Compared to last year, Kenya has pulled some serious weight at the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) announced yesterday, earning 15 nominations in total, the highest yet for the country at the awards.
Leading the pack for Kenya is the Canadian-Kenyan drama Kipkemboi with six nominations including Best Actress and Achievement in Cinematography. Kipkemboi follows a young math genius from rural Kenya
Kenya’s Oscars 2025 entry Nawi earned five nominations including Best Young/Promising Actor for lead and newcomer Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Benson Ochunga and Achievement in Cinematography.
Other Kenyan nominees include recently released rom-com drama Boda Love with three nods including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Duncan Murunyu Mungai, and animation Counter Punch.
Overally, Nigeria’s psychological thriller The Weekend topped the list with 16 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, and Achievement in Cinematography, followed closely by South Africa’s The Queenstown Kings with 15 nominations.
See the full nomination list for AMAA 2024 below.
BEST FILM
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
This is Lagos
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
Orah
Letters to Goddo
The Queenstown Kings
BEST DIRECTOR
Daniel Emeka Oriahi (The Weekend)
Kenneth Gyang (This Is Lagos)
Jahmil X.T Qubeka (The Queenstown Kings)
Perivi Katjavivi (Under The Hanging Tree)
Lonzo Nzekwe (Orah)
Harry Bentil (Letters To Goddo)
Izu Ojukwu (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)
BEST DEBUT FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
Letters to Goddo (Harry Bentil)
Rising Up At Night (Nelson Makengo)
She (Seun Richards)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Girley Jazama (Under The Hanging Tree)
Oyin Oladejo (Orah)
Unathi Faku (The Queenstown Kings)
Uzoamaka Aniunoh (The Weekend)
Laura Pepple (This is Lagos)
Jackie Appiah (Red Carpet)
Efe Irele (A Smile, A Wink and A Tear)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Zolixa Xaluva (The Queenstown Kings)
Gabriel Afolayan (This is Lagos)
Duncan Murunyu Mungai (Boda Love)
Nenesenor Abloso (Letters to Goddo)
Bucci Franklin (The Weekend)
Femi Jacobs (Anjola)
Chidi Mokeme (Out of Breath)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Meg Otanwa (The Weekend)
Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa (The Queenstown Kings)
Elsie Chidera Abang (Kipkemboi)
Tessa Twala (The Queenstown Kings)
Bukunmi Oluwashina (White and Black)
Somkele Iyamah-Idhalamah (Orah)
Chioma Akpotha (Mojisola)
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
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)
Femi Adebayo (Jagun Jagun)
BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
Michell Lemuya (Nawi)
Likhona Mgali (The Queenstown Kings)
Agape mngomezulu (Orah)
William Dias (Bokwagter)
Kofi Adu-Gyamfi (Tejiri)
Ruby Akubueze (She)
Fatima Muhammed (Mai Martaba)
NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSORS BOARD (NFVCB) AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
The Weekend
This is Lagos
Afamefuna
Jagun Jagun
Mai Martaba
A Smile, A wink and a tear
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
Letter To Goddo
This is Lagos
Boda love
The Queenstown King
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Weekend
Nawi
Kipkemboi
Letters to Goddo
This is Lagos
The Queenstown Kings
A Smile, A Wink and A Tear
ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
This is Lagos
Nawi
Kipkemboi
The Beads
Anjola
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
A smile, A Wink and a Tear
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
The Queenstown Kings
Boda Love
Kipkemboi
Boda Love
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK
The Weekend
Under the Hanging Tree
The Queenstown Kings
Orah
This is Lagos
Mojisola
Red Carpet
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT
Kipkemboi
Jagun Jagun
Under The Hanging Tree
The Weekend
Bokwagter
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP
The Weekend
Nawi
Letters to Goddo
Out of Breath
Jagun Jagun
Anjola
White and Black
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
The Beads
The Weekend
White and Black
Jagun Jagun
The Queenstown Kings
Mai Martaba
Out of Breath
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
Orah
The Queenstown kings
The Weekend
Jagun Jagun
Kipkemboi
Makula
Out of Breath
BEST DIASPORA NARRATIVE FEATURE
Outlaw Posse (USA)
Mickey Hardaway (USA)
Love After Holidays (USA)
BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY
The Wu Tang Clan: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA)
A Rising Tide (USA)
Colour (USA)
BEST DIASPORA SHORT FILM
The Neigbourhood Alert (USA)
Bottled Up (Jamaica)
The Golden Boy (USA)
MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD
Out Of Breath (Nigeria/UK)
Orah (Nigeria/Canada)
Isolated (Nigeria/UK)
Under The Hanging Tree (Namibia/UK)
Kipkemboi (Nigeria/ Canada)
OUSMANE SEMBENE AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
Makula (Uganda)
Jagun Jagun (Nigeria)
The Queenstown Kings (South Africa)
Kaka (Nigeria)
Eskhalemi Sikantombella (South Africa)
Unheard (Uganda)
Out of Breath (Nigeria)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
A Quand L’Afrique (Congo Brazzaville)
The Night Still Smells of Gun Powder (Mozambique)
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)
JUBRIL MALAFIA AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
Heavy Crown (Libya)
Counter Punch (Kenya)
Journey of the Legend (Cameroon)
Hadu (Nigeria)
Between Paya and Koulou (Senegal)
Oya (The Goddess of Gods) (Nigeria)
Set Pieces (Sudan)
EFERE OZAKO AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The Last Shoe Maker (Uganda)
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)
