Local movie gets AMVCA nomination
A local film The Beautiful Hen Behind Yao Mountain has won African Magic Movie Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) nomination for the best movie in southern Africa.
The film, written and produced by Imraan Shabaan, will compete against Namibia’s Kukuri by Philippe Talavera, Zambia’s Dalitso by Abraham Kabwe and Kwacha by Cassie Kabwita for the southern Africa’s prestigious film award.
The nominees for the eighth edition of the AMVCA were announced last Friday and it is now open to public voting. However the Malawian film has been nominated is a non-public voting category where winners will be determined by a panel of judges.
The film is a tragic love story set in Yao land where a young man Amadu falls in love with a beautiful Asuwena. When she falls pregnant, he discovers that she is actually his half-sister.
The film was released last July and it has so far been screened in 27 film festivals across the world.
Shabaan, in an interview, expressed excitement that his film has received the nomination.
He said: “This shows that Malawi has beautiful stories that we can tell.”
Shabaan said he is aware that competition will be tough, but he is hopeful of winning the award.
The director of Young Travelers Theatre has experience in both film and stage acting. The group was recently in the limelight after performing Bakili’s Wit which was written by Smith Likongwe.
Multichoice Malawi managing director Gus Banda said it is pleasing that, for the second time in three years, a Malawian film has been nominated at the AMVCA.
“As Multichoice Malawi we are proud with what our compatriots are doing. Filmmaking is critical to our nation as it allows us to tell the world about our culture, experiences and traditions,” he said.
AMVCA is presented by Multichoice Africa annually, since 2013, to recognise outstanding achievements in television and film. Malawian filmmakers Joyce Mhango-Chavula won awards in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
