Jagun Jagun and The Weekend Triumph at 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards, Celebrating Nigerian Cinema

At the 20th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held on November 2, 2024, in Lagos, Nollywood films Jagun Jagun and The Weekend emerged as big winners, showcasing Nigerian cinema’s growth on the continent. The prestigious event was hosted by Nollywood’s Segun Arinze and Ghanaian actress Joselyn Dumas at the Balmoral Convention Centre.

The Weekend, directed by Daniel Oriahi, won the top honor of Best Film and received awards for Achievement in Cinematography, Screenplay, and Best Nigerian Film. This gripping film features renowned Nollywood talents such as Keppy Ekpenyong-Bassey, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, and Gloria Anozie.

In the Yoruba epic Jagun Jagun, actor Femi Adebayo won Best Actor in a Supporting Role, with the film also winning awards for Make-Up and Visual Effects. Directed by Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo, the movie stars Lateef Adedimeji, Faithia Williams, and Odunlade Adekola, embodying the resilience and richness of Nigerian storytelling.

This year’s awards were determined by a jury chaired by filmmaker Dorothee Wenner and included industry figures like Steve Ayorinde, former Lagos Commissioner for Tourism. AMAA, established in 2005, continues to celebrate excellence in African cinema, recognizing achievements that foster cultural pride and cinematic creativity across Africa.

The night honored icons like Souleymane Cisse, Nacer Khemir, and Haile Gerima with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contributions to African film.

Full List of Winners:

Best Film

• The Weekend — WINNER
• Under The Hanging Tree
• This is Lagos
• A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
• Orah
• Letters to Goddo
• The Queenstown Kings

Achievement in Cinematography

• The Weekend — WINNER
• Nawi
• Kipkemboi
• Letters to Goddo
• This is Lagos
• The Queenstown Kings
• A Smile, A Wink and A Tear

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Femi Adebayo (Jagun Jagun) — WINNER
• Sandile Mahlangu (The Queenstown Kings)
• Ochungo Benson (Nawi)
• Keppy Ekpeyong-Bassey (The Weekend)
• Ikechukwu Onunaku (This is Lagos)
• Lucky Ejim (Orah)
• Solomon Fixon Owoo (Letters to Goddo)

Achievement in Make-Up

• Jagun Jagun — WINNER
• The Weekend
• Nawi
• Letters to Goddo
• Out of Breath
• Anjola
• White and Black

Achievement in Visual Effects

• Jagun Jagun — WINNER
• Kipkemboi
• Under The Hanging Tree
• The Weekend
• Bokwagter
• Out of Breath

Achievement in Screenplay

• The Weekend — WINNER
• Under The Hanging Tree
• Letter To Goddo
• This is Lagos
• Boda Love
• The Queenstown Kings
• Out of Breath

NFVCB Award for Best Nigerian Film

• The Weekend — WINNER
• This is Lagos
• Afamefuna
• Jagun Jagun
• Mai Martaba
• A Smile, A Wink and a Tear
• Out of Breath

Efere Ozako Award for Best Short Film

• The Last Shoe Maker (Uganda) – WINNER
• Seben (Mali)
• Dear Future Wife (South Africa)
• Isolated (Nigeria)
• Joia (Angola)
• Strike A Blow And Die (Malawi)
• Don’t Call Me Beautiful (Ghana)
• Sins Of A Father (Zimbabwe/USA)

Jubril Malafia Award for Best Animation

• Counter Punch (Kenya) – WINNER
• Heavy Crown (Libya)
• Journey of the Legend (Cameroon)
• Hadu (Nigeria)
• Between Paya and Koulou (Senegal)
• Oya (The goddess of gods) (Nigeria)
• Set Pieces (Sudan)

Best Documentary

• The Night Still Smells of Gun Powder (Mozambique) – WINNER
• A Quand L’Afrique (Congo Brazzaville)
• The Return Train (Mali)
• Gateway To Dreams (Cameroon)
• Rainbow Nation (South Africa)
• Dela- The Making of EL-Anatsui (Nigeria)
• Donga (Libya)
• Rising Up At Night (DRC)

Best Diaspora Short Film

• The Neighbourhood Alert (USA) – WINNER
• Bottled Up (Jamaica)
• The Golden Boy (USA)

Best Diaspora Documentary

• The Wu Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA) – WINNER
• A Rising Tide (USA)
• Colour (USA)

Best Diaspora Narrative Feature

• Outlaw Posse (USA) – WINNER
• Mickey Hardaway (USA)
• Love After Holidays (USA)

Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad

• Under The Hanging Tree (Namibia/UK) – WINNER
• Out Of Breath (Nigeria/UK)
• Orah (Nigeria/Canada)
• Isolated (Nigeria/UK)
• Kipkemboi (Nigeria/ Canada)

Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language

• The Queenstown Kings (South Africa) – WINNER
• Makula (Uganda)
• Jagun Jagun (Nigeria)
• Kaka (Nigeria)
• Eskhalemi Sikantombella (South Africa)
• Unheard (Uganda)
• Out of Breath (Nigeria)

Achievement in Costume Design

• Mai Martaba — WINNER
• The Beads
• The Weekend
• White and Black
• Jagun Jagun
• The Queenstown Kings
• Out of Breath

Achievement in Soundtrack

• Boda Love — WINNER
• The Weekend
• Under the Hanging Tree
• The Queenstown Kings
• Orah
• Mojisola
• Red Carpet

Achievement in Sound

• The Queenstown Kings — WINNER
• A Smile, A Wink and a Tear
• The Weekend
• Under the Hanging Tree
• Boda Love
• Kipkemboi

Achievement in Production Design

• Out of Breath — WINNER
• Orah
• The Queenstown Kings
• The Weekend
• Jagun Jagun
• Kipkemboi

Achievement in Editing

• Under The Hanging Tree — WINNER
• The Weekend
• This is Lagos
• Nawi
• Kipkemboi

Best Young/Promising Actor

• Michell Lemuya (Nawi) — WINNER

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Elsie Chidera Abang (Kipkemboi) — WINNER

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Zolixa Xaluva (The Queenstown Kings) — WINNER

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Jackie Appiah (Red Carpet) — WINNER

Best Debut Feature Film by a Director

• Letters to Goddo (Harry Bentil) — WINNER

Best Director

• Jahmil X.T Qubeka (The Queenstown Kings) — WINNER

Lifetime Achievement Awards

• Souleymane Cisse (Mali)
• Nacer Khemir (Tunisia)
• Haile Gerima (Ethiopia)