Massive Recognition for Nollywood at 17th Abuja Film

The 17th edition of Abuja International Film Festival has been held with laurels awarded in 15 categories to deserving filmmakers.

The festival attracted hundreds of filmmakers and movie enthusiasts around the world.

In her opening remark, Temitope Duker, the festival director explained that the recently-held event was more remarkable because “it will go down in history as the year many festivals shifted from physical film festivals to virtual.”

While analyzing the film entries received for the awards, Duker who’s also a filmmaker, informed that over 600 entries were received with 92 selected for screening and 42 nominated for possible awards.

The 92 films which were produced in different genres, according to Duker, were screened virtually from Monday, November 9, to Friday, November 13, 2020.

Below is the list of the winners:

1. OUTSTANDING EXPERIMENTAL FILM
   • SOCIAL COMMENT – NIGERIA
   • CALL ME NEGHUIHO – CAPE VERDE
2. OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (NIGERIA)
   • DARK – MOSES IPADEOLA
3. OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM (FOREIGN)
   • DEFINE DELPHINE – BRAZIL
4. OUTSTANDING FEATURE FILM (NIGERIA)
5. DRAWING STRENGTH – DIMBO ATIYA
6. MUDDLED – BEST OKODUWA
7. OUTSTANDING FEATURE FILM (FOREIGN)
8. MAD HOUSE – GHANA
9. OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FILM
   • WOMEN HOLD UP THE SKY AFRICAN – SOUTH AFRICA
   • MOTHER NATURE MANIFESTATION – KENYA
10. OUTSTANDING STUDENT FILM
    • THE HONORABLE – NIGERIA
11. OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR
    • CHRIS OKAGBUE – DRAWING STRENGTH – NIGERIA
    • GODDIZ FONGWA – SAVING MBANGO – CAMEROON
12. OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTRESS
    • SOPHIE ALAKIJA – DRAWING STRENGTH – NIGERIA
13. OUTSTANDING FILM IN DIRECTING
    • DIMBO ATIYA – DRAWING STRENGTH –NIGERIA
14. OUTSTANDING FILM IN MUSIC SCORE
    • THE DEVOTED – HUNGARY
15. VIRTUAL AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
    • LAST REQUEST – NIGERIA
16. FESTIVAL MENTION PRIZE FOR NARRATIVE
    • THE KING WITH NO CULTURE – GHANA
17. AIFF GOLDEN JURY PRIZE
    • DRAWING STRENGTH – NIGERIA