The 9th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards came off in the Nigerian state of Bayelsa on Saturday night. Africa’s screen names were awarded at a ceremony that fairly lived up to the pre-event hype.

Ghana’s hope of winning something major on the night, fell flat as Yvonne Okoro and Shirley Frimpong Manso’s ‘Contract’ failed to win in all six categories it got nominated for.

Contract is a romantic comedy that tells the story of a successful businessman, Peter Poplampo, a 40 year-old, rich, and a staunch bachelor, who despite his mother’s persistent attempts to find him a woman, sticks to his rule of non- committal casual dates, freedom and being in control of his life until a yearning to have a child arises.

In his quest to find the woman who will take his money, have his child and disappear, Peter begins a roller coaster contracted relationship with Abena Boateng, a crude but clever local girl who is anything but impressed with Peter’s affluence.

With a clear definitive contract from his lawyer outlining the dos and don’ts of bearing Peter Poplampo’s child, these two opposites must exercise every ounce of will power not to kill each other until the child is born.

It is an unsuspecting romantic comedy with unusual twists that expose the flaws in being in control of your life. The movie is funny; it’s sexy with bizarre twists that will keep you guessing till the very end”.

All of that, failed to impress the jury.

However, another Ghanaian representation on the night Kwaku Ananse, by Akosua Adoma Owusu, won the award for Best Short Film. South African actress Florence Masembe won Best actress in a leading role for the movie Elelwani while the late Justice Esiri was posthumously honoured for Best actor in a leading role.

A well attended event of Africa’s biggest names in home cinema, the event took place amidst several structural concerns including but not limited to finance. Performances from P Square, Flavour Nabania and Waje among others capped what was a fairly-okay organized event, streamed worldwide via AMAA’s website.

MCs for the night included Ghana’s Ama K. Abebrese and Adjetey Anang, as well as Nigeria’s AY and Dakore Egbuson, who changed her outfit four times on the night.

This year’s event was held under the theme: ‘Africa One’. The organizers received a record 671 films in entries with majority coming from Frech-speaking countries. Some 300 million naira was spent in organizing this year’s edition.

Full List of Winners

Best Diaspora Documentary winner – Badu (Brazil)

Best Diaspora Feature Film Winner – Stones in the sun (Haiti and USA)

Best Documentary winner – Fueling Poverty (Nigeria)

Best Short film winner –Kweku Ananse Ghana

Best Documentary winner is Fueling Poverty

Best Film by Africans Abroad – Last flight to Abuja

Best Animation – Adventure of Zamaza (South africa)

Best Use of Makeup Winner – The Meeting

Achievement in Production design – Elewani (South Africa)

Achievement in sound track – Nairobi Half Life (Kenya)

Achievement in sound – Last Fish in Boat (Malawi)

Achievement in costumes design award – Blood and Nigeria

Achievement in Editing – Heroes and Zeros (Nigeria)

Achievement in cinematography – Ulanga The Mask (South Africa)

Lifetime achievement – Pete Edochie, Eddie Ugboma, Osita Okeke, Tunde Kelani

Achievement in cinematography – Ulanga The Mask (South Africa)

Best Film in an African language – Mo Zafira (Burkina Faso)

Best Nigerian film award – Confusion Na Wa (Nigeria)

Best screenplay award – Heroes and Zeroes

Best Promising Actor award – Belinda Efah for Kokoma (Nigeria)

Best child actor award –Benjamin (Uganda)

Best Actress in a supporting role – Virgin Magarita

Best actor in supporting role- Gabriel Afolayan

Special jury award – Ninah’s Dairy (Cameorun)

Best actress in a leading role – Florence Masebe

Best actor in a leading role Justice Esiri

Source:  enewsghana