Gambian film producer in Jury of first African magic viewer’s choice awards

Ebou Waggeh, the CEO of WAX Media, has returned from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he served as a judge in the first phase of a new MNET initiative, to award excellence in African filmmaking.

Mr Waggeh is one of 10 African filmmakers selected by MNET to assess more than 150 submitted films released in Africa over the past year and broadcast on Africa Magic channels.

The final awards, which will be handed out in Lagos in March 2013, are spread across 28 categories.

According to EbouWaggeh, the awards are on track to deliver a night of spectacular entertainment during which winners will be announced at a special gala event, to be screened live on DStv to 48 African countries in March.

Towards the end of 2011, Africa Magic announced its first-ever AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, in association with MultiChoice.

EbouWaggeh said the awards have been created to recognise and celebrate African film and TV talents and news that have taken the continent by storm.

“Industry stakeholders embraced the initiative and entries streamed steadily into AfricaMagic offices,’’ he added.

In order to ensure that all entrants had enough time to process their entries, AfricaMagic had to extend the entry deadline. The new cut-off date for submissions was 21:00 (CAT), Friday, November 9, 2012. Entry was FREE and all information on where and how to enter were available at www.africamagic.tv

M-Net Africa’s Managing Director, BiolaAlabi, said the entry process was to ensure methodical entry system, that’s in line with international standards.

MultiChoice Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Nico Meyer, expressed honour to be associated with the awards. Multi Choice Investment in the M-Net channels has over the years immensely contributed to the development of original African programming, through AfricaMagic channels.

This could be seen in the increased in the number of quality film and TV programming coming out of the continent.

By giving viewers a voice to choose their best films and filmmakers on the continent, MultiChoice would be honouring Africa’s talent and the role their subscribers play in making the film and television industry what it’s today.