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- At the Cinerama.BC International Film Festival in Balneário Camboriú, Brazil, held 4-8 April 2012, the Golden Owl for Best Movie by the Audience was awarded to the South African coming of age film, “Otelo Burning” distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution.

Kenya’s only success at this year’s Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) announced last weekend came from a movie that portrays the life of President Obama’s half-sister, an animated film based on Maasai folklore, and a local production with a top Nigerian actress starring as the lead character.
 
The Education of Auma Obama, a portrayal of the US President’s older half-sister, directed by Nigerian Branwen Okpako, won the AMAA Prize for Best Diaspora Documentary.

Anant Singh’s long-gestating Nelson Mandela biopic heats up with Justin Chadwick in advanced talks to direct and Skyfall actress Naomie Harris in talks to star as Winnie Mandela opposite Idris Elba.

Harris, soon to appear in Bond film Skyfall, is in talks to play Winnie Mandela opposite Idris Elba who is believed to be on board as Nelson Mandela.

In Tanzania, StarTimes announced that it launched its Kili Bouquet since the 1st of March 2012. StarTimes Kili Bouquet contains the maximum number of channels available from the network. The Kili Bouquet has over 52 channels of sport, music, movies, news, kids & teens entertainment, Fashion, documentaries, wild-life and lots more. It includes TV channels like FOX Entertainment, True Movies 1; Explorer & Crime; Indian movies channels Star-Plus, Star-Gold;

As part of Nigerian Film Corporation’s recognition for excellence and industry support, selected institutional and individual supporters would on the platform of the 6th edition of Zuma Film Festival, which holds from May 6 through 10, 2012 in Abuja, be honoured for their tremendous contributions and collaborative efforts towards the sustainable development of the Nigerian motion picture industry.

The Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) may have started disbursing the $200 million fund pledged by President Goodluck Jonathan to support the Nigerian entertainment industry.

NEXIM Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Roberts Orya, while speaking at a press briefing held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island,Lagos, said the partnership signified the flag-off of NEXIM’s support for film production which was promised in 2011 by the Federal Government to help grow capacity in the entertainment industry.

Death Metal Angola is an upcoming documentary directed by Jeremy Xido. The film takes a look at the development of a rock subculture in Angola. Director: Jeremy Xido / Cinematographer: Johan Legraie / Editor: Todd Holmes / Producer: Joseph Castelo / Composer: Christian Frederickson / Sound : Oswald Juliana. War ravaged and potentially the richest country in Africa, Angola is the epicenter of the African hardcore music scene. Sonia Ferreira and Wilker Flores live and breath rock and roll.

South African Charlie Vundla scooped Best Director and his debut, film noir thriller How 2 Steal 2 Million, was named Best Film at the eight Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), held 22 April 2012, at The Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suite in Lagos, Nigeria. South African actress Terry Pheto was named Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, which also won Best Achievement in Editing (Garreth Fradgely). With four awards, How 2 Steal 2 Million was the most awarded film on the night.
 

The 19th New York African Film Festival kicks off Wednesday, with a wide selection of films exploring ideas of home and homeland. Guest host Viviana Hurtado speaks with the festival's founder Mahen Bonetti, and documentary filmmaker Laura Gamse, who is showing her film The Creators about South African artists.

This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Viviana Hurtado. Michel Martin is away visiting member station WRVO in Oswego, New York.

Coming up, we continue to celebrate National Poetry Month with a creative tweet from a listener who would like to write a poem a day.

Movies aimed at African American moviegoers are typically the province of bigger-budget comedies and dramas — the kinds of stories told by Tyler Perry or produced by Screen Gems. But this weekend, two independently financed productions are courting that same audience. The two films — “Life, Love, Soul” and “Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day” — couldn’t be more dissimilar.