NELSON MANDELA BAY CHOSEN TO HOST THE ANNUAL AFRICAN “OSCARS”

PORT ELIZABETH – Chosen every 5 years by an international panel, Nelson Mandela Bay is set to play host for the next five years to the most prestigious film awards in Africa celebrating the best in the continent’s film industry. The African Movie Academy Awards, now going into its 11^th year honours the men and women producing more movies a year than Hollywood.   

This privately funded organisation, not only has its annual international awards, but has also to date funded more than 5000 young Africans through the academy, giving them the means and opportunities to soar at careers in the film industry. The reach of the academy as well as the awards spans globally and include actors and actresses including Danny Glover.

The 2015 nominees were unveiled at a glamourous Hollywood event earlier this year attended by A-list celebs including Louis Jossett Jr.

The awards has 53 countries participating annually and sees between 500 and 700 international film stars from Africa, Europe and other continents attend this glamorous affair and this year will prove to be no different.

Evidently, the world has its eyes on South Africa’s film industry as the stature of South African films is starting to receive a tremendous amount of global recognition. A multi-nominated film to be noted, “iNumber Number” is an action feature starring Class Act winner, Sdumo Mtshali. The film has been nominated in many categories at this year’s AMMA’s including and among others, AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Visual Effect, Ousmane Sembene AMAA 2015 Award for Best Film in an African Language, AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Production Design, AMAA 2015 Achievement in Costume Design and AMAA 2015 Award for Achievement in Make-Up.

Another multi-award winning South African film, “Of Good Report” has won the Best Feature Film Award at the African International Film Festival (AFFIF 2013), a Screen Excellence Award (2013) for Best Production, a Best Feature Film nomination at the London Film Festival (LFF 2013). Furthermore, it was the Opening Film at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF 2013), and won the bravery award, the first South African film to be bestowed with that honour. It was the winner of the Best Feature Film Awards at SAFTAs 2014 (South African Film and Television Awards) and many other accolades and awards for the cast and crew.

Two weeks on the cinema circuit brought 45 000 nationwide audiences through Ster-Kinekor’s Cinema distribution. The film’s award winning producer, Luzuko Dilima is recognised as one of the best film producers in South Africa, as per the accolades at the SAFTAs and the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) where “Of Good Report “ won five awards in 2014.

“I truly believe in innovation because it clearly changes people’s lives for the better and changing the old way of doing things. I love the idea of sharing knowledge so that people are more aware of their circumstances, which automatically enables them to make better choices and achieve better results for themselves and their businesses. As we all know, knowledge is power”, said Dilima.

AMAA is more than just about the awards; it’s about a lifestyle of class style- blitz, glitz and razzmatazz. It is the biggest gathering of filmmakers across the African continent and the rest of the world. The 50 nominees across the 10 categories will attend, as well as the judges and invited guests from across the globe, including many A-list celebrities.

If you want to mingle with A-list movie giants from across the globe, be entertained by SA’s own Lira, walk the red carpet and treat yourself to a night of style and glamour then gather your friends and get your tickets now at Computicket at R200 per person.

For further information go to www.ama-awards.com or contact Michelle Campbell at michelle@mcpublicity.co.za.