gregori, Voranc Kumar, and Ziga Radulji (DRC)
• Alexandre Dachkevitch, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Josh Borrill, ‘The Trade’ (Nigeria)

Best Achievement in Sound:

• Winner: Vianney Aube, ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• Juliana Oswald, ‘Our Lady of the Chinese Shop’ (Angola)
• Erik Griekspoor, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Samy Bardet, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Michel Tsagli, ‘Xalé’ (Senegal)

Best Achievement in Cinematography:

• Winner: Lilis Soares, ‘Mami Wata‘ (Nigeria)
• Joachim Philippe, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Richard Henkels, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)
• Thomas Wilski, ‘Talia’s Journey’ (Senegal/Belgium)
• Eduardo Kropotkine, ‘Our Lady of the Chinese Shop’ (Angola)

Best Achievement in Editing:

• Winner: Bertrand Conard, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• Nominees: Nathan Delannoy, ‘Mami Wata’ (Nigeria)
• Sylvie Gadner, ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• Layla Swart, ‘Gereza’ (South Africa)
• Madhew Leutwyler, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)

Best Diaspora Narrative Feature:

• Winner: Our Father, The Devil (United States)
• Cheese (Trinidad & Tobago)
• The Pastor and the Revolutionary (Brazil)

Best Diaspora Documentary:

• Winner: ‘Sound of the Police‘ (United States)
• Fantastico Negrito, ‘Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?’ (United States)
• ‘Black Rio’ (Brazil)

Best Diaspora Short Film:

• Winner: ‘Raw Materials‘ (Jamaica)
• ‘We Were Meant To’ (United States)
• ‘The Ballad of Olive Morris’ (United Kingdom)
• ‘Fifty-Four Days’ (United Kingdom)

Best Achievement in Production Design:

• Winner: Pat Nebo, ‘Anikulapo’ (Nigeria)
• Eve Martin, ‘Omen’ (DRC)
• ‘Sira’ (Burkina Faso)
• Antoine Nshimiyimana, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ (Rwanda)
• Chantel Carter, ‘Gereza’ (South Africa)

Best Documentary:

• Winner: ‘Le Spectre de Boko Haram‘ (Cameroon)
• ‘Africa: Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization’ (Senegal/Canada)
• Nightlife in Lasgidi (Nigeria)
• ‘Maayo Wonaa Keerol: The River is not a Border’ (Senegal)
• ‘Ifine (Beauty)’ (Sierra Leone)

Best Animation:

• Winner: ‘Jabari‘ (Ghana)
• ‘Lost’ (Uganda)
• ‘Azania Rises’ (South Africa)
• ‘Bashorun Gaa’ (Nigeria)

Efere Ozaka Award for Best Short Film:

• Winner: Lions (Ethiopia)
• ‘Riel’ (Namibia)
• ‘Enmity Djin’ (Mauritania)

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients:

Grace Nortey (Ghana)
Theresa M’bissine Diop (Senegal)
Souleyman Cisse (Mali)
Izza Genini (Morocco)
Charles Olumo (Nigeria)

Special Recognition Award Recipients:

Saddik Tafawa Balewa (Nigeria)
Abderrahmane Sissako (Mali)
Joe Dundun (Nigeria)

The 2023 African Movie Academy Awards showcased a diverse and vibrant array of African cinema, with an emphasis on excellence in storytelling, direction, and technical achievements. ‘Xalé’ from Senegal emerged as the Best Film, while Apolline Traore took the Best Director award for ‘Sira.’

The acting categories featured exceptional performances, with Tobi Bakre winning Best Actor for ‘Brotherhood,’ and Nse Ikpe Etim earning Best Actress for her role in ‘4-4-44 (Four Four Forty-Four).’ The screenplay category recognised the powerful storytelling of ‘Xalé,’ with Moussa Sene Absa and his team taking home the award.

The technical categories, including production design, costume design, make-up, soundtrack, visual effects, sound, cinematography, and editing, celebrated the behind-the-scenes talent that brings films to life. Notably, Djibril Drame won Best Achievement in Costume Design for ‘Xalé,’ and Emmanuel Bassey’s work on ‘Gangs of Lagos’ earned him the Best Achievement in Visual Effects award.

In the diaspora categories, “Our Father, The Devil” (United States) and “Sound of the Police” (United States) were recognised as the Best Diaspora Narrative Feature and Best Diaspora Documentary, respectively.

The awards ceremony was a testament to the growing influence of African cinema on the global stage and the commitment to excellence in filmmaking across the continent. The winners and nominees represented a broad spectrum of talent and creativity, making the 2023 AMAA awards a memorable celebration of African cinema.