AFA reappoints film curator Keith Shiri as lead jury for AMAA 2023

Africa Film Academy (AFA), the organisers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), has re-appointed Keith Shiri as jury president for its 19th edition.

Shiri, who is a Zimbabwean-born international film curator and programme advisor, presided over the 12-man board of international jurors of the awards in 2022.

In a statement on Sunday, the award organisers said Shiri will decide the nominees and winners in the 26 categories of the 19th AMAA scheduled to be held in October 2023.

AFA said Shiri is to work with other renowned filmmakers and critics to preside over the jury.

It said members of the AMAA jury include the programmer for the Berlin International Film Festival Dorothee Wenner, film curator June Giviani, and filmmaker Berni Goldblat.

Also included are the former Burkina Faso minister of culture Phillipe Savadego and filmmaker John Akomfrah.

Others are former commissioner of culture in Lagos Steve Ayorinde, award-winning filmmaker Charles Brunnet, and the creative industry expert Shaibu Husseini.

Also included are the executive director of the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in LA Asentewa Olatunji, co-founder of PAFF Ayoku Babu, and former MD of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) Hyginus Ekwuazi”.

Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, who spoke on behalf of AFA, said the re-appointment of Keith as president of this year’s jury is to maintain AMAA’s tradition of allowing jurors of the awards to preside over two editions.

“Recall that Hon. Steve Ayorinde was jury President for the 2020 and 2021 editions,” he said.

“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 3 decades coupled with his expertise which has seen him serve in different international organisations made him a great fit for this position.

“We look forward to continuing our strong ties with the board of jurors at the academy under his leadership as president of the Jury.”

Shiri is a consultant on film business development for the International Trade Centre (ITC), an agency of the United Nations.

He was a member of the Berlinale World Cinema Fund and a trainer for Esodoc/EU (European social documentary) from 2004 to 2007.

Shiri also served as an advisor for the EU-ACP programme for the ACP cinema and on the advisory board of New York’s Focus Features Africa First Programme, which supported young African filmmakers through mentorship.

Nominations for AMAA 2023 will be announced on September 20, while the award ceremony will take place in Lagos on October 29.