AMAA 2023: Keith Shiri Gets Reappointed As Jury President

Keith Shiri has been reappointed as the President of the Jury for the 19th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

The Zimbabwean-born but UK-based international film curator and programme advisor to several international film festivals presided over the 12-man board of international jurors for the awards in 2022.

He returns to lead the other respected curators, renowned filmmakers, and critics who make up the AMAA jury. They will decide the nominees and eventual winners in the 26 categories of the 2023 AMAAs, scheduled to be held in Lagos in October 2023.

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Announcing on behalf of the board of the Africa Film Academy (AFA), the organisers of the AMAA, Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe said, “We are very excited to welcome Keith Shiri back as President of Jury for 2023. AMAA has a tradition where Jurors have an opportunity to preside over the jury for two editions running. So we are sustaining that tradition by further extending the tenure of Keith Shiri, who is a founding juror at the AMAA and a promoter of African art and film as the president of the AMAA 2023 Jury. Keith’s experience and vast knowledge of African films which has spanned over three decades coupled with his expertise which has seen him serve in different international organisations made him a great fit for this position…”

Reacting to the news of his reappointment, Shiri, who is presently curating the Icons of the Africa Centre Series for the legendary London-based cultural institution, thanked the AFA board for his reappointment.

He also noted that it is sad that he will be presiding over a jury in the first edition without the founder and CEO, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe. In his words, “I don’t know what to say, but of course, it is rather sad to preside over this first edition without our CEO, founder, and sister, Peace Ogechi Marie Anyiam-Osigwe. But we have an award to deliver, and deliver we must.”

Members of the AMAA jury include international film curator and programmer for the Berlin International Film Festival Dorothee Wenner, film curator and archivist June Giviani, Burkinabe-Swiss-born filmmaker Berni Goldblat, ambassador and former Burkina Faso Minister of Culture Phillipe Savadego, and filmmaker John Akomfrah.

The jury will sort through the 368 entries received so far for this year’s award. According to Dr Shaibu Husseini, the selection committee chairman, the nominations will be announced on September 20, 2023.