Call for entries for the Africa Movie Academy Awards

Viva Riva

The awards ceremony is televised live around the world and attracts Hollywood celebrities alongside their African counterparts, as well as African politicians and media.

"Our theme this year is Africa Rising," said founder Peace Anyiam-Osigwe. "With the success of last year's AMAA winner, Viva Riva!, all of a sudden there's this great awareness of the possibilities in Africa. It challenged the ideology of what African cinema is all about."

Untapped audience of one billion Africans

After winning six awards at AMAA 2011, Djo Tundawa Munga's Congolese crime drama was released in the US, Canada, Europe, Australasia, and 18 African countries, demonstrating the untapped audience potential of the roughly one billion Africans on the continent.

"This has been an exciting year for African cinema," said Anyiam-Osigwe. "We've also seen the UK release of six Nollywood films, with Lonzo Nzekwe's Anchor Baby and Obi Emelonye's Mirror Boy having extended runs at The Odeon Cinema in England."

Only films produced and released between December, 2010, and December, 2011, are eligible. Features may not exceed 120 minutes and shorts may not be longer than 40 minutes.

Submission forms can be downloaded from www.ama-awards.com

Nominations will be announced in February 2012.