The winners of the 21st edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) were revealed on Sunday night in Lagos, with South Africa’s The Heart Is a Muscle and Burkina Faso’s Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions dominating the ceremony. Both films claimed four awards each, underscoring the growing prominence of African cinema on the continent and beyond.
Directed by Imran Hamdulay, The Heart Is a Muscle took home top honours including Best Film, Best Debut Feature by a Director, Achievement in Cinematography, and Achievement in Editing. Meanwhile, Dani Kouyaté’s Katanga won Best Director, Achievement in Screenplay, Achievement in Costume Design, and the Ousmane Sembene Award for Best Film in an African Language, tying with Hamdulay’s film for the evening’s most wins.
Nigerian cinema was also well represented. Asurf Oluseyi’s pan-African thriller 3 Cold Dishes, executive produced by Burna Boy, captured Achievement in Production Design and the National Film and Video Censors Board Award for Best Nigerian Film. Rising star Ruby Akubueze earned her first AMAA win for Best Young/Promising Actor for her role in the film.
Lisabi: The Uprising, directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, secured two awards: Achievement in Makeup and Best Actor in a Leading Role, awarded to Adedimeji Lateef. Other acting accolades included Florence Mariserena of Uganda for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Small Gods), Tina Mba of Nigeria for Best Supporting Actress (The Serpent’s Gift), and Ghana’s Clement Ashiteye for Best Supporting Actor (Last Stop).
For the first time, Africa Movie Academy Awards introduced a special recognition titled AMAA Connect, celebrating individuals making exceptional contributions in their fields. Honourees included Nigerian dancer Dr. Kaffy, comedian Ali Baba, AFRIMA CEO Mike Dada, Ivorian football legend Didier Drogba, and filmmaker Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen.
Other notable winners included:
- Best Short Film: Lees Waxul (Senegal)]
- Best Animation: My Brother, My Brother (Egypt/France/Germany)
- Best Documentary: Khartoum (Sudan/UK)
- Best Diaspora Narrative Feature: Romeo N Juliet 4EVA (Jamaica)
- Achievement in Soundtrack: Old Righteous Blues (South Africa)
- Achievement in Visual Effects: For Love, For Land, For Power (Ethiopia)
In related news, Burna Boy’s 3 Cold Dishes made an impressive debut at the box office, grossing ₦24.6 million in its opening weekend. The film, spanning Nigeria, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire, tells the gripping story of three women who reunite decades after surviving human trafficking to confront those who exploited them, blending suspense with a pan-African narrative vision.
The 2025 Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony highlighted the richness and diversity of African filmmaking, with awardees spanning multiple countries, genres, and languages, signalling a vibrant year for cinema on the continent.