For the second year running, Ghanaian film maker, Leila Djansi made a huge impression on the Africa Movie Academy by receiving multiple nominations for the 2011 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). Unlike the previous year when she topped the list of nominations; this year, she comes a close second to Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s ‘Viva Riva’ from Congo. Leila’s widely acclaimed ‘Sinking Sands’,  a psychological drama about a love affair that turns into  a relationship full of abuse, received 9 nominations  including Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Cinematography and others.

‘Viva Riva’ received 11 nominations.  It is a crime thriller about a nasty gang war ignited by a fuel crisis in Congo, a breathless story of the rise and fall of Riva, a Congolese smuggler who makes a fortune overnight and is hunted down in Kinshasa. Kinshasa is a city of silky smooth and pulsating nightlife, always ready to go on forever. The happy few who have it all live the high life, never looking back on those who have nothing and live in envy, dreaming of their turn as kings and queens of the night.

Riva is one of those dreamers who had nothing, until he returned from ten years away with pockets full of cash and determined to have the time of his life. With his old pal, J.M., he sets out for a night of drink, dance and debauchery. Queen of the night, mysterious, distant beauty, Nora’s dance transfixes Riva. No matter that she belongs to a local gangster, Riva must have her. The money Riva is spending belongs to his old boss in Angola, who, in hot pursuit, wreaks bloody havoc every step of his way through town to find Riva. The dream becomes a nightmare, as Riva suffers the cold light of day – and his glory time runs out in a sordid pit on the edge of town.

Other movies that received multiple nominations include Hopevile, Aramatou, Soul boy among others.  There  is also a keen competition for the Best Actor in Leading Role nod between Themba Ndaba (Hopeville), Patsha Bay (Viva Riva), Jimmy Jean-Louis (Sinking Sands), Ekow Blankson  (Checkmate)and

Antar Laniyan (Yemoja).  The Best Actress in Leading Role race is between Idiat Shobande (Aramotu)

Omoni Oboli (Anchor Baby), Manie Malone (Viva Riva),Ama K. Abebrese (Sinking Sands), Denise Newman (Shirley Adams).

The entry from new African countries into the scheme; and the conspicuous absence of the names of the popular faces in the leading Actor and actress categories reflects the new frontier theme for the 2011 AMAA scheduled for Saturday, March 26 in Nigeria.

Below is the full list of nominees:

Best Short Film

BOUGFEN – PETRA BANINLA SUNJO (CAMEROUN)

WEAKNESS – WANJIRU KAIRU (KENYA)

NO JERSEY NO MATCH – DANIEL ADEMINOKAN (NIGERIA)

DUTY – MAK KUSARE (NIGERIA)

BONLAMBO – ZWE LESIZWE NTULI (SOUTH AFRICA)

ZEBU AND THE PHOTOFISH – ZIPPORAH NYARORI (KENYA)

DINA – MICKEY FONSECA (MOZAMBIQUE)

ALLAHKABO – BOUNA CHERIF FOFANA (TOGO)

Best Short Documentary

SYMPHONY KINSASHA – DIENDO HAMADI & DINTA WA LUSULA (CONGO)

NAIJA DIAMOND (Feature on Dr. Rahmat Mohammed) – NFORM LEONARD (NIGERIA)

AFTER THE MINE – DIENDO HAMADI & DINTA WA LUSULA (DRC)

STEPPING INTO THE UNKNOWN – ROWENA ALDOUS & JILL HANAS-HANCOCK (SOUTH AFRICA)

YEABU’S HOMECOMING – JENNY CHU (SIERRALEONE)

Best Documentary

KONDI ET LE JEUDI NATIONALE – ARIANA ASTRID ATODJI (CAMEROUN)

HEADLINES IN HISTORY – ZOBBY BRESSON (KENYA)

CO-EXIST – ADAM MAZO (RWANDA)

STATE OF MIND- DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA (CONGO)

NAIJA DIAMONDS- NFROM LEONARD (NIGERIA)

Best Diaspora Feature

SUICIDE DOLLS – KEITH SHAW (USA)

TESTED – RUSSELL COSTANZO (USA)

NOTHING LESS-WAYNE SAUNDERS (UK)

THE VILLAGE -WAYNE SAUNDERS (UK)

Best Diaspora Documentary

STUBORN AS A MULE – MILLER BARGERON JR & ARCELOUS DEIELS (USA)

MOMENTUM- ZEINABU IRENE DAVIS (USA)

IF NOT NOW – LOUIS HAGGART (USA)

MOTHERLAND – OWEN ALIK SHAHADAH (USA)

CHANGEMENT – CHIARA CAVALLAZI (ITALY)

Best Diaspora Short Film

CYCLE- ROY CLOVIS (USA)

UNDER TOW – MILES ORION FELD (USA)

HABITUAL AGGRESSION – TEMI OJO (USA)

LITTLE SOLDIER – DALLAS KING (USA)

THE NEW N WORD – SOWANDE TICHAWONNA (USA)

PRECIPICE – JULIUS AMEDUME (UK)

Best Film for African Abroad

ANCHOR BABY – LONZO NZEKWE (NIGERIA/CANADA)

IN AMERICA: THE STORY OF THE SOUL SISTERS- RAHMAN OLADIGBOLU (NIGERIA/USA)

MIRROR BOY – OBI EMELONYE (NIGERIA/UK)

AFRICA UNITED – DEBS GARDNER-BROOK (RWANDA/UK)

Best Production Design

TANGO WITH ME

VIVA RIVA

HOPEVILLE

6 HOURS TO CHRISTMAS

MAAMI

Best Costume Design

INALE

YEMOJA

SINKING SANDS

ARAMOTU

ELMINA

Best Make Up

INALE

SINKING SANDS

A PRIVATE STORM

VIVA RIVA

A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT

Best Soundtrack

VIVA RIVA

AFRICA UNITED

IZULU LAMI

INALE

A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT

Best Visual Effects

ARAMOTU

NANI

WHO OWNS DA CITY

INALE

A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT

Best Achievement in Sound

SINKING SANDS

SHIRLEY ADAMS

IZULU LAMI

VIVA RIVA

TANGO WITH ME

Best Cinematography

SINKING SANDS

MAAMI

IZULU LAMI

HOPEVILLE

VIVA RIVA

Best Screenplay

SOUL BOY

SINKING SANDS

HOPEVILLE

SHIRLEY ADAMS

IZULU LAMI

Best Nigerian Film

MAAMI – TUNDE KELANI

ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI

TANGO WITH ME – MAHMOOD ALI- BALOGUN

INALE – JETA AMATA

A PRIVATE STORM – LANCELOT ODUWA IMASEUN/IKECHUKWU ONYEKA

Best Film in African Language

ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI (NIGERIA)

IZULU LAMI – MADODA NCAYIYANA (SOUTH AFRICA)

SOUL BOY- HAWA ESSUMAN (KENYA)

SUWI – MUSOLA CATHERINE KASEKETI (ZAMBIA)

FISHING THE LITTLE STONE – KAZ KASOZI (UGANDA)

Best Child Actor

SOBAHLE MKHABASE (THEMBI), TSCHEPANG MOHLOMI (CHILI-BITE) AND SIBONELO MALINGA(KHWEZI) – IZULU LAMI

ERIYA NDAYAMBAJE- DUDU IN AFRICA UNITED

JORDAN NTUNGA- ANTO IN VIVA RIVA

AYOMIDE ABATTI- YOUNG KASHI IN MAAMI

BENJAMIN ABEMIGISHA- ZEBU IN ZEBU AND THE PHOTOFISH

SHANTEL MWABI- BUPE IN SUWI

Best Young Actor

YVES DUSENGE (CHILD SOLDIER) AND ROGER NSENGIYUMUA (FOOTBALLER)- AFRICA UNITED

SAMSON ODHIAMBO AND LEILA DAYAN OPOU – SOUL BOY

EDWARD KAGUTUZI – MIRROR BOY

DONOVAN ADAMS – SHIRLEY ADAMS

JUNIOR SINGO – HOPEVILLE

Best Actor in Supporting Role

OSITA IHEME – MIRROR BOY

HOJI FORTUNA – VIVA RIVA

MPILO VUSI KUNENE – A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT

JOHN DUMELO – A PRIVATE STORM

DESMOND DUBE- HOPEVILLE

Best Actress in Supporting Role

MARY TWALA – HOPEVILLE

JOYCE NTALABE – THE RIVALING SHADOW

MARLENE LONGAGE- VIVA RIVA

TINA MBA -TANGO WITH ME

YVONNE OKORO – POOL PARTY

Best Actor in Leading Role

THEMBA NDABA – HOPEVILLE

PATSHA BAY -VIVA RIVA

JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS – SINKING SANDS

EKON BLANKSON – CHECKMATE

ANTAR LANIYAN – YEMOJA

Best Actress in Leading Role

IDIAT SHOBANDE -ARAMOTU

OMONI OBOLI- ANCHOR BABY

MANIE MALONE – VIVA RIVA

AMA K. ABEBRESE- SINKING SANDS

DENISE NEWMAN -SHIRLEY ADAMS

Best Director

SOUL BOY – HAWA ESSUMAN

SHIRLEY ADAMS – OLIVER HERMANUS

VIVA RIVA – DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA

ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI

A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT – JAHMAIL. X. T QUBEKA

SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI

Best Film

VIVA RIVA – DJO TUNDA WA MUNGA (CONGO)

SINKING SANDS – LEILA DJANSI (GHANA)

ARAMOTU – NIJI AKANNI (NIGERIA)

SOUL BOY – HAWA ESSUMAN (KENYA)

HOPEVILLE – JOHN TRENGOVE (SOUTH AFRICA)

A SMALL TOWN CALLED DESCENT – JAHMIL X.T QUBEKA (SOUTH AFRICA)