Popular Nigerian actors, Eucharia Anunobi, Yvonne Jegede, Bukky Wright, Uru Eke, Kalu Ikeagwu and many others were nominated for the 2021 African Film Academy Awards, known as ZAFAA Global Awards, to be hosted in London in November.
Don Chuks Uzochukwu, Executive Director of ZAFAA, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Uzochukwu explained that there were 20 categories for both indigenous and diaspora movies.
He said whoever gets nominations should see himself or herself as making progress in the industry, adding that the nominees will grace the occasion in London.
“We have a total of 44 movies submitted for the 2021 ZAFAA. Out of the 44 movies submitted, 41 qualified and three were disqualified, because they did not meet the quality of movie screen in ZAFAA.
“We have nominations in Best actor category, male and female, Best Supporting Actor (BSA) Male and Female, Best Producer, Director, Editor, Film, Costumer
“For the indigenous category, we have Best Actor (BA) Male and Female, Best Supporting Actor (BSA) Male and Female, Best Child Act, Best Documentary, Best Director, Producer.
“Others under the indigenous category are Best Movie, Best Picture, Best Overall Picture and Best New Comer,” Uzochukwu said.
He started that Kalu Ikeagwu in ‘Boboyani’ (Nigeria), Bernard Poku in ‘Heroes of Africa’ (Ghana), Hamid Maralo in ‘Tangled with the Boss’ (Sierra Leone) and others made the nominations for the BA Male category.
“Yvonne Jegede in ‘Room Hate’ (Nigeria), Karen Simpson in ‘Believe in You’ (Canada), Christiana Kawara in ‘Sinnah’ (Sierra Leone), Uru Eke in ‘For Old Time Sake’ (Nigeria) and Tana Adelana in ‘Daluchi’ (Nigeria) were nominated for the BA Female category.
“Van Vicker in ‘Heroes of Africa’ (Ghana), Emem Ufot in Daluchi (Nigeria) and others are nominated for the BSA Male, while Eucharia Anunobi in For Old Time Sake (Nigeria), Beverly Naya in ‘Believe in you’ (Canada), made it for BSA female.
“For Best Producer, we have Uru Eke for the movie ‘For Old Time Sake’ (Nigeria), Daniel Imasuen for ‘Eva’ (Nigeria), Collins Archie-Pearce for ‘British Expert’ (Sierra Leone), and four others.
“For Best Director, we have Emmanuel Anyaka for ‘Blind is Love’ (Nigeria), Isioro Tokunbo in ‘Believe in You’ (Canada), John-Paul Nwanganga in ‘Utonwa’ (Nigeria), Frank Fiifi in ‘Heroes of Africa’ (Ghana) and others,” he said.
Uzochukwu further said Bukky Wright in ‘Golden Seed’ (Nigeria), Ellen Kyei White in ‘Mary Magdalene’ (Ghana), Chiege Alisigwe in ‘Nne’ (Nigeria), and Peju Ogunmola in ‘Amope Ajabiiji’ (Nigeria) were nominated for the BSA female indigenous.
He said only two actors were nominated for Best New Comers, “Tina Nkeonye Favour in ‘The Seventh Seal’ (Nigeria), and Esther Agunbiade in ‘Eva’ (Nigeria).
“For Best Chikd Act, we have Anaialy Thomas in ‘Divorce’ (UK), Joshua Junaid on ‘Malomo’ (Nigeria), Divine Ismail in ‘Blind is Love’ (Nigeria), and Victoria Onipade in ‘Shot in the Dark (UK),” he said.
He also gave out nominations for other categories that cut across Africa, UK and Canada, adding that voting will commence immediately at www.zafaa.org.
“Please go there and vote for your favourite actors in the different categories”.
He called on movie producers to always submit their movies for screening on time, adding after the 2021 ZAFAA Gobal Award on Nov 28 in London, the organisers will start receiving movies for 2022 ZAFAA from Dec. 1, 2021.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ZAFAA, which is equivalent of American OSCAR Awards, started in 2006. (NAN)