Filmmaker Fred Amata has said that he was born into Nollywood before the movie industry as it is known today was birthed.
The 61-year-old stated this while speaking with QEDNG on the red carpet at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) held on November 2 at Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.
“I said to somebody recently that we were born into Nollywood before Nollywood was born,” he said.
The graduate of theatre arts from the University of Jos, who is now president of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, described himself as a father in the industry.
Fred shot into the limelight in 1986 for his role in a film titled Legacy.
Hosted by the dynamic duo of Segun Arinze and Joselyn Dumas, AMAA 2024 brought together industry veterans and fresh talent to celebrate achievements across 26 categories, overseen by a jury led by filmmaker and curator Dorothee Wenner.
Among the evening’s highlights were notable wins for The Weekend from Nigeria and The Queenstown Kings from South Africa, each clinching four awards.
The Weekend stood out, capturing both the Best Film Award for Nigeria and the prestigious Best Film in Africa.
In addition, Nigeria’s Oscar submission, Mai Martaba, received recognition in the costume design category, adding to the celebration of African film talent.
