The 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) has unveiled this year’s nominees at a press conference held by the Academy Jurors on Sunday May 14th, 2017 at the Raddison Blu Hotel & Conference Centre in Kigali, Rwanda, the President of the Jury, Mr. Berni Goldblat,

“Vaya,” directed by Akin Omotoso, a South African production, tops all nominees with nods in 10 categories.

“Queen of Katwe” and “76” also scored numerous nominations, each grabbing eight.

“93 Days,” a movie about the 2014 Ebola crisis in Nigeria, earned seven nominations, and other Nigerian productions such as “Oloibiri” and “Slow Country” got seven and four nominations respectively.

This year, a total of thirty categories are up for grabs by leading actors and filmmakers from the African continent and its Diaspora.

“Every year the competition gets stiffer and this year in particular we have great films for consideration,” President of the Jury, Mr. Berni Goldblat. “The quality of production in Africa continues to improve and national governments are investing to support the growth of the motion picture industry. This is a major achievement for AMAA in its 13 years history. The government of Senegal recently announced $3 million fund to support film makers in Senegal. Because of the level of standards AMAA has established as a Jury based awards, filmmakers in Africa are very conscious of attention they put into their works and this has impacted on production value compared to 13 years ago when AMAA started.”

Shaibu Hussieni, a member of the Jury, added, “We are also proud of the quality and diversity of the Academy Jurors and the members are renowned and globally respected film makers, festival programmers, curators and academics. The Jury after this nomination process will again do justice to determine the winners.”

The date for the awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria – officially hosted by Lagos State Government – has been set for July 15th, 2017.

This year’s full list of AMAA nominations follows below:

1. EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

1. Bout – Nigeria
2. On Monday Last Week – Ghana/USA
3. A Place for Myself – Rwanda
4. Silence – Nigeria
5. Kieza – Angola
6. Yemoja: Rise of the Orisa- Nigeria/UK
7. Marabout – Senegal
8. A Place in the Plane – Senegal

2. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION

1. Black Barbie – Ghana
2. Got Flowers – Nigeria
3. Gyrow – Nigeria
4. Pull – Nigeria

3. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

1, Legacy Of The Hills – Mali
2. Makoko: Future Afloat – Nigeria
3. House in the Field – Morocco
4. Vivre Riche – Cote D’Ivoire
5. House of Nwapa – Nigeria
6. Mama Colonel – DRC
7. The African Who Wanted To Fly – Gabon
8. La Colere Dans Le Vent (Anger in the Wind) – Niger

4. OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

1. Logun Ofe – Nigeria
2. Call Me Thief – South Africa
3. Félicité – Senegal
4. Vaya – South Africa

5. MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD:

1. Saving Dreams – Nigeria/Canada
2. While We Live – Burkina Faso/Sweden
3. Theory of Conflict- Nigeria/USA
4. A Mile in My Shoes – Morocco/Canada
5. Hell’s Fury- Nigeria/USA

6. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT

1. Kbela – Brazil
2. Ca$h Out – USA
3. The Tale of Four – Curacao
4. 90 Days – USA

7. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

1. I Am Not Your Negro – Haiti/France
2. 13th – USA
3. Les heritiers du Vietnam (Martinique)
4. Horace Tapscott, Musical Griot – USA

8. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

1. West Indies Gang – Guadeloupe
2. Fences – USA
3. Birth of a Nation – USA
4. Double play – Curacao
5. Moonlight – USA

9. AMAA 2017 SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN THE DIASPORA

10. AMAA SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR BEST ACTROR IN THE DIASPORA

11. AMAA 2017 SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR IN THE DIASPORA

12. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. Call Me Thief – South Africa
2. Félicité- Senegal
3. 76 – Nigeria
4. Queen of Katwe – Uganda
5. The Last of Us- Tunisia

13. AMAA 2017 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

1. Queen of Katwe- Uganda
2. Ayamma- Nigeria
3. Keteke – Ghana
4. The Last Of Us – Tunisia
5. Logun Ofe – Nigeria

14. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

1. Dora’s Peace – South Africa
2. Oloibiri – Nigeria
3. Ayamma- Nigeria
4. The Last of Us – Tunisia
5. Slow Country- Nigeria

15. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

1. Vaya – South Africa
2. 93 Days- Nigeria
3. A Mile in My Shoes- Morocco
4. 76 – Nigeria
5. Félicité – Senegal
6. While We Live- Burkina Faso/Sweden
16. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

1. Wulu – Mali
2. Oloibiri- Nigeria
3. Whale Caller – South Africa
4. Queen of Katwe – Uganda
5. Slow Country – Nigeria

17. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

1. 93 Days – Nigeria
2. Félicité – Senegal
3. Vaya – South Africa
4. Wulu- Mali
5. Dora’s Peace – South Africa

18. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. The Last of Us – Tunisia
2. The Whale Caller – South Africa
3. Félicité- Senegal
4. Vaya- South Africa
5. A Mile in My Shoes – Morocco

19. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

1. Call Me Thief- South Africa
2. Vaya – South Africa
3. While We Live – Burkina Faso/Sweden
4. CEO – Nigeria
5. Félicité- Senegal

20. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
1. Oloibiri – Nigeria
2. Dora’s Peace- South Africa
3. Félicité – Senegal
4. While We Live- Burkina Faso/Sweden
5. Vaya – South Africa

21. AMAA 2017- LAGOS STATE AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM

1. Green White Green
2. 93 Days
3. CEO
4. 76
5. Ayamma
6. Oloibiri

22. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR

1. Pabillo Koza – Dora’s Peace
2. Medina Molanga – Queen of Katwe
3. Azwille Shanane-Madiba – Vaya
4. Austin Rose – Call Me Thief
5. Adam Kanyama– While We Live

23. TONY ELUMELU AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY

1. Funny Enough (Snaaks Genoeg) – South Africa
2. Three Wise Men – Nigeria
3. Keteke – Ghana
4. A Trip To Jamaica – Nigeria

24. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Adonijah Owiriwa – 76
2. Warren Matsimola – Vaya
3. Olu Jacobs – Oloibiri
4. Papi Mpaka – Félicité
5. Richard Seruwazi – While We Live
6. Majid Michel – Slow Country

25. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Inna Moja – Wulu
2. Theresa Edem – Ayamma
3. Taiwo Ajai Lycet – Oloibiri
4. Nmonde Mbusi – Vaya
5. Somkele Idhalama – 93 Days
6. Angelique Kidjo – CEO

26. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Sambassa Nzeribe – Slow Country
2. Ibrahim Koma – Wulu
3. Richard Mofe Damijo – Oloibiri
4. Amine Ennaji- A Mile in My Shoes
5. David Oyelowo – Queen of Katwe
6. Dann Jaques Mouton- Call Me Thief
7. Ramsey Noah – 76
8. Jahwar Soudani – Last Of Us

27. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Vero Tshanda – Félicité
2. Lydia Forson – Keteke
3. Lupita Nyong’o – Queen of Katwe
4. Bimbo Akintola – 93 Days
5. Josette Bushell-Mingo – While We Live
6. Rita Dominic – 76
7. Khabonina Quebeka – Dora’s Peace
8. Zimkhitha Nyoka – Vaya

28. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR

1. Happiness is a Four Letter Word –Thabang Molaya- South Africa
2. Green White Green – Abba Makama – Nigeria
3. Wulu – Daouda Coulibaly – Mali
4. Bunjoko – Kizito Samuel – Uganda
5. The Last Of Us – Alaeddine Slim – Tunisia
6. Rain – Daniel Mugerwa – Uganda

29. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

1. Daouda Coulibaly – Wulu
2. Steve Gukas – 93 Days
3. Mira Nair – Queen of Katwe
4. Izu Ojukwu – 76
5. Daryen Joshua- Call Me Thief
6. Akin Omotosho – Vaya
7. Alain Gomis – Félicité
8. Ala Eddine Slim- The Last Of Us
9. Said Khallaf – A Mile in My Shoes

29. AMAA 2017 AWARD FOR BEST FILM

1. The Last Of Us – Tunisia
2. A Mile in My Shoes – Morocco
3. 76 – Nigeria
4. Vaya- South Africa
5. 93 Days – Nigeria
6. Queen of Katwe – Uganda
7. Félicité – Senegal
8. Wulu – Mali
9. Call Me Thief – South Africa