By Ogova Ondego
Published March 18, 2012

The 8th annual Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) has on March 17, 2012 released the line up of the audiovisual media works and screen practitioners worth of recognition, accolades and prizes in 2012. The work under consideration was made between December 2010 and December 2011.

As predicted, the battle for awards on the April 22, 2012 gala night in Lagos, Nigeria, is set to be between a resurgent Nigeria and the big boy of cinema in Africa, South Africa. Also in contention shall be a lackluster Ghana and a declining Kenya.

From the 328 films submitted to the AMAA 2012–up from 220 for AMAA 2011, Nigeria has bagged 52 nominations, South Africa 45, Ghana 17 and Kenya 14. Also appearing in the list are Uganda, Tanzania, Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

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South African surfing film OTELO BURNING scooped the most nominations (13), followed closely by South African film noir HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION (11) and Nigeria’s Benin-set historical epic, ADESUWA (10).  Ghana’s civil war film, SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA has seven nominations, as does the Nigerian-South African xenophobia-themed coproduction MAN ON THE GROUND; Kenya’s RUGGED PRIEST received six nods from the jury comprising Dr Asantewa Olantunji, June Givanni, Keith Shiri, Dorothee Wenner, Shaibu Husseini, Steve Ayorinde, Ayoko Babu, Dr Hyginus Ekwuazi, Berni Goldblat and John Akomfrah.

Here is the full list of nominees from which the winners shall be picked at a ceremony hosted by HEROES star, Jimmy Jean-Louis:

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Short Film
1.  Jamaa – Uganda
2.  Look Again – Kenya
3.  Maffe Tiga – Guinea
4.  Braids On Bald Head – Nigeria
5.  Hidden Life – South Africa
6.  Mwansa The Great – Zimbabwe
7.  Chumo – Tanzania
8.  The Young Smoker – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Documentary
1.  African Election – Nigeria/Germany
2.  Beyond The Deadly Pit – Rwanda
3.  Awa Ogbe: An African Adventure – Algeria
4.  Dear Mandela – South Africa
5.  White& Black; Crime And Colour – Tanzania
6.  The Niger Delta Struggle – Ghana
7.  There Is Nothing Wrong With My Uncle – Nigeria
8.  How Much Is Too Much – Kenya

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Diaspora Feature
1.  Toussanat Louverture -France
2.  Ghetta Life -Jamaica
3.  High Chicago – Canada
4.  Elza – Guadalupe
5.  Better Must Come – Jamaica
6.  Kinyanrwanda – USA

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Diaspora Documentary
1.  The Education Of Auma Obama – Germany
2.  White Wash – USA
3.  Almendron Mi Corazon – Guadalupe
4.  All Me: The Life And Times Of Winfred Hubert -USA

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Diaspora Short
1.  John Doe – USA
2.  White Sugar In A Black Pot -USA
3.  The Lost One -USA

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Animation
1.  The Legend on Ngog Hills – Kenya
2.  Oba – Nigeria
3.  Climate Change is Real – Kenya
4.  Egu – South Africa
5.  Chomoka – Kenya

RELATED: Nigeria Whips South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Burkina Faso at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Film by an African Living Abroad
1.  Mystery Of Birds – USA/Nigeria
2.  Housemates – UK/Nigeria
3.  Ben Kross – Italy/Nigeria
4.  Paparazzi Eye In The Dark – USA/Nigeria/Ghana

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Production Design
1.  Somewhere in Africa – Ghana
2.  Phone Swap – Nigeria
3.  Otelo Burning – South Africa
4.  Adesuwa – Nigeria
5.  How 2 Steal 2 Million – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Costume Design
1.  The Captain Of Nakara – Kenya
2.  Adesuwa – Nigeria
3.  Rugged Priest -Kenya
4.  Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
5.  Queens Desire – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Make-Up
1.  Rugged Priest – Kenya
2.  State Research Bureau – Uganda
3.  Adesuwa – Nigeria
4.  Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
5.  Shattered – Kenya

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Soundtrack
1.  Otelo Burning – South Africa
2.  Alero’s Symphony – Nigeria
3.  Adesuwa – Nigeria
4.  How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
5.  Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Visual Effects
1.  Behind The Mask – Nigeria
2.  Somewhere In Africa – Ghana
3.  Adesuwa – Nigeria
4.  State Research Bureau – Uganda
5.  Otelo Burning – South Africa

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AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Sound
1. State Of Violence – South Africa
2.  Otelo Burning – South Africa
3.  How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
4.  Man On Ground – South Africa
5.  Algiers Murder – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Cinematography
1. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
2. Otelo Burning – South Africa
3. Rugged Priest – Kenya
4. Masquerades – Ghana
5. Man On Ground – South Africa/Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Editing
1. Algiers Murder – South Africa
2. Man On Ground – South Africa/Nigeria
3. Unwanted Guest – Nigeria
4. How To Steal 2 Million- South Africa
5. Otelo Burning – South Africa
6. Alero’s Symphony – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Achievement in Screenplay
1. Ties That Bind – Ghana
2. Mr & Mrs – Nigeria
3. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa
4. Otelo Burning – South Africa
5. Unwanted Guest -Nigeria
6. Two Brides And A Baby – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Nigerian Film
1. Unwanted Guest -Nigeria
2. Family On Fire – Nigeria
3. Alero’s Symphony – Nigeria
4. Adesuwa – Nigeria
5. Phone Swap – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Film in an African Language
1. Chumo – Tanzania
2. State Of Violence – South Africa
3.  Family On Fire – Nigeria
4. Otelo Burning – South Africa
5. Asoni – Cameroon

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Child Actor
1. Rahman Junior Bande (Behind The Mask) – Nigeria
2. Tsepang Mohlomi  (Otelo Burning) – South Africa
3. Reginna Danies (Bank Job) – Nigeria
4. Benjamin Abemigisha (Jamaa) – Uganda
5. Racheal Nduhukire (Jamaa) – Uganda
6. Ayinla O. Abdulaheem (ZR-7) – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Young/Promising Actor
1. Neo Ntatleno (State Of Violence) – South Africa
2. Ivie Okujaye (Alero’s Symphony) – Nigeria
3. Iyobosa Olaye (Adesuwa) – Nigeria
4. Martha Ankomah (Somewhere In Africa) – Ghana
5. Thomas Gumede (Otelo Burning) – South Africa
6. Sihle Xaba (Otelo Burning) – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
1. Rapulana Seiphemo (How To Steal 2 Million) – South Africa
2. Fana Mokoena (Man On Ground) – South Africa
3. Hafiz Oyetoro (Phone Swap) – Nigeria
4. Okechukwu Uzoesi (Two Brides And A Baby) – Nigeria
5. Godfrey Theobejane (48) – Nigeria
6. Lwanda Jawar (Rugged Priest) – Kenya

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1. Terry Pheto (How 2 Steal 2 Million) – South Africa
2. Ebbe Bassey (Ties That Bind) – Ghana
3. Empress Njamah (Bank Job) – Nigeria
4. Ngozi Ezeonu (Adesuwa) – Nigeria
5. Thelma Okoduwa (Mr & Mrs) – Nigeria
6. Omotola Jalade Ekeinde (Ties That Bind) -Ghana

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role
1. Menzi Ngubane (How 2 Steal 2 Million) – South Africa
2. Majid Micheal (Somewhere In Africa) – Ghana
3. Chet Anekwe (Unwanted Guest) – Nigeria
4. Jafta Mamabolo (Otelo Burning) – South Africa
5. Karabo Lance (48) – Nigeria
6. Wale Ojo (Phone Swap) – Nigeria
7. Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Man On Ground) – Nigeria/South Africa

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Actress in a Leading Role
1. Nse Ikpe Etim (Mr & Mrs) – Nigeria
2. Yvonne Okoro (Single Six) – Ghana
3. Ama K. Abebrese (Ties That Bind) – Ghana
4. Rita Dominic (Shattered) – Kenya
5. Uche Jombo (Damage) – Nigeria
6. Millicent Makheido (48) – South Africa
7. Kudzai Sevenzo-Nyarai (Playing Warriors) – Zimbabwe

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Director
1. Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun (Adesuwa) – Nigeria
2. Leila Djansi (Ties That Bind) – Ghana
3. Bob Nyanja (Rugged Priest) – Kenya
4. Charlie Vundla (How 2 Steal 2 Million) – South Africa
5. Khalo Matabane (State Of Violence) – South Africa
6. Akin Omotoso (Man On Ground) – South Africa/Nigeria
7. Sara Bletcher (Otelo Burning) – South Africa

AMAA 2011 Prize for Best Film
1. State Of Violence – South Africa
2. Adesuwa  – Nigeria
3. Otelo Burning – South Africa
4. Rugged Priest – Kenya
5. How 2 Steal 2 Million – South Africa
6. Ties That Bind – Ghana
7. Man On Ground – South Africa/Nigeria