NMJ Ghana and its Africa partners, the Golden Movie Awards –Africa, launched the maiden edition of the Golden Movie Awards (GMA) at a short ceremony and media event at the UNAIDS Office in Accra back in February.
GMA is a scheme that seeks to honour individuals in the African movie industry who have impacted and excelled greatly in the movie world under the year of review, and who have also embarked on humanitarian works throughout their countries.
It also seeks to influence the movie industry for great standards, to throw light on individuals and firms yearly by celebrating them. It is also an award scheme that seeks to build and grow the stakeholders through its capacity building programmes and activities with its partners.

Before he officially launched the awards, Mr Girmay Haile, UNAIDS Ghana Country Director described the idea of having all the winners produce an HIV-themed movie as a “noble idea’.Categories to be awarded are Golden Supporting Actor, Golden Supporting Actress, Golden Actor In A Drama, Golden Actor In A Comedy, Golden Actress In Drama, Golden Actor In Comedy, Golden Actor In A TV Series, Golden Actress In A TV Series, Golden Movie Drama, Golden Movie Comedy, Golden Writer Drama (TV/Movie),Golden Writer comedy (TV/Movie),Golden Cinematography (TV/Movie),Golden Documentary, Golden Short Film, Golden Discovery Actor, Golden Discovery Actress, Golden Promising Actor, Golden Promising Actress and Golden Favourite Actor.

Below are the members that make up the Grand Jury…

JIM FARA AWINDOR

Jim Fara Awindor is a Senior Lecturer at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), who has taught various film courses at NAFTI for the past twenty years. He is a writer, an endogenous development researcher and filmmaker whose works have won him some international awards. Fara’s exposure to film education has illuminated his understanding of the complexities inherent in film educational theory and practice in Africa where the socio-cultural world views and identity of most students has become an inverted mirror of western Eurocentric identity. His quest to assert distinctively an African educational discourse in film training has brought him closer to understanding certain theoretical and pedagogical practices that are at variance with African socio-ethical thought. Fara believes that Africans should be able to tell their own stories and that they can only do this when they understand the socio-cultural frameworks of their environment or from which they emanate. Fara has written several papers on various film topics, which includes, Ousman Sembene: The Aurthur; African Cinema, a Social and Political Force; Trans-disciplinary Methods in Documentary Film-making; Audio-Visual Archiving in Ghana. Fara Awindor has contributed immensely to curricular and to the learning environment at NAFTI and currently teaches documentary film-making and developing story ideas for both fiction and non-fiction films.

AMBA MPOKE-BIGG

AMBA MPOKE-BIGG

Amba Mpoke-Bigg is a journalist, communications and Public Relations expert who is passionate about national development and communications. She has worked for the Associated, Press covering seven countries in west and central Africa, served as West Africa Bureau Chief for DowJones Newswires and has worked as a media consultant to UNICEF and UNAIDS in Ghana. In her work she has always sought to tell the women’s story. Amba holds an LLB (Hons) degree from the University Of Ghana and is currently pursuing a MA in Communications for Development from Malmo University in Sweden. Amba loves feature story writing and blogs on the arts in Ghana in her spare time. She acts as Creative Director for Sankusem, an NGO dedicated to improving and presenting performance, written and oral arts and film, through inter-cultural exchange.

FRED KYEI MENSAH

FRED KYEI MENSAH

Fred Kyei Mensah is a veteran sound editor and a reverend Entertainment analyst on various radio stations in Ghana and has been in the creative arts industry/business for over three decades. He has served on numerous award boards and has worked with both local and international performers in the music and film industry. He was also called upon to lecture a group of people at a capacity building seminar organised by British Council on “sound in film”

ALFRED ELIKEM KUNUTSOR

ALFRED ELIKEM KUNUTSOR

Alfred Elikem Kunutsor is a Performance Studies lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University Of Ghana Legon. He has an MA and BA in Dramatic Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand South Africa. He is a Director, Performer, Choreographer and Designer. He has lectured in the Wits school of the Arts and has performed in a wide range of works. Some of his recent directorial works are The Versatile show, High School Musical, Lion King and Artistic director for Prince of Egypt. In addition to lecturing, he currently has been adding his voice to developing children’s drama in schools, investigating, exploring and encouraging the role of performance in child education.

NANA MICHAELS DZIKUNU

NANA MICHAELS DZIKUNU

Nana Michaels Dzikunu is a marketing driven executive with professional education at the University of Professional studies and a short course certificate from GIMPA and currently at the University of Ghana. He has worked as a Marketing Manager for the UK cider brand Frosty Jacks in Ghana. A marketing Consultant at MkBrandz, a branding and marketing Solution Company in Ghana and a managing partner at NMJ Ghana .He also has worked in some major advertising firms in Ghana, with a strong passion for the creative arts in general, he comes on board as the youngest board member with vast knowledge in Film.

GRACE OMABOE

GRACE OMABOE

Grace Omaboe’s contribution to the entertainment industry in Ghana is immeasurable. Everyone has a way of describing and remembering her. Some might recognize her through the Obra group in Akan Drama on GTV (Then GBC TV), by the fire side, old movies and present ones including a talk show “Odo ne asomdwie” on Choice FM and later on the Metro TV. She is also a Human Right Advocate. Call her Ghana’s answer to Oprah Winfrey and you definitely not far from the truth. Grace Omaboe burst onto the acting stage when she first featured in the well acclaimed Television drama series, “Keteke” on GTV. Playing the role of a Kenkey seller at a Railway Station with David Dontoh as “Ghana man”, she developed into a versatile playwright from there. At a point when the issues portrayed in “Keteke” outgrew the boundaries of the Railway Station, Maame Dokono moved on to form the “Obra” Theatre group whose “Obra” Series on GTV did tremendously well, focusing on a wider aspect of societal issues than Keteke, which it replaced.She has featured in numerous movies across the continent.Grace Omaabo is an award winning actress and producer.

SOCRATES SAFO

SOCRATES SAFO

Socrates Safo is Chief Executive officer of the movie Africa productions house over the years have earned himself as the most contentious not only in Ghana but Africa as a whole. He is a pioneer in the movie making business in Ghana and has produced and directed over ten movies. He has served on different award boards as a jury member. He is also an Entertainment analyst on many platforms across Ghana and has been in the film industry for decades with a producing and directorial skills.

LAURENE MANAA ABDULLAH

LAURENE MANAA ABDULLAH

Laurene Manaa Abdallah She is a long time Editing lecturer at the National Film and a part-time lecturer at New York University in Ghana and the University of Cape Coast. Laurene holds an High National Diploma in Film & TV, from the National film and Telvision Institute, MFA in Cinema and TV from EICAR, Paris France, Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Winneba, Certificate from Radio Netherlands Training Center, Avid certified editor, CIFAP France, Certificate in Audio Dubbing and Visual Archiving. CIFAP In the past she has worked on a various productions in various capacity, her core strengths being Production Management and Editing. She has edited lots of productions, including Whose Afraid of Ngugi? By Manthia Diawara, Stef, Perfection and As the days went by, short films which have all screened at the Cannes Film Festival. As an event producer, she has worked as Assistant Festival Director Accra Francophone film Festival, organized by the Institut Francias and the French Embassy, which is in 3rd edition, Real Life Documentary Film Festival, organized by Ka’Yelema and New York University. During her time at Content Vault she has worked on various projects, Project Managing Vodafone Icons and 020 Live, one of the main projects of Vodafone Ghana. Worked with Mobile Content, MannMade Media, MTV, Big Friday Show, MTV Shell Talent Hunt, MTV Akon Tictac music video, Production Manager TV Game for Txt Ghana, Director/Editor Ghana @50 Reflections. Fluent in English and 4 local dialects, with a good command of French.

REX-ANTHONY ANNAN

REX-ANTHONY ANNAN

A consummate creative arts professional with over a decade of experience in media, advertising, public relations, television production and filmmaking. He is passionate about the use of film in telling stories and preserving our culture. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English & Marketing, Diploma in Communication Studies and is an accredited member of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana. Currently he is the Executive Director of Accra Film School and the Chief Executive of Brandpower International, a marketing communications company.

OFIE OFUATEY-KODJOE

OFIE OFUATEY-KODJOE

Ofie Ofuatey-Kodjoe She is the C.E.O. of Onyx Management Group, an event and production management. company; and sits on the boards of One Nation Entertainment, a music management company and Excelsis Solutions, a corporate training and management consulting firm based in Accra Ghana. Ms. Ofuatey-Kodjoe has extensive experience with financial, legal, hospitality and the entertainment sectors. In her tenure as Director at Black Entertainment Television (BET), she had the sole responsibility of procuring, planning and organising the production and event management for the organisation. This included various special event productions including the BET Awards; the BET HIP HOP Awards; BET Celebration of Gospel; BET Spring Bling; Bobby Jones Gospel and various other on-air productions. She was also responsible for budgeting, travel &expense, and travel policy enforcement processes. Ofie was born in New York where she pursued her tertiary education but attended Aburi Girls Secondary.

ALBERT BOATENG-BEDIAKO

ALBERT BOATENG-BEDIAKO

Albert graduated from the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) in 1990 with the year’s Award for Best Film and Video Editing. He has over two decades of experience in Film, Television and Documentary production. Albert worked with the erstwhile Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC), for over fifteen years before it became TV3, during which time he worked on the International Co-production “COBRA VERDE” as a Senior Production Officer for the Ghana shoot. (1986) He was the Assistant Director for “BABY THIEF” which featured John Dumelo. (1991) In 1993 he directed his first feature film – “YOUNG BLOOD”, which starred the legendary Alexandra Duah, Abbey Okine, Juliet Asante and Omar Sheriff Captan In 1997, as the Visual Editing Executive of TV3 Network, he was also responsible for the training of Broadcast Journalists in visual story construction and the basics of video editing. Albert began his career as a Film and Television Producer in 1998, specializing mainly in Corporate Videos, Documentary Film Production and Television Commercials. He has worked with many leading production houses including Channel Two Communications, Charterhouse, Lando Services, TBWA Markcom, Box Office Productions, Deep Focus Productions and Aura Productions. In 2004, Albert co-produced the first season of the critically acclaimed television series – All That Glitters and edited its first few episodes. In the last Ten years Albert has Produced and Directed over 35 Corporate Videos and Video Documentaries, with numerous Television Commercials and Radio Adverts, sometimes working in collaboration with others and other times working alone. His commitment to delivering on quality, on service, on time, every time, has enabled him carve a respectable niche in film and television production in Ghana. He is also well known as an experienced Voice Over Artiste and Brand Activist.

For more information,visit www.GoldenMovieAwards.com
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