5th Africa Movie Academy Awards


The 5th Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 4, 2009 at the Gloryland Cultural Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to honor the best African films of 2008. It was broadcast live on Nigerian national television. Africa Movie Academy Award winner Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Nigerian stand-up comedian Julius Agwu hosted the ceremony. Numerous celebrities graced the event, including Timipre Sylva and Nollywood actresses and actors. Special guests were Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and Hollywood actor Danny Glover.
The nominees were announced on March 3, 2009 during the 21st Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou by AMAA CEO Peace Anyiam-Osigwe. Approximately 403 entries from 54 African countries participated in the bid for an award.
With a total of twelve nominations, the Kenyan film From a Whisper led the nomination count, while Uganda's Battle of the Souls and South Africa's Gugu and Andile followed with ten nominations each. Nigeria's Arugba received nine nominations, Egypt's Seventh Heaven received eight nominations, followed closely by Ghana's Agony of the Christ with seven nominations.
From a Whisper won five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Soundtrack. Gugu and Andile landed the second spot with three awards. Battle of the Souls, Seventh Heaven, Small Boy, Arugba and Live to Remember each won two awards.

Winners

Major Awards

The winners of the 23 Award Categories are listed first and highlighted in bold letters.
Best PictureBest Director

  • From a Whisper
  • *Arugba
  • *Gugu and Andile
  • *Battle of the Souls
  • *Seventh Heaven
  • Wanuri Kahiu – From a Whisper
  • *Tunde Kelani – Arugba
  • *Minky Schlesinger – Gugu and Andile
  • *Matt Bish – Battle of the Souls
  • *Saad Hendawy – Seventh Heaven
    • Best Actress in a leading roleBest Actor in a leading role
  • Funke Akindele – Jenifa
  • *Stephanie Okereke and Nse Etim – Reloaded
  • *Stella Damasus-Aboderin – State of the Heart
  • *Corine Onyango – From a Whisper
  • *Nadia Buari – Agony of the Christ
  • Farouk Al-Fichawi – Seventh Heaven
  • *Godfrey Odhiamba – From a Whisper
  • *Mike Ezuruonye – The Assassin
  • *Majid Michel – Agony of the Christ
  • *Peter Badejo – Arugba
    • Best Actress in a Supporting RoleBest Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Mercy Johnson – Live to Remember
  • *Aggie Kebirungi – Battle of the Souls
  • *Mosunmola Filani – Jenifa
  • *Daphney Hlomoku – Gugu and Andile
  • *Chika Ike – The Assassin
  • Joel Okuyo Atiku – Battle of the Souls
  • *Femi Adebayo – Apaadi
  • *Abubakar Mvenda & Ken Ambani – From a Whisper
  • *Neil Mc Carthy – Gugu and Andile
  • *Yemi Blaq – Grey Focus
    • Most Promising ActressMost Promising Actor
  • Lungelo Dhladha – Gugu and Andile
  • *Bhaira Mcwizu – Cindy’s Note
  • *Bukola Awoyemi – Arugba
  • *Lydia Farson – Scorned
  • *Béa Flore Mfouemoun – Mah Sa-Sah
  • Litha Booi – Gugu and Andile
  • *Mavila Anthana Keriario – Battle of the Souls
  • *Ruffy Samuel – Dead End
  • *Segun Adefila – Arugba
  • *Sherif Ramzy – Seventh Heaven
    • Best AnimationBest Film in an African Language
  • Kono
  • *Leila
  • *Little Learning is different
  • *Manani Ogre
  • *Cheprono
  • Gugu and Andile in Zulu and Xhosa - Minky Schlesinger
  • *Arugba in Yoruba – Tunde Kelani
  • *Mah Sa-Sah in Cameroonian languages – Daniel Kamwa
  • *Uyai in Ibibio – Emem Isong
  • *Apaadi in Yoruba
    • Best Child ActorBest Screenplay
  • Richard Chukwuma – Small Boy
  • *Celia Greenwoood – The Assassin
  • *Shanlar Kirunga – Battle of the Souls
  • *Samara Milgwi – From a Whisper
  • From a Whisper – Wanuri Kahiu'
  • *Seventh Heaven – Zainab Aziz
  • *Through the Glass – Stephanie Okereke
  • *Reloaded – Emem Isong
  • *Beautiful soul – Tchidi Chikere

    • Additional awards

    Films with multiple nominations

    The following films received multiple nominations.
    The following films received multiple awards.