Rwanda was officially announced as the host of the 14th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAAs) slated for August 11 2018 at the Kigali Convention Centre. The annual event recognises outstanding work by Africans in the film industry. Arguably one of the most anticipated events on the continent; the AMAAs are expected to attract people from all walks of life. Speaking during the official launch of the awards at the Kigali Cultural and Exhibition Village on Thursday, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the awards founder and CEO, said Kigali was their choice for the awards because of its good hospitality reputation. “It’s wonderful that Rwanda is pushing for the promotion of arts. This makes it easy for us filmmakers to come and work with locals. We are honoured to have worked with some of the filmmakers in Rwanda’s industry and hopefully, this will pave way for more collaboration in the future,” she said. Belise Kariza, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Chief Tourism Officer said, “We are excited to be the hosts of the upcoming Africa Movie Academy Awards. The awards come at a time when Rwanda is putting a lot of effort in boosting the entertainment industry in the country, as well as positioning it as one of the key sources of economic development.” She added, “In addition to being an opportunity for Rwandan filmmakers to acquire skills from across the continent, the awards are a great platform for job opportunities in the film industry. It is also a prospect to showcase Rwanda as a tourist destination. We thank the organisers for choosing Rwanda.” Eric Kabera, a filmmaker and the founder and director of Kwetu Film Institute, said bringing the awards to Rwanda is a big move and a golden chance for local filmmakers to build partnerships with established filmmakers in Africa through joint projects. “Culture is one of the major components of African existence. We are actually trying to make sure that the story of Africa is told through arts, and filmmakers are part of the art industry. The Nigerian film industry is by far the most advanced and that is why we need the partnership so we can boost our industry. We are looking forward to a fruitful experience,” Kabera said. With the ongoing preparations for the awards, the Africa Film Academy launched a social media conference this month aimed at equipping the youth with digital skills needed in the film industry. The nominations for the awards will be unveiled in July. Last year, Kigali hosted the AMAA nominations gala, and Rwandan filmmaker, Clementine Dusabejambo, was nominated. The events were previously held in Lagos, Nigeria. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
