“Run Baby Run” Shines at the African Movie Academy (AMA)Awards

Ghanaian hit comedy, ‘Run Baby Run’, runs away with four AMA Awards. In spite of Nigeria’s prodigious influence on the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), at least I can say that the academy is a bit fair when it comes to the selection of winners. After seeing the premiere of Run Baby Run in Accra early last year, I fell in love with the story, cinematography and the acting so I wasn’t surprised when the movie won the award for Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Screen Play at the 2008 AMAA. Run Baby Run is a humorous movie about the emerging menace of drug trade in Ghana and its influence on family and society. It tells the story about a young boy who decided to sell several kilos of cocaine that he found in his younger sister’s bag which was accidentally switched at a British airport. The twists that unfolded after he returned to Ghana were simply thrilling and often very amusing. It certainly deserved every one of the awards. Run Baby Run wasn’t the only non-Nigerian winner; ‘Princess Tyra’ from Ghana won for Best Costume and Best Make-up; and special Divizions Mugisha Donald of Uganda took the Special Jury Prize (whatever that is). In terms of African representation, AMAA 2008 had several more Ghanaian stars on hand just like the South African contingent and the Ugandans, making the event a little bit more of an African event. Of course all the awards for actors went to the Nigerians (no surprises here). Ace comic actor Nkem Owoh aka ‘Osoufia’ got the Best Actor nod for his role in the ‘Jury of the Academy’. Interestingly, Kate Henshaw Nuttal , Owoh’s co-star in the movie was named the Best Actress. It seems that AMAA 2008 was a big night for comedy. Here is the full list of winners: Best Indigenous Actor Iranse Aje Adebayo Tijani (Nigeria) Best Child Actor Evelyn Addo (Nina) In Run Baby Run (Ghana) Most Outstanding Actress Indigenous Doris Simeon -Onitemi (Nigeria) Most Outstanding Actor Indigenous Ayo Akinwale -Iranse Aje (Nigeria) Best Actress Lead Kate Henshaw Nuttal - Stronger Than Pain (Nigeria) Best Actor Lead Nkem Owoh - Stronger Than Pain (Nigeria) Best Male Supporting Emeka Ossai - Check Point (Nigeria) Best Female Supporting Joke Silva - White Water (Nigeria) Best Upcoming Actress Uju Okeke - Mission To No Where (Nigeria) Best Upcoming Actor (Joint Winners) O.C Ukeje and Hoodsunk - White Water (Nigeria) Best Art Direction New Jerusalem Ifeanyi I Onyeabor (Nigeria) Best Picture Run Baby Run Emmanuel Apea and Julia Apea (Ghana) Best Screenplay Run Baby Run Emmanuel Apea (Ghana) Best Editing Divizions Mugisha Donald (Uganda) Best Special Effects Across The Niger (Nigeria) Best Music Mirror of Beauty- Okey Okoh (Nigeia) Best Director Emmanuel Apea for Run Baby Run (Ghana) Best Costumes Samira Yakubu for Princess Tyra (Ghana) Best Sound New Haven Studio for White Water (Nigeria) Best Cinematography Chigozie Nzonwanne for White Water (Nigeria) Best Make Up Joyce Mensah for Princess Tyra (Ghana) Heart of Africa Award Across The Niger (Nigeria) Best Documentary Do You Believe In Magic? By Daniel Roth (South Africa / USA) Best Documentary (Short) Not My Daughter (Ghana) Special Jury Prize Divizions Mugisha Donald (Uganda) There were no winners in these categories; Best Film by African in Diaspora, Best Short (Drama) and Best Animation. It is my hope that next year there will be submissions and winners for these categories and of course less Nigerian winners. I wonder what Angela Bassett, special guest of honour thought about the awards. Certainly she would know a few Africans in the Diaspora who deserved an award for last year. LOL!