THE LOCAL & FLY

There are eight African actresses vying for the 2019 AMAA award for leading actress. This category of the African Movies Academy Award is an exciting one and regardless of who wins, we have a reason to celebrate these eight women. Let’s take a look at each of the nominees, some of which are new and some old to the big screen.

Sheila Munyiva

• Movie: ‘Rafiki’
• Role: Ziki
• Country: Kenya

Sheila Munyiva was partly raised both in London and Nairobi and had visions of being a news anchor. While she was in higher institution studying Mass Communication, she visited a film set with a friend and what she saw sparked her interest in filming. She immediately changed course at school and first went into film production. So, she has mostly been behind the scenes until her role in ‘Rafiki’. Her character is a young lesbian woman whose sexual life is illegal and could land her in jail. We did not see Munyiva or any other actresses from ‘Rafiki’ competing in this category considering that the movie was forbidden from screening in most African nations including its country of origin Kenya. Munyiva has also expressed her support for same-sex relationships and has proven that she possesses a true cinematic presence.

Rita Dominic

• Movie: ‘Light in the Dark’
• Role: ‘Jumoke Arinze’
• Country: Nigeria

This year makes it the fourth time that Rita Dominic is being nominated for the African Movies Academy Award (AMAA) for leading actress. She has previously won the 2012 trophy for her lead role in ‘Shattered’. Many would argue that the movie ‘Light in the Dark‘ came to us a cliche and therefore makes the role she played a bit too old. But a fantastic performance can’t be overlooked. Every moment and every reaction is emotionally brilliant. They particularly send a message to every woman who has ever been in the same position.

Jill Levenberg

• Movie: ‘The Ellen Parkies Story’
• Role: Ellen
• Country: South Africa

Levenberg is more popular as a theatre actress and has been on stage play since age six. Ellen was her first lead role in a movie. To her, the issue portrayed in the film is one that she is sensitive to and really wanted to be among the people who will tell the story. It is one of the many that has never really been told in South Africa. Levenberg brought her character to life with her performance being a real human rights activist herself. To her, it was like she was meant to play the role and she connected with the real Ellen Parkies.

Beatrice Taisamo

• Movie: ‘Futuma’
• Role: Futuma
• Country: Tanzania

Beatrice Taisamo‘s best moments in ‘Futuma’ were those where we see her obviously protecting her daughter from being drawn into an ancient marriage system. She is not the decision-maker in the family like the film tells us, but she manages to protect her daughter and prepare her for a better future. Taisamo’s character is competing with other characters that are almost certainly perfectly portrayed. Even if it’s not the award for the best African actress in a leading role, Futuma does deserve a win at the AMAA Awards this year.

Seyi Shay

• Movie: ‘Lara and the Beat’
• Role: Lara
• Country: Nigeria

Up until now, Seyi Shay has been known and rewarded for her music writing and performing skills. In this coming of age movie, Shay uses her musical talent to give life to her character Lola. Her natural charm makes it easy for her character to flow with the script especially in reclaiming her family’s legacy after her late parents.

Jemima Osunde

• Movie: ‘Delivery Boy’
• Role: Nkem
• Country: Nigeria

Once a good actress, always a good actress. Many of Jemima Osunde’s fans, will argue that she should have won more awards than she has ever been nominated for. Most of her best performances have been in the TV series, ‘Shuga’. But ‘Delivery Boy‘ has gave her an exceptional role that places her on this category of the AMAA Awards.

Sola Sobowale

• Movie: ‘King of Boys’
• Role: Eniola
• Country: Nigeria

Playing the role of a powerful female comes to Sola Sobowale naturally. So when we saw her play the role of Eniola in ‘King of Boys‘, we knew that this is one movie role rightly placed. Nothing can give Sola Sobowale a win more than the role of a strong female lead.

Samantha Mugatsia

• Movie: ‘Rafiki’
• Role: Kena
• Country: Kenya

The ‘Rafiki‘ star has earned recognition from playing the role of Kena in the movie. The role served as a means for her to offer an opinion about the love life of youths in Africa. She also seemed satisfied to have played a role that its primary motive in changing false narratives about Africa. Both Samantha and her co-star Sheila have made an impression on this subject matter that many will remember for the rest of their lives.

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