Africa's Oscars kick off in Lagos

Mar 05, 2016

Uganda's Joseph Ken Ssebaggala, who is nominated for four awards, arrived late because of a delayed flight connection from Kigali

The 2016 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice awards, also known as the Africa Oscars, kicked off last night with the Nominees Cocktail held at the splendid Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos' affluent Victoria Island.
 
The Nominees were in attendance, together with some of Lagos' high society.
 
Uganda's Joseph Ken Ssebaggala, who is nominated for four awards, arrived late because of a delayed flight connection from Kigali, where he was doing some work. But he was confident he would win at one award.
 
"I'm nominated for four awards, along with the best of Africa," he said. "But I'm sure of taking at least one home, God willing."
 

 

Ssebaggala's film, House Arrest, is nominated for Best Overall Movie (Africa), Best Movie East Africa, and for Best Lighting Designer (Francis Lubanjuma).
 
Another of Ssebaggala's film, Call 112, is nominated in the Best Movie East Africa category. How does he feel on garnering the most nominations ever by a Ugandan filmmaker?
 
"It's incredible," he said. "I'm very, very excited, and at the same time humbled. Being ranked up here along with the best filmmakers in Africa is something I almost never dreamed about. But it means that the film industry in Uganda is not very far behind the rest of the continent. With all our shortcomings and challenges, for a film made in Uganda to be nominated for Best Picture Africa is very, very encouraging."
 
The main awards ceremony takes place this evening, again at the Eko Hotels and Suites, and starts with the red carpet event at 4pm local time."
 

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