Dry, a film about underage marriages rules the 2016 AMVCAs

#AMVCAsoNaija should have been the in house hashtag leading into the just concluded Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
Not that all the other countries had been shunned, but because we are kind of used to the Nigerian thing at everything fronted as African.
But it wasn’t the case, yes, the show was in Nigeria and they led the nominations table considering the fact that they had almost three categories they were sure of winning in Best Igbo, Yoruba and West African film.
Unlike the past years, the organizers had done their best to be more inclusive nominating films from South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda and of course Nigeria among others.
This obviously meant that the winners’ list was rather diverse and to help promote the diversity, as if they were avoiding a similar backlash that befell them last year, pundits asking them to make the show a Nigerian Film Award where they invite Africa as witnesses.
The Ayanda, a South African drama about a hipster trying to revive her late father’s car garage won numerous awards and so did Dry, a film about underage marriages.
Malawi picked their very first AMVCA gong thanks to Joyce Mhango Chavula’s Lilongwe. While accepting her award, Mhango noted that the nomination and now the award is a special moment for the country’s budding film industry.
Uganda for the first time had more to hope for, House Arrest was a three time nominee in the Best East African Film, Best Lighting Design and Best African Film Overall for House Arrest, however, the film directed by Joseph Sebagala lost all these awards to other people.
Not even Call 112, which was in the same East African category, could beat Kitendewalli.
Dry, aptly the most relevant film of the night won the Best African Film Overall, it was rather hard predicting this since the competition was tight between the Best Director recipient Tell Me a Sweet Something and multiple award winning and global trotting Ayanda.
The award show was also lightened by Ugandan comedian Salvado who we must agree is so good at raising at the occasion.

The 4th Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards that were held at the Eko Hotels in Lagos, Nigeria lived up to everything they were billed to be and more!

There was stunning fashion, top-notch presenters, thrilling performances and of course big winners for the night! Have a look at who walked away with a prestigious AMVCA award this year:

BEST TELEVISION SERIES

WINNER: ARIYIKE OLADIPO – DADDY’S GIRLS



BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES)     

WINNER: FOLARIN FALANA – JENIFA’S DIARY



BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) 

WINNER: DANIEL K. DANIEL – A SOLDIER’S STORY



BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY (MOVIE/TV SERIES)  

WINNER: FUNKE AKINDELE – JENIFA’S DIARY



BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA (MOVIE/TV SERIES) 

WINNER: ADESUA ETOMI – FALLING



BEST MOVIE – SOUTHERN AFRICA 

WINNER: JOYCE MHANGO CHAVULA – LILONGWE



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR    

WINNER: SAMBASSA NZERIBE – A SOLDIER’S STORY



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (MOVIE/TV SERIES)   

WINNER: TUNBOSUN AIYEDIHIN – BEFORE 30



BEST SHORTFILM OR ONLINE VIDEO 

WINNER: OLUSEYI AMUWA – A DAY WITH DEATH



BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE/TV SERIES – YORUBA 

WINNER: ABIODUN JIMOH AND JUMOKE ODETOLA – BINTA OFEGE



BEST MOVIE – WEST AFRICA (DRAMA/COMEDY)

WINNER: CHINNY ONWUGBENU, GENVIEVE NNAJI, CHICHI NWOKO – ROAD TO YESTERDAY



BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE/TV SERIES- IGBO

WINNER: PAUL IGWE – USEKWU IGBO



BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE/TV SERIES – HAUSA

WINNER: SALISU BALARABE – DADIN KOWA



BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE/TV SERIES – SWAHILI  

WINNER: SINGLE MTAMBALIKE – KITENDAWALI



BEST MOVIE – EAST AFRICA

WINNER: ELIZABETH MICHAEL – MAPENZI



BEST OVERALL MOVE

WINNER: STEPHANIE LINUS – DRY



BEST WRITER OF A MOVIE / TV SERIES

WINNER: TRISH MALONE – AYANDA



BEST COSTUME

WINNER: UCHE NANCY – DRY



BEST MAKEUP

WINNER: LOUIZA CAROLE – AYANDA



BEST LIGHTING

WINNER: STANLEY OHIKHUARE – COMMON MAN



BEST DIRECTOR

WINNER: AKIN OMOTOSHO – TELL ME SWEET SOMETHING



BEST PICTURE EDITOR

WINNER: SHIRLEY FRIMPONG – MANSO



BEST DOCUMENTARY

WINNER: REMI VAUGHAN – RICHARDS



BEST ART DIRECTOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

WINNER: FRANK RAJA ARASE – THE REFUGEES



BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

WINNER: PAUL MICHAELSON – TELL ME SOMETHING



BEST SOUND EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES)

WINNER: MARQUEX JOSE GUILLERMO – DRY