Nominees List for the Inaugural Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards

On Saturday 20th October 2012, the inaugural edition of the Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards (GIAMA) will take place in grand style at the HBU, Morris Cultural Arts Center, Dunham Theater, 7502 Fondren Road Houston, Texas 77074-3298, USA.

As we all wait to see what our favorite movie stars will be spotted in, check out the recently released nominees list. Some of the movies nominated for the biggest award category – Best Motion Picture, include Mr. & Mrs. starring Joseph Benjamin and Nse Ikpe-Etim, I’ll Take My Chances starring Ini Edo, Bryan Okwara and Jide Kosoko, Somewhere in Africa and Two Brides & A Baby.

Other big categories include African Film Best Actor, where Majid Michel, OC Ukeje, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Joseph Benjamin and Hakeem Kae Kazim will battle it out to win the award, African Film Best Actress with Ini Edo, Jackie Appiah, Nse Ekpe Etim, Stella Damasus and Nadia Buari will go head-to-head, GIAMA Humanitarian Award and Best Cinematography.

Speaking on the nominations, a Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards committee said surfing through the enormous amount of movies that were submitted for the GIAMA, most especially those that were produced in the Diaspora, was quite challenging to watch. However, there were a few movies that stood out and are worthy of being applauded and rewarded. Some of the movies include Bianca, Secret Past, The Mechanic, Paparazzi, Black Money and a few others. This is a clear indication that movies in the Diaspora, especially in the United States, continue to improve over time.

Top Nigerian actor/Fashion designer Jim Iyke has been announced as this year’s host.

Full List of Nominees
AFRICAN FILMS
Best Motion Picture

• Unge’s War
• Man On Ground
• Somewhere In Africa
• Mr. & Mrs.
• Two Brides & A Baby
• I’ll Take My Chances

Best Drama Film

• Brides Groom
• In the Cupboard
• Kokomma
• Somewhere In Africa
• Two Brides & A Baby
• Enemy Of the Family

Best Actor

• Majid Michel – Somewhere In Africa
• Jimmy Jean-Louis – Sinking Sands
• OC Ukeje – Two Brides & A Baby
• George Davidson – Dangerous Men
• Joseph Benjamin – Mr. & Mrs.
• Hakeem Kae Kazim –  Man on Ground

Best Actress

• Ini Edo – In the Cupboard
• Jackie Appiah – Deadly Affair
• Nse Ekpe Etim – Mr. & Mrs.
• Stella Damasus – Two Brides & a Baby
• Yvonne Okoro – Single 6
• Nadia Buari – Hands of Time

Best Comedy Act

• Okon Lagos – Ime Bishop Umoh
• Wisdom of Thomas – Funke Akindele
• Dumebi – Mercy Johnson
• Okon Lagos – Monalisa Chinda
• Eletan – Lilian Bach

Best New Actor

• Leo’ Uche – Unge’s War
• Uti Nwachukwu – In the Cupboard
• Bryan Okwara –  I’ll Take My Chances
• Bobby Michaels – Facebook Lovers
• Eddie Watson – Single 6
• James Gardener – Brides Groom

Best New Actress

• Keira Hewatch – Two Brides & A Baby
• Nana Akua Amoah – Single 6
• Belinda Effah – Kokomma
• Zita Galega – Single 6
• Ama .K. Abebrese – Sinking Sands
• Joy Orie (JJ Bunny) – Trapped in the Game

Best Supporting Actor

• Alex Ekubo – In the Cupboard
• Okey Uzoeshi – Two Brides & a Baby
• Van Vicker – Hands of Time
• Frank Attus – Trapped in the Game
• Leo U’Che – Dangerous Men
• Yemi Blaq – Sinking Sands

Best Original Screenplay

• Sinking Sands – Leila Djansi
• Unge’s War – GuGu Michael
• In the Cupboard – Desmond Elliot
• My Life, My Damage – Uche Jombo
• Two Brides & A Baby – Blessing Egbe
• Single 6 – Pascal Amafo

Best Supporting Actress

• Chelsea Eze – Two Brides & A Baby
• Biola Segun Williams – In the Cupboard
• Yvonne Nelson – Trapped in the Game
• Martha Ankomah – Somewhere in Africa
• Lilian Ini Ikpe – Kokomma
• Chisom Oz Lee – Timeless Passion

Best Indigenous Film (Native Language)

• Unge’s War
• Eletan
• Okon Lagos
• Idomo
• Kokomma
• Udeme Mi

Best Film Director

• Two Brides & A Baby – Teco Benson
• Kokomma – Tom Robson
• Somewhere in Africa –  Frank Rajah Arase
• In the Cupboard – Desmond Elliot
• Hands of Time – Van Vicker
• Deadly Affair – Phil Efe Bernard

Best Film Producer

• GuGu Michaels – Unge’s War
• Kwame Boadu – Somewhere in Africa
• Emem Isong – I’ll Take My Chances
• Chinwe Egwuagu – Mr. & Mrs.
• Abdul Salam Mumuni – Brides Groom
• Blessing Egbe – Two Brides & A Baby

Best Costume

• I’ll Take My Chances
• Brides Groom
• Somewhere in Africa
• Unge’s War
• Two Brides & A Baby

Best Sound

• Deadly Affair
• Sinking Sands
• Somewhere in Africa
• I’ll Take My Chances
• Unge’s War
• Brides Groom

Best Cinematography

• Unge’s War
• Man on Ground
• Brides Groom
• Sinking Sands
• Two Brides & A Baby
• Deadly Affair

GIAMA Humanitarian Award

• Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde – Omotola Youth Empowerment (OYEP) Foundation
• Nana Ama Mcbrown – Nana Ama and The Mcbrown Family Foundation
• Van Vicker – Van Vicker Foundation
• Juliet Ibrahim – The Juliet Ibrahim Kidney Cancer Foundation (JIF)
• John Dumelo – John Dumelo Foundation
• Monalisa Chinda – Monalisa Chinda Sunshine Foundation

DIASPORA FILMS
Best Film – Diaspora

• Bianca
• Secret Past
• The Entrapped
• The Mechanic (Who is the Man)
• Black Money
• Paparazzi

Best Actress – Diaspora

• Sanu Kalu – Scarlet
• Divine Shaw – Black Money
• Maureen Esealuka – Bianca
• Amaka Morghalu – Faithfulness
• Syr Law – The Entrapped
• Seun Maduka – The Mechanic (Who is the Man)

Best Supporting Actress – Diaspora

• Susan Peters – The Entrapped
• Nancy Agyapong – DSK Unauthorized
• Charmaine Turpin – Bianca
• Summer Angel – Tears of My Joy
• Wins Tina Taylor – Scarlet
• Ify Efy – The Mechanic (Who is the Man)

Best Actor – Diaspora

• Chet Anekwe – Bianca
• Van Vicker – Black Money
• Pascal Atuma – Secret Past
• Ramsey Nouah – Exposure
• John Dumelo – Scarlet
• Tchidi Chikere – When Heaven Smiles

Best Supporting Actor – Diaspora

• Olalekan Akintude – Black Money
• Oscar Atuma – The Mechanic (Who is the Man)
• Mohamed Bah – Secret Past
• Koby Maxwell – Paparazzi: Eye In The Dark
• Curtis John Miller – Grey Focus

Best Film Director – Diaspora

• Robert Peters – Black Money
• Ab Sallu - Secret Past
• John Uche – Bianca
• Pascal Atuma – The Mechanic (Who is the Man)
• George Kalu – Faithfulness
• Bayo Akinfemi – Paparazzi: Eye In The Dark

Best Film Producer – Diaspora

• Secret Past – Mohammed Bah
• Bianca – John Uche
• The Entrapped – Wendy Bangura
• The Mechanic (Who is the Man) – Pascal Atuma
• Paparazzi – Clarice Kulah/ Koby Maxwell
• Black Money – Chris Ikpefua

VIEWER’s CHOICE
Best Male Act

• John Dumelo
• Ramsey Nouah
• Majid Michel
• Desmond Elliot
• Van Vicker
• Jim Iyke
• Mike Ezuruonye
• Yemi Blaq

Best Female Act

• Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
• Mercy Johnson
• Nadia Buari
• Genevieve Nnaji
• Uche Jombo
• Jackie Appiah
• Tonto Dikeh
• Ini Edo

Best Film Director

• Kunle Afolayan
• Frank Rajah-Arase
• Desmond Elliot
• Pascal Amanfo
• Tunde Kelani
• Teco Benson
• Phil Efe Bernard
• Tom Robson

VIEWER’s CHOICE – DIASPORA
Best Male Act

• Tchidi Chikere
• Pascal Atuma
• Chet Anekwe
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim
• Oliver Mbamara

Best Female Act

• Sana Kanu
• JJ Bunny
• Veeda Darko
• Seun Maduka
• Merlissa Determined

VIEWER’s CHOICE – HOLLYWOOD
Best Male Act

• Idris Elba
• Samuel L. Jackson
• Denzel Washington
• Kevin Hart
• Will Smith
• Don Cheadle
• Isaiah Washington
• Djimon Hounsou

Best Female Act

• Meagan Good
• Kerri Washington
• Lynn Whitfield
• Queen Latifah
• Halle Berry
• Taraji Henson
• Princess Monique
• Sophie Okonedo 

source: bella naija