Golden Movie Awards Africa closes entries for the 2017 edition

Request for submission of films for the 2017 edition of the annual Golden Movie Awards Africa (GMAA) was closed on Thursday May 10, 2017. The deadline for submissions was extended from April 30, 2017 to enable filmmakers across the continent to be able to submit their works for consideration.

GMAA gives the opportunity to African filmmakers from around the world to receive praise, recognition and be awarded for their efforts at telling the African stories to both Africans and the rest of the world during the period under review.

“We are glad to announce that by close of submissions on May 10, 2017 the GMAA had received films from different African countries with 44.8% more entries received this year compared to last year,” said Mimi Andani, Director of Golden Movie Awards Africa.

Entries for this year’s event came from West, East, Central and Southern Africa. Countries from which entries were received include Ghana, Nigeria, Serra Leon, Cameroon, South Africa and Kenya.

According to Mimi Andani, more entries were received from Ghanaian filmmakers than from the other countries. “During the first two GMAA events, Nigeria topped the list of films received, however Ghana has taken over this year with a lot of series and short films,” she mentioned.

The scheme requested films of all genres and lengths with any official language or subtitled in any official language. All films received will be screened and shortlisted by the Selection Committee made based on the awards’ criteria for the consideration of the Grand Jury.

Award winning films in the various categories of the scheme will be chosen based on merit and the content of the films by a jury made up of experienced filmmakers and film industry practitioners of different nationalities. Only films made between 1st January 2016 and 31st January 2017 would be considered for in the 2017 edition of awards.

To make fair and just decisions in its choice for the various winners at the GMAA, the jury will consider relevant African stories, relevant methods of storytelling, technical excellence and other important factors of filmmaking.

At a press launch two weeks ahead of the close of submissions, the Director of the GMAA, Mimi Andani announced that the 2017 edition, which is in its third year, will be held in Accra on July 8, 2017.

The annual GMAA is an initiative by NMJ Ghana and its Ghanaian and international partners to reward excellence in filmmaking on the Africa continent and among Africans in the diaspora.