The 2015 edition of the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) has so far received more than 800 films from over 60 countries of the world – mostly within Africa, South America, United States and North America.
According to Shaibu Hussein, a film critic and the Chairman, College of Screeners, the organisers received a good number of entries from what could be considered new territories for AMAA from such countries as Cuba, Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.
“The enthusiasm and interest of filmmakers from South America, Francophone countries and North Africa are increasing by the day with the amount of films submitted for the awards from the countries in these regions. We are quite excited about this development,” he said.
The pre-selection screening has already started, at which stage the entries are screened before the films that comply with the entry requirements are sent to College of Screeners where the real job of adjudication begins.
The organisers said AMAA 2015 will hold in June at a date to be announced, while the Nomination Gala night will hold next month.
The Chairman of the Jury for this year is Keith Shiri, a Zimbabwean, film festival organiser and programmer. Two distinguished motion picture practitioners of international repute – Charles Burnett, an American; and Filippe Savadogo, a former minister of culture, tourism and communications in Burkina Faso – recently joined the current body of jurors.
The jury consists of the Director, Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, Ayuko Babu; the Ghanaian-British filmmaker, John Akomfrah (OBE); journalist and film critic, Shaibu Husseini; the Zimbabwean Film Festival programmer, Keith Shiri; the Nigerian film academic from the University of Ibadan, Professor Hyginus Ekwuazi; senior journalist and film critic, Steve Ayorinde; and Swedish film festival organiser, Berni Goldblat.
Others are Berlin Film Festival Curator, Ms. Dorothee Wenner; London-based West Indian Film Festival programmer, Ms. June Givanni; and Co-director of Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, Asantewa Olatunji.