•Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA)
The 21st Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) nominations have been announced, spotlighting the continent’s finest cinematic achievements as filmmakers from eight nations vie for glory in the Best Film category.
Burkina Faso’s epic drama Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions leads the pack with an impressive 10 nominations, underscoring the rising influence of West African storytelling on the global stage.
Close behind is Nigeria’s historical actioner Lisabi: The Uprising, which secured seven nominations, affirming Nollywood’s enduring dominance in African cinema, reports Channels TV.
The nominations, revealed during a star-studded virtual ceremony hosted by actors of Nigerian descent, including Lilian Aluko, Emeka Ossai, Charles Inojie, and Adaora Anyanwu, celebrate innovation, cultural depth, and technical prowess across 26 categories.
From Burkina Faso’s gripping tale of rebellion to Uganda’s poignant Small Gods and South Africa’s introspective The Heart is a Muscle, the list reflects Africa’s diverse narrative voices.
Other strong contenders include Ethiopia’s For Love, For Land, For Power and Ghana’s Last Stop, each earning multiple nods in technical and performance fields.
Nollywood enthusiasts will be thrilled by Nigeria’s robust showing in the major categories, with homegrown talents poised for potential sweeps.
In the race for Best Film, two Nigerian entries stand out: 3 Cold Dishes, a pan-African thriller blending suspense and social commentary, and Lisabi: The Uprising, directed by Niyi Akinmolayan and chronicling the legendary Yoruba hero’s fight against colonial oppression. These films are up against international heavyweights like Katanga and Algeria’s Algiers.
For Best Director, Nigeria claims two of the eight slots: Niyi Akinmolayan for Lisabi: The Uprising, praised for his visceral action sequences and historical fidelity, and Asurf Oluseyi for 3 Cold Dishes, noted for its taut pacing and ensemble dynamics.
They will face stiff competition from Burkina Faso’s Dany Kouyaté (Katanga), South Africa’s Imran Hamdulay (The Heart is a Muscle), and Ethiopia’s Theodros Teshome.
In the acting arenas, Nigerian stars are bringing star power. Lateef Adedimeji earns a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role as the titular warrior in Lisabi: The Uprising, delivering a tour-de-force performance that captures raw defiance and vulnerability.
He joins nominees like Burkina Faso’s Mahamadi Nana (Katanga) and South Africa’s Ayden Croy (Old Righteous Blues).
In the Best Actress pot, a trio of Nigerian powerhouses: Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman for her nuanced portrayal in The Serpent Gift, Shaffy Bello in the regal lead of The Masked King, and Osas Ighodaro as part of the ensemble in 3 Cold Dishes — a film that also nods to cross-cultural collaborations with Fat Toure and Maud Guerard. This category promises fierce rivalry with entries from Ethiopia, Uganda, and Algeria.
Beyond the majors, Nigeria’s footprint is evident elsewhere: Lisabi snagged nods for Achievement in Visual Effects and Make-Up, while 3 Cold Dishes contends in Cinematography and Editing. The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Award for Best Nigerian Film pits Lisabi against fellow locals like Recall, Freedom Way, and The Serpent Gift.
SEE FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS BELOW:
EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Missing Piece – Kenya
Vandals – Mozambique
Echoes From The Past- Nigeria/UK
Abu Judy -Egypt
Chikha-Queen – Morrocco
MIA – Burkina Faso
Stigma – Tunisia
LEES WAXUL – Senegal
The last Harvest – Cape Verde
JUBRIL MALAFIA AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
Dawn – Cameroun
My Brother, My Brother- Egypt/France/Germany
The Travails of Ajadi – Nigeria
Nkizzi’s First Day – Uganda
Amara and the Spirit of Nyamagunda – Uganda
Monologue – Nigeria/UK
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Journey East – DRC
Double Minority – Nigeria
The Empty Grave – Tanzania/UK
Khartoum – Sudan/UK
Ancestral Visions of the Future -Lesotho/France/Germany
OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Small Gods – Uganda/UK
Lukas: Namibia
Lobola Man – South Africa
Lisabi: The Uprising
The Heart is a Muscle: South Africa
MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
Lemohang Jeremiah – Ancestral Visions of the
Future – Lesotho/France/Germany
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions – Dany Kouyate (B/Faso)
Khartoum – Ibrahim Snoopy – Sudan
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT
Cartes – USA
Superman Doesn’t steal – USA
Harvest – USA
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA
DOCUMENTARY
The Billy Preston Story – USA
Carnival: ‘They Cant Steal Our Joy – Canada
Missing Rio Doce – Brazil/France
Rediscovering Fenon – USA/Algeria/Martinique
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA
NARRATIVE FEATURE
Sisters Maid – Brazil
Romeo N Juliet 4EVA – Jamaica
The Model, The Mannequin and Me – USA
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
The Heart is a Muscle
3 Cold Dishes
Last Stop
Red Circle
AMAA 2025 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions
The Lost Days
The Masked King
The Serpent Gift
Hunting Jessica Brok
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Spelonk
Lisabi: The Uprising
Amanayanbo
The Masked King
The Heart is a Muscle
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN
SOUNDTRACK
Recall
Freedom Way
Old Righteous Blues
Kites
Le Point- The Bridge
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
For Land, For Love, For Power
Lisabi
Spelonk
Hunting Jessica Brok
Amanayanbo: The Eagle King
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
Algiers
Old Righteous Blues
Le Point – The Bridge
Hunting Jessica Brok
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN
CINEMATOGRAPHY
3 cold dishes
Old Righteous Blues
Spelonk
Small gods
For love, for land, for power
The Heart is a muscle
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
For Love, For Land, For power
Spelonk
The Heart is a Muscle
3 Cold Dishes
Algiers
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN
SCREEN PLAY
Old Righteous Blues
Le Point – The Bridge
For Love, For Land, For Power
Small Gods
Red circle
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
AMAA 2025 – NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
Lisabi: The Uprising
Recall
Freedom Way
The Serpent Gift
Amanayanbo
3 Cold Dishes
Red Circle
The Masked King
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
Alejandro Cooper- Lukas
Turinayo Jatham – Small gods
Tiwalola Adebola-Walter – Freedom Way
Kisi Ogborueche – Kill Boro
Ruby Akubueze – 3 Cold Dishes
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kojo Boakye – Two of a Kind
Femi Jacobs – Freedom Way
Clemento Ashietey – Last Stop
Abdulai Saidu Kamara – Code of Honor
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Zohra Chetioui – Le Point- The Bridge
Tina Mba – The Serpent Gift
Fadela Brown – Old Righteous Blues
Bukky Wright – Red Circle
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Keenan Arrison – The Heart is a Muscle
KalkidanTessema – For love, for land, for power
Adjetey Anang – Last Stop
Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: The Uprising
Ayden Croy- Old Righteous Blues
Bizimana Hussain – Small Gods
Mahamadi Nana – Katanga: Dance of The
Scorpions -B/Faso
Nabil Asli – Algiers
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – The Serpent Gift
Analisa Munyana – Mucoma: The Battle of the Couple
Shaffy Bello – The Masked King
Danica De La Ray Jones- Hunting Jessica Brok
Tsigereda Bekele – For Love, For Land, For Power
Florence Mariserena – Small gods
Meriem Medjkane – Algiers
Osas Ighodaro, Fat Toure and Maud Guerard – 3 Cold Dishes
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
The Lost Days – Wingonia Ikpi
Small Gods- Asher Rosen
Algiers- Chakib Taleb-Bendiab
Kill Boro- Obayuwana Courage
The Heart is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay
Freedom Way – Afolabi Olalekan
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Niyi Akinmolayan- Lisabi: The Uprising (Nigeria)
The Heart is a Muscle – Imran Hamdulay (South Africa)
Asurf Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes (Nigeria)
Asher Rosen- Small Gods – (Uganda)
Theodros Teshome -For Love, For Land, For Power (Ethiopia)
Dany Kouyate – Katanga:
Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Kwabena Gwansah – Last Stop (Ghana)
Chakib Taleb-Bendiab – Algiers (Algeria)
AMAA 2025 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
Algiers – Algeria
3 Cold Dishes – Nigeria
The Heart is a Muscle – South Africa
Small Gods – Uganda
For Love, For Land, For Power -Ethiopia
Katanga: Dance of The Scorpions -B/Faso
Last Stop – Ghana
Lisabi: The Uprising (Nigeria)
