African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) opens its doors to Caribbean filmmakers
By Tambay A. Obenson From Shadow and Act
The African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), which will take place in London in February 2014, has revealed its intent to fully engage Caribbean filmmakers and films from the region, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, with the goal being to encourage increased participation by Caribbean filmmakers in the AMAAs.
Full details on this engagement, which took place at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival last week, follow via press release from the AMAAs below:
Hot on the heels of the recent 34th Toronto Film Festival where the African Film Academy, organisers of the African Movie Academy Awards, held an African Business Roundtable with the cream of the film industry in attendance, AMAA CEO, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, and representatives will be in attendance at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival to host a reception and presentation for Caribbean filmmakers and to participate in other festival events taking place in the coming weeks.
A significant event on the African Cinema calendar, AMAA continues to expand its scope and to go from strength to strength.
On the 10th anniversary of this pan-African event, and as part of its international road-show to create visibility and impact for the Africa Movie Academy Awards, the organisers of this prestigious reward system for motion picture practitioners in Africa and the African Diaspora are seeking to engage with the Caribbean film industry.
The award body met filmmakers, journalists and allied Diaspora stakeholders at a Special AMAA Reception and Presentation on Saturday 28th September, 2013 according to Mr. Tony Anih, Director of Administration of the organization. The Trinidad and Tobago festival, this year hosts the UNESCO Conference where AMAA will also contribute to workshop debates with an international audience.
Mr Anih also said that “the participation of our brothers and sisters from the Caribbean in AMAA in the last five years continues to grow and we consider it necessary to encourage that growth. We have therefore, come to TTFF to make representation to the industry in the region and to showcase what AMAA has achieved and who we are”.
The Jury of the awards body announced on August 1, 2013 recently the start for submission of films for 2014 AMAA and that December 31st, 2013 will be last day for submission. Films will be considered, initially, by the AMAA College of Screeners for 2014.
The AMAA jury, who will select the winners, consists of 10 members from the African continent and the African diaspora (See Notes to Editors). Awards are made in 25 categories, including Best Diaspora Feature Film; Best Diaspora Documentary; Best Diaspora Short Film; and Best African and Diaspora Animation. AMAA urges the region to get on board and take up the AMAA challenge!
The full list of Award categories is available on the AMAA Website: www.ama-awards.com
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