Chairman of UBA Plc and Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu has accepted his new role as the Honorary Counsel to the Africa Movie Academy Awards, the awards body for African and Diaspora filmmakers, whose 11th edition held last Saturday at Boardwalk Convention Centre, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
He accepted his new status alongside other honorees like: Horace Ove; Harry Belafonte; and Melvin Van Peebles, who also bagged lifetime achievement awards.
Elumelu, who could not attend the event because of his engagement at the United Nations General Assembly Summit on Sustainable Development Goals, said in a speech read on his behalf by Peace Anyiam-Osigwe that he would continue to work to promote the arts and entrepreneurship in Africa for three reasons which include; self-determination and self-empowerment, economic and social development aspirations of the Continent and, most importantly, pure entertainment.
The renowned social entrepreneur and banker said he would use his new role to continually support the film and arts sector while thanking AMAA for the honour. "I am proud to be an Honorary Counsel for the AMAA, proud to be your ambassador and proud to be a long-term investor in the African industry. More than that, I am proud to be a consumer of your products and a fan of your enormous talents.
"I am committed to supporting the industry, because I, like everyone else, want to be entertained. Good films educate, mystify, frighten or inspire us. They make us laugh, hold us in suspense, teach us important life lessons, chronicle important moments, give us insight into other perspectives of the same story and transport us to imagined places anywhere in time and space. They connect us to every emotion that man is capable of experiencing, because we all love a good story," he said.
Elumelu will personally receive his honorary awards next week in his office.
Meanwhile, at an impressive awards night which had celebrities, top government officials and business leaders in attendance, Mauritania led the pack in the number of awards won with the film Timbuktu, which won four AMAA statuettes for Best Film; Best Film in an African Language; Best Child Actor; and Best Director. Mauritania was followed by Nigeria with Kunle Afolayan's film, October 1, which won in three categories: Best Actor in a Leading Role (won by veteran actor Sadiq Daba; Best Costume Design; and Best Nigerian Film (a prize endowed by the Bayelsa State Government).
South Africa, with the film iNumber Number, and Mauritius, with the film LONBRAZ KANN, registered their presence on the winners' table. Other countries on the winners' list include Ethiopia, with the film Triangle Going to America; Egypt with the film, Egypt's Modern Pharaohs, and Angola with Njinga: Queen of Angola.
The Founder of AMAA, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, and its CEO, Mr. Dayo Ogunyemi, jointly expressed satisfaction with the awards show despite the visa challenges many delegates faced.
In her speech, the AMAA founder challenged the government of South Africa to do more in opening the country to other African citizens as African nations fought alongside South Africa to defeat apartheid.
"For the first time in history of 11 years of AMAA, many of our nominees could not attend because of the difficult process and delays in getting South Africa visas issued, whereas Britons, Americans, French and Germans do not require visas to enter South Africa. Why should any African need a visa to enter any country in Africa? The Europeans that gave us borders have removed theirs for free movement.
"We are one and the theme of AMAA and our other initiatives this year is AFRICAONE. We will be going on tour of Africa with our creative artistes in music, film, comedy, visual arts and fashion with this message. The creative sector can employ millions of African youths and our governments must support and invest in this sector," said Anyiam-Osigwe.
The winners AMAA 2015
Efere Ozako, AMAA 2015 AWARD
For Best Short Film
Twaaga - Burkina Faso
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Animation
The Legacies of Rubies - Nigeria
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Documentary
Egypt's Modern Pharaohs - Egypt
Ousmane Sembene AMAA 2015 Award for Best Film in An African Language
Timbuktu - Mauritania
Michael Anyiam Osigwe AMAA 2015 Award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad:
Fevers - Morocco
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Diaspora Short
Sound of Tears - Canada
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Diaspora Documentary
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution - USA
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Diaspora Feature
Supremacy - USA
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Production Design
I Number Number
AMAA 2015 Achievement in Costume Design
October 1 - Nigeria
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Make-Up
Njinga: Queen of Angola - Angola
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Soundtrack
Triangle Going to America - Ethiopia
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Visual Effect
I Number Number
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Sound
Lobraz Kaan - Mauritius
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Cinematography
Lobraz Kaan - Mauritius
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Editing
Timbuktu
AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Screen Play
Le President
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Comedy Film
30 Days in Atlanta
AMAA 2015- Bayelsa State Government Endowed
Award for Best Nigerian Film October 1
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Child Actor
Layla Walet Mohammed and Mehdi A.G Mohammed -Timbuktu
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Young/Promising Actor
It's a Joint Award and the Award goes to Kemi Lala
Akindoju (Dazzling Mirage) and Hassan Spike Insingoma -
(Boda Boda Thieves)
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Samson Tadesse - Triangle Going to America
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Actress in a Supporting
Role
Hilda Dokubo - Stigma
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Sadiq Daba - October 1
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Lesliana Pereira - NJINGA: Queen of Angola
AMAA 2015 Award for Best First Feature Film by a Director
Destiny Ekaragha - Gone Too Far
AMAA 2015 Award for Best Director
Abderrahmane Sissako - Timbuktu
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