If your curious about what films are worth watching before the 2016 edition of Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), look no further than the nominated films for the BEST OVERALL MOVIE (AFRICA) category.
From Stephanie Linus inspired true story “Dry” to an inspiring “Ayanda” movie starring OC Ukeje, we’ve rounded up the top Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards nominated films worth seeing before the big night in Lagos, Nigeria.
An inspiring true story of a thirteen-year-old girl, Halima (Zubaida Ibrahim Fagge), whose poor uneducated parents marry her off to Sani (Tijjani Faraga), a 60-year-old man, who constantly rapes her. Halima gets pregnant and suffers Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) after child delivery; she’s consequently abandoned by her husband and discriminated against in the society. Zara (Stephanie Okereke), a medical doctor who also suffered a horrific childhood meets Halima; she tries to help her get through her situation and also save other young women under such circumstance.
Freetown – Adam Abel and Garrett Batty
Freetown is a 2015 film based on a true story about Mormon missionaries in Liberia seeking to escape the Liberian Civil War to safety in Sierra Leone. The filming was done entirely in West Africa.
Ayanda, is a 2015 South African film directed by Sara Blecher. A coming of age story of a twenty one year old Afro hipster, who embarks on a journey of self discovery trying to keep the memory of her father alive, when she’s thrown into a world of greasy overalls, gender stereotypes and abandoned vintage cars in need of a young woman’s re inventive touch who tries to reclaim what would’ve been, what could’ve been. Starring Fulu Muguuhani, OC Ukeje and Jafta Mamabolo.
Tell Me Sweet Something – Akin Omotosho
TELL ME SWEET SOMETHING tells the story of Moratiwa, an aspiring writer who owns and runs a bookstore in the heart of Johannesburg. The bookstore, like her love life, is not experiencing much success. This all changes when she meets and falls in love with the unlikeliest candidate in the world, Nat, a male model, who has never read a book in his life and is desperate to be loved for his mind not his body. Against the odds, they become romantically involved but then Sashi, Nat’s now pregnant ex-girlfriend, shows up and sets off a chain of romantic complications into motion.
TELL ME SWEET SOMETHING also stars Kagiso Lediga (Blitz Patrollie), Thomas Gumede (Otelo Burning), Thembi Seete (Hijack Stories), Mandisa Bardill (Man On Ground) and Thishiwe Ziqubu (Man On Ground).
Road To Yesterday – Ishaya Bako
Road To Yesterday is a 2015 Nigerian road romantic drama film directed by Ishaya Bako. It stars Genevieve Nnaji and Oris Erhuero in lead roles, with Majid Michel and Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah in supporting roles. The film, which is co-produced by Genevieve Nnaji, is the actress’ first effort as a producer.
Road to Yesterday tells the story of an estranged married couple, hoping to mend their strained marriage whilst on a road trip to a relative’s funeral.
What are the chances that an orphaned teenager living on the streets of Accra, can claw her way out of poverty without selling out? In the movie set in squalors of Accra, Jocelyn played as Ajoa and her kayayoo friends struggle to make a living while shrugging off city authorities bent on beautifying the city by eliminating these sprawling representatives of poverty. –
Ajoa by some twist of fate claws her plight into the conscience of the elite son of the Speaker of Parliament, Bruce played by Nigerian actor Enyinna Nwigwe. Initially reluctant, he goes out of his way to lift the wretched head porter out of crushing weight of lack so that Ajoa can now live some distance away from the poverty and want she has known all her life.
Although jobless, she can now wear fancy clothes, eat good food and sleep without fear of mosquitoes or masked robbers and rapists. But businessman Bruce in pulling out the street girl may have pulled her a little too far, as Ajoa gets lodged into a place in his heart, setting off a drama that rips through deep friendships, expectant fiancés, big business and Bruce’s own prospects as heir. You would have thought that this is one Cinderella story but you would be wrong, as Juliet Asante employs some tact and creativity that leaves you pondering the fate of five great cast members.
House Arrest – Joseph Kenneth Ssebaggala
The film is about a young woman Alice Kigozi (played by Faridah Farshee Kuteesa), who killed her unfaithful, abusive and violent husband Henry Kigozi (William Ndawula) in self-defence.
Alice then has to fight off her co-wife Viola (Diana Nabatanzi) for the wealth left behind by their late husband. Crafty Viola deploys witchcraft and Alice has to find her way around it only to discover Henry’s dark secrets and memories of her troubled marriage haunt her. She fights to send back Henry’s ghost where it belongs.
House Arrest, directed by Joseph Kenneth Ssebaggala further tells the story of how Alice fights to regain her normal life — she even falls in love with James (Jackira Suudi), her worker at the audit firm she co-owned with her husband.
According to Ssebaggala, Alice represents the world of strong hardworking women, who share their efforts in building family businesses with their partners, and in return, they will never stand to see their efforts cheated away.
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