AMAA 2022 Organisers unveils activities
The Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) organisers has announced activities for the 18th edition which the grand finale takes place on Sunday, 30 October.
This was disclosed in a hangout with select Nigerian entertainment editors, Kingsley James popularly known as KJV who’s the man in charge of the award ceremony, this year’s edition will be a niche thing with plenty of other modifications and innovations not yet experienced in Nigerian awards.
“There is a deliberate attempt to make the event different. We will be having less than a thousand guests compared to previous editions where we had 5-7 thousand quests. We are doing a niche thing this year because we want to satisfy everyone that is there. The principle that rides on this is the influence. This year is about those who have influence. We mean people, like the media, people who have the power to influence the narrative of our journey. Everyone that attends the AMAA this year is a VIP, it is about your influence regarding how we know you in the industry. Another thing, we want to create an experience. We don’t want this award to be an usual award,” he said.
“Actually, we are going to have two afterparties, happening at the same location. The idea of two afterparties is that I believe we have to tell African stories. I can reveal to you that King Sunny Ade will be closing our show this year. He is closing our show deliberately because after his show performance for 15-20mins he is going to give us another 30 minutes to one hour performance. So young people can stay upstairs and older people who like the likes of Asake and the rest can go downstairs. We are deliberate about the fun and the experience.
On the media and the red carpet experience they intend to create,” KJV noted.
“We are also deliberate about providing a media centre this year. You will have your screen, your table and the internet. This is how it is done at international events. The reason we want to do that is because there is no award that succeeds without the media no matter how big the award is. We have many places where things will be happening.”
“The critical thing for us this year is that we are having a controlled red carpet. It is going to be done properly as obtainable at great international awards of the world. Globally, when you attend the red carpet, you don’t drop from your car and walk to the red carpet. You are first taken to a holding room, where you sit down, take a drink, fix your face and from there you are called to the red carpet. You are always called to the red carpet. The red carpet moment is going to take two hours so there is ample time for everyone to have their moments. You should know that it is not everyone that walks the red carpet that is shown on TV. We have cover for the press to be at the holding area so they can have their premium interviews, interactions and coverage.”
In addition he said, “We are going to have a red carpet downstairs meant for only photos, photojournalists are going to be there. On the second floor there will be an interview red carpet where you can ask your questions. In the last upper chamber, there will be the winners. That is a very exclusive space. Some niche journalists will be allowed here and they are the ones to get exclusive interviews with the winners. We cannot accredit everybody for the red carpet, it is not internationally done. It is not standard. You have to look at safeguarding your brand in the long run.”
The Founder of AMAA, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe who was also present at the hangout said people have been critical of their choice of selected films because they don’t understand the very essence of the award and the values it tries to promote.
She explained, “For us at AMAA, it has always been about the professionalism of the film, the textual, the storyline and the authenticity of the African story. We are not about the most popular film. Most of the films selected by AMAA are not even the normal films that would go to the cinemas in some cases. What the jury is looking for is that story that would travel. So, the jury system for us is different. People have always been critical of us but that doesn’t matter to the jury. The Nigerian audience is extremely peculiar. What the rest of the world would want to watch is not what the Nigerian audience wants to watch. You might find a film like the Milkmaid, which for me, is one of the best films that ever came out of Nigeria. But it would not do well in the Nigerian cinemas because it is not that kind of story but it is a film that would travel and the international community would love to see it because it is an authentic, raw story. Films that win at AMAA are authentic stories, stories that are naturally done. So, it is not about star power or anything, it is just about the script, the cinematography, the technical side, the backend, the sound. These things matter to the jury. The thing that matters most to the jury is how you tell the story and how authentic that story is. If you look at the films that win at AMAA you would find that most of them travelled or had travelled.”
The activities scheduled for the 18th edition of the continental awards ceremony begin with the graduation of trainees by the African Film Academy on October 25, 2022, followed by the Wellness Day on October 27 while on October 28, AMAA organisers will host dignitaries and fashion buffs to a series of conferences that includes diaspora discussion, music and film discussion, and round off with a fashion show.
The Nominees Party is expected to follow on Saturday, October 29, while AMAA Gala is to be held on October 30.
Vanguard/O.O
