By Taiye Olayemi

The board of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) on Friday launched its second coffee table book, to mark and document the 20th anniversary of the continental award ceremony.

The book is entitled “Celebrating African Creativity: The AMAA Journey”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first AMAA coffee book was launched in 2014, entitled “From Dream to Reality: The AMAA Legacy”.

Dr Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, during the book launch in Lagos, said the book captured documentaries of previous editions of AMAA.

Anyiam-Osigwe said this was in commemoration of the 20th edition of AMAA and to celebrate the life and times of AMAA’s founder, late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, as well as other individuals, who have contributed to the awards in no small measure.

“We are not just launching a book but we are celebrating my late sister and founder of AMAA, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, who is no more with us here.

“The coffee table book has captured all the moments of AMAA in the last 20 years for posterity. It is our treasure trove of creative history.

“The coffee table book showcases Africans’ brilliance in film. It showcases the glimpses of Africa’s creative brilliance in films and photography,” he said.

Andy Boyo, renowned filmmaker who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that the book showcased some of the past winners of the award, memorable moments and some of the highlights of each of the editions of the award.

Boyo said the book celebrates the 20- year history of African cinema through illustrations, sketches, prints and photographs.

He described AMAA as a reward platform created by the African Film Academy, an initiative of the Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, to promote professionalism and creative excellence in the business of filmmaking in Africa and the diaspora.

“In the last ten years, the award has evolved from its little beginning with participation from a few countries in West Africa, with filmmakers from 48 countries within and outside Africa as participants.

“In the last five years, AMAA has generated media coverage and global value at over US $20 million, giving sponsors and partners the right to disability and trans-national exposure.

“AMAA has lived up to its Pan-African mission by providing a unique platform for filmmakers and other professionals within the motion picture industry to network for lifelong personal and business relationships.

“In the last ten years, AMAA has become a single, unifying factor for the filmmakers across Africa and the diaspora.

“AMAA now receives entries from English, French, Portuguese, and even Arab-speaking countries in Africa. It has pushed the boundaries of understanding and cooperation among filmmakers,” he said.

Also, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Chairman Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), the keynote speaker for the occasion, harped on the importance of documenting an award ceremony like AMAA.

Ali-Balogun, who paid tribute to the founder of AMAA, said documenting activities around Nigerian cinema was quite important, considering series of technological advancements in the space of filmmaking.

He said through this document, the up-and-coming artistes would be exposed to tangible knowledge.

He said the movement for documentation should go beyond AMAA as other milestone events within the creative industry should also be documented for posterity.

“This is to be cherished forever, the Anyiam-Osigwe family has not allowed history to die within the Nollywood industry. This book should guide us when appraising the industry now and in the future.”

Speaking on improving quality in films, Bond Emeruwa, renowned film director, advised filmmakers to prioritise the quality of their shots, sound and editing.

Zeb Ejiro, legendary filmmaker, said film directors should always take cognisance of the setting of their films, in terms of place and time. (NAN)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Folasade Adeniran