Omen (Augure), a Congolese film starring local actress Eliane Umuhire, and Fight Like A Girl, starring Arthur Nkusi, won awards at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) held at the Balmoral Convention Center, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
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The awarding ceremony brought together filmmakers from different parts of Africa and the diaspora to celebrate excellence in African cinema. This year's edition was themed Renaissance: Legacy In Motion in honour of the founder, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe MFR, who passed away on January 9.
Omen won awards including 'Best Achievement in Editing' for Bertrand Conard and 'First Debut Feature by a Director' for Baloji, who directed the film, while 'Fight Like a Girl' won an award for 'Best Achievement in Soundtrack'.
Augure was up for 'Best Achievement in Production Design' and 'Best Achievement in Costume Design', while Fight Like a Girl was nominated for 'Best Production Design', 'Best Supporting Actor', 'Best Achievement in Soundtrack', 'Best Supporting Actress' and 'Best Leading Actress'.
Augure/Omen tells the story of a young Congolese man who, after years in Belgium, returns to his birthplace of Kinshasa to confront the complexities of his family and culture. It stars Rwandan actress Eliane Umuhire, who is already internationally renowned in the film industry.
Fight Like a Girl is based on a true story of a young Congolese woman forced to work in an illegal mineral mine, escapes her captors and finds a new life for herself as a professional boxer.
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The Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) is a subsidiary of the Africa Film Academy. The Academy, founded on the best film tradition, is geared towards research, training, and propagating filmmaking in Africa.
AMAA was established in 2005, aimed at facilitating the development and relevance of African film & cinema by providing a reward & recognition platform for filmmakers on the continent. The Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards is the most prestigious award in Africa, showcasing and rewarding great talents in the film industry. It has since become the most – hungered – event in the African movie world.