The 5th Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on 4 April 2009, at the Gloryland Cultural Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, to honour 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 (the Governor of Bayelsa State) and Nollywood actresses and actors. Special guests were Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and Hollywood actor Danny Glover.
The nominees were announced on 3 March 2009, during the 21st Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) 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 (Wanuri Kahiu) 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 Picture Best DirectorFrom a Whisper (Kenya) Arugba (Nigeria) Gugu and Andile (South Africa) Battle of the Souls (Uganda) Seventh Heaven (Egypt) 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 role Best Actor in a leading roleFunke 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 ChristFarouk 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 Role Best Actor in a Supporting RoleMercy Johnson – Live to Remember Aggie Kebirungi – Battle of the Souls Mosunmola Filani – Jenifa Daphney Hlomoku – Gugu and Andile Chika Ike – The AssassinJoel 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 Actress Most Promising ActorLungelo Dhladha – Gugu and Andile Bhaira Mcwizu – Cindy’s Note Bukola Awoyemi – Arugba Lydia Farson – Scorned Béa Flore Mfouemoun – Mah Sa-SahLitha Booi – Gugu and Andile Mavila Anthana Keriario – Battle of the Souls Ruffy Samuel – Dead End Segun Adefila – Arugba Sherif Ramzy – Seventh Heaven Best Animation Best Film in an African LanguageKono (Burkina Faso) Leila (Burkina Faso) Little Learning is different (Kenya) Manani Ogre (Kenya) Cheprono (Kenya)Gugu and Andile (South Africa) in Zulu and Xhosa - Minky Schlesinger Arugba (Nigeria) in Yoruba – Tunde Kelani Mah Sa-Sah (Cameroon) in Cameroonian languages – Daniel Kamwa Uyai (Nigeria) in Ibibio – Emem Isong Apaadi (Nigeria) in Yoruba Best Child Actor Best ScreenplayRichard Chukwuma – Small Boy Celia Greenwoood – The Assassin Shanlar Kirunga – Battle of the Souls Samara Milgwi – From a WhisperFrom a Whisper – Wanuri Kahiu Seventh Heaven – Zainab Aziz Through the Glass – Stephanie Okereke Reloaded – Emem Isong Beautiful soul – Tchidi Chikere
Additional awards Best Documentary Feature Best Documentary Short For the Best and for the Onion (Niger) & Malcolm’s Echo Joint prize Private Files (Egypt) Shit on the Rock (Nigeria) Grandma’s not Home (South Africa)Coming of Age (Kenya) Per Second Killer (Nigeria) Santos the survivor (Kenya) Lost in the South (Rwanda) Congo my foot (South Africa) AMAA Achievement in Sound AMAA Achievement in EditingSeventh Heaven (Egypt) From a Whisper (Kenya) Battle of the Souls (Uganda) Gugu and Andile (South Africa) Grey Focus (Nigeria)From a Whisper (Kenya) Cindy’s Note (Nigeria) Reloaded (Nigeria) Modupe Temi (Nigeria) Battle of the Souls (Uganda) AMAA Achievement in Art Direction AMAA Achievement in CinematographySmall Boy – Michelle Bello Five Apostles – Ifeanyi Onyeabor Agony of the Christ – Jude Odoh From a Whisper – Kay Tuckerman Revolution – Eddybongo UkaCindy’s Note – Izu Ojukwu From a Whisper – Marius Van Graan Seventh Heaven – Ramses Marzouk Gugu and Andile – Greg Heimann Battle of the Souls – Stephen Njero and Tony Matomi AMAA Achievement in Makeup AMAA Achievement in CostumeLive to Remember Agony of the Christ From a Whisper The Assassin Ase n’tedumareArugba Agony of the Christ Apaadi Live to Remember Seventh Heaven Best Original Soundtrack AMAA Achievement in Visual EffectFrom a Whisper Arugba Beautiful Soul Agony of the Christ JenifaBattle of the Souls Five Apostles Smoke and Mirrors Agony of the Christ Revolution Heart of Africa (This award is given to the Best Film in Nigeria)Arugba - Tunde Kelani Cindy’s Note - Izu Ojukwu Beautiful Soul - Tchidi Chikere State of the Heart - Kingsley Omoife and Richard Mofe-Damijo Jenifa - Funke Akindele
Films with multiple nominations The following films received multiple nominations.
12 nominations From a Whisper 10 nominations Battle of the Soul Gugu and Andile 9 nominations Arugba 8 nominations Seventh Heaven 7 nominations Agony of the Christ 4 nominations Cindy's Note The Assassin Jenifa
3 nominations Beautiful Soul Reloaded Live to Remember Apaadi 2 nominations Grey Focus Revolution Five Apostles Reloaded Small Boy Mah Sa-Sah State of the Heart
Films with multiple awards The following films received multiple awards. 5 awards From a Whisper 3 awards Gugu and Andile 2 awards Arugba Battle of the Soul Seventh Heaven Small Boy Live to Remember
References