Frank Rajah breaks silence on AMAA 2018

Movie director Frank Rajah Arase has been adjudged best director at the 2018 edition of the prestigious African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) held in Kigali last weekend.

He beat a long list of other influential African directors, some of whom are Oscar nominees to win the award. They include Jade Osiberu, Michael Mathews, Safia Djama, Oluseyi Siwoku, Shemu Joyah, Darrell Roodt, Akin Omotosho, Peter Kofi Sedufia and Kenneth Gyang. Frank won with the movie, ‘In My Country’.

In a statement, he described his win as a “very loud one.”

He said he is even more honoured and proud to pick the award because of the jury of the AMAAs which “comprises some of the most formidable film critics, curators, academics and film festival founders on the continent, nay, the world. Several of them are jurors on the boards of the most renowned film festivals in the world. They’ve written texts on African film that are veritable sources for research and have received high acclaim for their personal works in cinema.”

“It is, therefore, difficult to fault their judgment on film. More so, they have never pandered to Nigeria which is the founding and most times host nation of AMAA. As several times, filmmakers from Kenya, Congo and far-flung African countries have won in categories with Nollywood nominees,” he said.

“I’m grateful to AMAA for organising an award that adds a wonderful feather on the cap of African filmmakers. I’m grateful to Peace Anyiam-Osigwe for the vision to have found this great event and to have stayed the course through the years. I’m grateful to my team, the superb crew and indefatigable cast for bringing a hundred percent of their A-game,” he added.

Frank is currently one of Africa’s renowned directors who has directed over 50 movies both in Ghana and Nigeria. He is also known as the father of the new generation of Ghanaian actors like Majid Michel, Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Okoro, Nadia Buari, John Dumelo, Yvonne Nelson, Van Vicker, Martha Ankomah, Juliet Ibrahim and a host of others.

He has won several awards, including Best African In Drama at 2014 Africa Magic Viewers Awards (AMVCA), Best African Film Art Director (AMVCA 2016), Best African Film Director at Nollywood African Critic’s awards (NAFCA 2011) USA, Best African Film Director, Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards (GIAMA 2012) USA, Best African Film Director at Zulu African Film Awards (ZAFA 2011) London and a host of others.