The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards have celebrated the best of African film since 2013, and this year marks its tenth edition. In partnership with Multichoice Nigeria, the awards organisers will recognise and honour the best talent in the African film industry at a grand ceremony later this year, following a thrilling three-day ninth edition in 2023.
African filmmakers are invited to submit their movies and films publicly exhibited or broadcast between December 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, for consideration in this year’s edition. The entry portal will open on January 15, 2024, and close on February 14, 2024. All films, made-for-television movies, and television series are eligible, provided they meet the terms and conditions.
The Head of Content and Channels West Africa, MultiChoice – Dr Busola Tejumola – spoke about the upcoming tenth edition, saying, “Over the past decade, Africa Magic has been committed to showcasing authentic African stories, particularly those that reflect our diverse and rich cultures. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, we embark on a bold initiative to review our award categories to better align with global trends and benchmarks. This will involve retiring some categories, streamlining others, and revisiting the voting and non-voting classifications.”
According to Tejumola, the tenth edition will feature 27 categories, including 16 non-voting and 9 audience voting categories, and two Recognition Awards: Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer Awards. The performance awards have been streamlined and will be divided into Best Actor or Best Actress in a Leading or Supporting Role category, with winners determined by a jury rather than the previous audience voting system.
This jury, consisting of experienced filmmakers from across the continent and led by a head juror, will determine the winners in the 16 non-voting categories. In comparison, the public will determine the winners in the remaining 8 audience voting categories. As always, Deloitte will audit the judging process and verify the voting results.
The non-voting categories include Best Lead Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Director, Art Direction, Cinematography, and Costume Design. Additional categories include Best Writing in a Movie and TV Series, Best Movie and TV Series, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Sound Design, Editing, and Makeup.
The public can vote for Best Scripted and Unscripted Africa Magic Original, Best Digital Content Creator, Best Indigenous Language (West, East, and Southern Africa), Best Multichoice Talent Factory Film, and Best Indigenous Africa Magic Original.
Dr Busola Tejumola concluded by saying, “The AMVCAs remains committed to celebrating the incredible talent in the African film and television industry, the amazing people who do the work in front and behind the cameras, and you, our viewers, who continue to support the hard work of the television and film industry. Thank you for being an integral part of the AMVCA journey.”
