Aramotu leads Nigeria's AMAA Nominations

Nollywood star power with more than a little Ghollywood help last night in Nairobi at the Africa Movie Academy Awards' Nominations event . L-R: Jackie Appiah, Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw-Nuttall, Ini Edo, Rita Dominic, Ramsey Noah, Mike Ezurounye and Majid Michel.

And so, the nominations are out for the films that will vie for AMAA glory on March 27 in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

The big contender for Nigeria is the forthcoming film, 'Aramotu', a Niji Akanni directed film entirely in Yoruba and starring Idiat Shobande as the eponymous heroine. Aramotu garnered 6 nominations including Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film! Aramotu premieres in March in Lagos.

Perhaps the strongest film overall is Sinking Sands, by Ghanaian director Leila Djansi and starring Ama K. Abebrese and Haitian actor, Jimmy Jean-Louis. All three are rewarded with nods in the Director, Best Actress and Best Actor category. Altogether, Sinking Sands has at least 8 nominations.

Other strong films in the nominations are Viva Riva! (Congo), A Small Town Called Descent (South Africa), Izulu Lami (South Africa), Hopeville (South Africa) and Shirley Adams (South Africa).

There are respectably showings for Nigerian films like Mahmood Ali-Balogun's 35mm film, 'Tango With Me', for which Genevieve Nnaji gets a Best Actress nod; Tunde Kelani's 'Maami' (nomination for young newcomer, Ayomide Abatti); A Private Storm and Yoruba film, Yemoja (Best Actor nomination for Antar Laniyan).

As everyone here is saying, see you in Bayelsa March 27.

• Nominations List
  

Photo by MW

Event for Don Mattera, March 3

Invite from Jo'burg....

Lyrics of our Song

A dedication to Don Mattera’s Azanian Love Song

Like a weeping willow
I drop my soul
Into a pool of fire
Somewhere in a dark sanctuary
I hear the sound of a freedom song:

The child has risen
And walks defiantly
Towards the lion’s lair
Undaunted,
unafraid

Don Mattera-Azanian Love Song

On the 3rd of March 5 amazing poets will be coming together to present a heartfelt poetic tribute- event that celebrates the work of South Africa’s iconic poets, Don Mattera.

Don Mattera’s Azanian Love Song, is a well-renown award winning collection of powerful poems that reflect the poet’s experiences during the 70’, 80’s and the Sophiatown era. Don Mattera’s prolific work has inspired and cultivated the seeds of South African literature, and it is because of this that we celebrate the profound work of our own modern day Shakespeare.

A power pact performance of some of the most exciting poets to emerge out of the Jozi spoken word scene, the line up will include the theatrical voice of the legendary Prophet JD, the smart walking street talking, the amazing Masoja Msiza, the heavenly sounds of the genius Mpho Molikeng, the Bob

Marley of poetry Zwesh Fi Khush ,and the great Mak Manaka.

And the father himself Dr. Don Mattera will be our guest speaker on the night.

The show will start at 6pm in Newtown at the old Horror Cafe, now known as Shikisha. The cover charge is R50.

So please come and join us as we celebrate one of our own living legends of poetry.

For More info please contact : Mak Manaka on 079 475 6453/ mrmanaka@webmail.co.za
Prophet JD on 0737189831 / jcmthenjwa@gmail.com