Rita Dominic, Majid Michel Shine At AMAA 2012

Rita Dominic

Rita Dominic

Nollywood screen star, Rita Dominic and Ghana’s bad boy actor, Majid Michel, in early hours of Monday, 23 April, emerged Africa’s best actress and actor respectively at the eighth edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, held at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Rita Dominic

At the ceremony that had in attendance top Hollywood and African movie stars, the two shined and everyone agreed that they both deserved the honours.

Dominic won the academy’s prize as Best Actress in a Leading role for her gripping role in Kenyan movie, Shattered, beating the likes of Nse Ikpe-Etim, Uche Jombo and Yvonne Okoro. Michel, who had been nominated in the same category of Best Actor for four consecutive years clinched the title this year for his performance in the movie, ‘Somewhere In Africa’.

Other winners at the award tagged ‘Africa Oscars’ are Lancelot Imasuen Oduwa with his new Benin tradition inspired epic, Adesuwa, garnered three awards, Best Nigerian Film, Achievement in Costume Design and Achievement in Visual Effects.

Kunle Afolayan’s Phone Swap wasn’t left out as it won the Achievement in Production Design award while Akin Omotoso won the Special Jury award for Man on the Ground, a Nigeria/South Africa joint xenophobic-themed production.

Award for Achievement in Sound Track went to Alero’s Symphony (Chibuzor ‘Faze’ Orji) and Ivie Okujaye won AMAA 2012 Award for Best Young/Promising actor for her role in Alero’s Symphony.

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A minute silence was observed in memory of some stars that died within the last year including Sam Loco Efe, Ashley Nwosu, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Geraldine Ekeocha and Olalekan Oladipupo.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, CEO and Founder, AMAA, said no matter what, Nollywood has helped to redefine movie industry in the African continent. “Therefore, kudos must be given to all the players in the industry.”

She called on African leaders to break down all the territorial boundaries so that African filmakers can move across countries to shoot movies.

The show was hosted by Haitian-born Jimmy Jean-Louis and Nigerian actor, O.C. Ukeje.

Top Hollywood stars present at the show include Morris Chestnut, Lynn Whitfield, Maya Gilbert, Isaiah Washington, Hakeem kae-Kassim and Rockmond Dumbar.

—Funsho Arogundade

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