Akindele, Afolayan, Ini Edo, Score High with AMVCA Nominations

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Like many film award platforms, the announcement of nominations for the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) creates a buzz that sets the tone, gets observers and the industry stakeholders talking pre the actual award ceremony. So in many cases, a nomination is considered significant achievement for the players.

The nominations cover films made from December 1, 2021 to January 31, 2023, and featured performers and behind-the-scenes members in numerous relevant award categories. This year’s award ceremony which marks the 9th edition is set to hold in Lagos, Nigeria on May 20. MultiChoice, the organisers of the awards, rolled out the list of nominations in various categories on Sunday, April 16, 2023.

The biggest nominees of the night include Kunle Afolayan, Jade Osiberu, Funke Akindele and Ini Edo. Their works in this year’s AMVCA appears to be among some of the most intriguing and talked-about productions bearing performances from the selection year, which cannot be overlooked.  

Top off the list is Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Anikulapo’ which scored high during the night with 16 nominations in categories including Best Overall Movie, Best Yoruba Movie, and Best Actress in a Drama, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound Editor, and Best Cinematographer.

Afolayan also scored a Best Director nomination, but missed out in the Best Actor nomination with Kunle Remi’s star turn as the film’s titular character. Blockbuster movie ‘Shanty Town’, a Netflix series produced by Ini Edo and Chi Chi Nworah, and Jade Osiberu’s action thriller, Brotherhood, also scored 11 nominations each in various categories.

Funke Akindele’s ‘Battle on Buka Street’ got the actress and movie producer on the list as the cinema hit movie bagged 10 nominations at AMVCA. While some categories are open for the viewers’ vote for their preferred nominees; others will be decided by the organiser’s panel of judges.

Interestingly, Femi Adebayo’s King of Thieves (Agesinkole), Funke Akindele’s ‘Battle on Buka Street’, Jade Osiberu’s Brotherhood, and Kunle Afolayan’s Anikulapo, Kayode Kasum’s Ile Owo, Mugisha  Morris’ Tembele and Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi’s Four Four Forty-Four will slug it out in the Best Overall Movie category.