Ghanaian animator Francis Y. Brown and his studio AnimaxFYB won the Best Animation award at the 2023 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for their film ‘Jabari’.
This makes them the only Ghanaians to win an award this year. Other winners included films from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Rwanda in categories like Best Documentary, Best African Language Film, and Best Visual Effects.
In a Facebook post, Brown thanked the AMAA team for their commitment to celebrating African cinema excellence. He said the win belongs to all of Ghana, as ‘Jabari’ was the sole Ghanaian film selected.
Brown called the achievement remarkable and an honor for Ghana. He reflected on how it shows African animation’s growth, with a single film now representing a nation’s industry.
He urged investors to support the burgeoning but underfunded African animation industry. Brown said the continent has immense talent to make a global mark if given the chance to bridge the revenue gap and tell authentic African stories.
The 2023 AMAA awards ceremony was held on October 29th in Lagos, Nigeria. The annual event promotes and rewards excellence in African cinema, uniting the continent through arts and culture.