The Jury of the prestigious continental motion picture reward system, Africa Movie Academy Awards rising from its Annual General Meeting which took place recently in Durban, South Africa has approved the guidelines for the submission of films for the 2014 edition of the awards.
The AGM which was attended by Mr Ayo Baku, Director of Pan-African Film Festival Los Angeles, Dr. Asantewa Olatunji, Co-Director of PAFF, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of National Mirror Newspaper, Mr. Shuaib Hussein, Journalist and Film Critic, Ms June Givanni,an international film curator, Mr. Keith Shiri, an international Film curator and programme advisor to the London Film Festival,Mr. Berni Goldblat,member of the jury of the International Francophone Film Festival of Namur (FIFF Namur) in Belgiumand Professor Hyginus Ekwuazi, lecturer at the department of Dramatic Art, University of Ibadan and also former Managing Director of Nigeria Film Corporation, Jos.
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The AGM was also attended by AMAA Chief Executive Officer, Ms Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and Director of Administration, Mr. Tony Anih.
The Jury announced August 1, 2013 as the start date for submission of films that will be considered by the College of Screeners for AMAA 2014 which will also be the 10th anniversary of the pan-African event while December 31st, 2013 will be last day for submission.
Speaking on some of the decisions taken by the Jurors, Ms. Givanni who presided over the AGM revealed that the Jury made some amendments of the award categories adding that the awards organization and the jury are poised to deliver a good tenth year anniversary event.
‘’We made some changes on the award categories. We have introduced an award that is named after former President Nelson Mandela called Madiba Africa Vision Awards which will be given at the discretion of the Jury to any film captures the essence and vision of the category. The category of Best Film by African Living Abroad has been cancelled.
‘’We also renamed two categories after two exceptional Africans who have contributed to the growth and development of the film industry. The Best Film in African Language will now be Sembene Ousmane Awards for Best Film in African Language while the Best Short Film Award category will now be called Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film. AMAA is immortalizing the names of these two great men with the awards,’ she said.
Ms Givanni also said that a new category Best Director First Feature Film has been introduced to encourage young and upcoming film directors to continue to strive for excellence and best practices while President Joyce Banda Prize for the Best Film that addresses some of the challenges women go through in the society and project women in positive light was also introduced and the award will also be given on the best judgment of the Jury.
