GHANA MOVIE AWARDS NEED TO GROW IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION - LEILA DJANSI

Leila Djansi, has called the 2013 Ghana Movie Awards’ credibility into question, stressing that organizers need to do things right.

The film maker’s comment came after actress Joselyn Dumas was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie, ’Northern Affair’ in the just released nominations for the 2013 Ghana Movie Awards.

Joselyn Dumas is competing that category with Lydia Forson, Lisa Nana Yaa Awuku, Rose Mensah (Kyeiwaa) and Roselyn Ngissah.

Leila took to social networking site Facebook to vent her displeasure with the nominations. According to Leila, who directed and produced ‘Northern Affair’, she finds it difficult to come to terms with the nomination of Joselyn Dumas in that category, when she played the lead role in the movie.

Well, we do agree with her. We have not yet seen the movie but all publicity on the movie so far has suggested that Joselyn Dumas is the lead character in the movie.

“Ghana Movie Awards, what on earth? How can Joselyn Dumas be nominated in supporting actress, when the entire story of A Northern Affair was told from her point of view?,” she questioned.

“Guys guys guys, if we are going to do something let us do it right. Please. We can’t continue like this. Get it together and get it right. GMA is a laudable enterprise but it needs to grow in the right direction,” Leila appealed to the organizers of Ghana Movie Awards.

The 2013 Ghana Movie Awards night is scheduled for Monday, December 30th, 2013 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

2013 GHANA MOVIE AWARDS NOMINEES OUT

The nominations for the 2013 Ghana Movie Awards are out. See below who was nominated for what…

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

1. Ivan Ayitey- CONTRACT

2. Berni Anti - HOUSE OF GOLD

3. Shaun Burdick- NORTHERN AFFAIR

WRITING- ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1. CONTRACT–Written by Herty Owusu and Shirley Frimpong-Manso

2. HOUSE OF GOLD -Written by Pascal Amanfo

3. NORTHERN AFFAIR - Written by Leila Djansi

4. THE PLEDGE - Written by Benjamin Dwomoh

5. CHEATERS- Written by Frank Rajah

PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. OKOMFO ANOKYE - Production design- Brinks Abdullai… Set decoration- Bismark Gyamerah

2. THE PLEDGE – Production design-D.J Vegas… Set decoration-Ghana Armed forces

3. NORTHERN AFFAIR- Production design-Tony Tomety… Set decoration- Palm Gottfried

4. CONTRACT- Production design-Shirley Frimpong-Manso… Set decoration- Ken Attoh

5. HOUSE OF GOLD- Production design-Pascal Amanfo… Set decoration- Bismark Nii Odoi

EDITING

1. NORTHERN AFFAIR -Dave Goldberg

2. CONTRACT-Nana Akua Manso

3. NKULI-Afra Marley

4. HOUSE OF GOLD-Okey Benson

5. THE HUNTERS-Enoch Opoku

MUSIC- ORIGINAL SONG

1. ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS -Music and lyrics by Kobby Maxwell

2. OKOMFO ANOKYE- Music and lyrics by Abena Fosua

3. HOUSE OF GOLD- Music and lyrics by Berni Anti and Mercy Chinwo

4. NORTHERN AFFAIR -Music and lyrics by Jon Germain and Kofi Aykeame

5. CONTRACT- Music and lyrics by-Raquel

MAKE UP AND HAIR STYLIST

1. BARIMA NYE SUNYE- Jude Odeh

2. PURPLE ROSE- Lydia Ashietey

3. THE PRICE- Foreal Mensah

4. HOUSE OF GOLD-Joyce Mensah

BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION- BEST ACTOR

1. CONTRACT -Hlomla Dandala

2. NUMBER ONE FAN- Yemi Black

3. FINDING MERCY- Desmond Elliot

4. HOUSE OF GOLD-Francis Odega

5. VOLUNTEERS – Bobby Obodo

BEST AFRICAN COLLABORATION- BEST ACTRESS

1. Nse Ikpe Etim- PURPLE ROSE

2. Rita Dominic –FINDING MERCY

3. Omawumi Meglele- HOUSE OF GOLD

4. Ivie Okujaye- VOLUNTEERS

5. Patience Ozorkwor – SLAVE BOY

SOUND MIXING & EDITING

1. CONTRACT- Mawuli Tofah

2. HOUSE OF GOLD-Berni Anti

3. NORTHERN AFFAIR- Shaun Burdick

4. ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS- Black Tim

A PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Kwadwo Nkansah (Lilwin)-TIME CHANGES

2. Henry Adofo Asiedu- HOUSE OF GOLD

3. Jon Germain – NORTHERN AFFAIR

4. Van Vicker- ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS

5. Edward Agyekum Kufuor – THE PLEDGE

A PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Lydia Forson- VOLUNTEERS

2. Lisa Nana yaa Awuku- NKULI

3. Rose Mensah- (Kyeiwaa)- TIME CHANGES

4. Roselyn Ngissah- THE PLEDGE

5. Joselyn Dumas- NORTHERN AFFAIR

A PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

1. John Dumelo- NORTHERN AFFAIR

2. Kofi Adu (Agya Koo)-OKOMFO ANOKYE

3. Adjetey Annang- THE HUNTERS

4. James Gardiner- NKULI

5. Majid Michel-THE PRICE

A PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Jackie Appiah- CHEATERS

2. Yvonne Okoro- CONTRACT

3. Maame Serwaa – SCHOOL GIRL

4. Yvonne Nelson- THE PRICE

5. Sonia Ibrahim- NUMBER ONE FAN

BEST PICTURE

1. NORTHERN AFFAIR- Mabel Germain- Producer

2. CONTRACT-Shirley Frimpong –Manso ,Ken Attoh, Yvonne Okoro -Producers

3. HUNTER- Abdul Salam Mumuni- Producer

4. HOUSE OF GOLD- Yvonne Nelson- Producer

5. ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS- Kobby Maxwell and Jimmy Jean Louis -producers

6. NUMBER ONE FAN- Juliet Ibrahim- Producer

7. PURPLE ROSE- Barbara Anakwa, Pascal Amanfo - Producer

8. THE PLEDGE- Musah Toure- Producer

9. FINDING MERCY-Desmond Elliot – Producer

10. OKOMFO ANOKYE -Paul Adjei

SHORT MOVIE

1. CAMPUS SCANDALS

2. GALAMSEY

3. HOSPITALS

RELATIONSHIPS COME WITH STRESS - ITZ TIFFANY

Itz Tiffany has revealed in an interview with Jessica on Brunch in the Citi that she’s not dating and not ready to date. According to her, she’s not ready to deal with the stress that comes with relationships now.

“I don’t have time to date. I was seeing someone, it was a long distance relation and I felt I wasn’t being fair so I said what, let’s just put it on hold for now,” she said.

Asked what she’s been up to lately, she revealed that she took time off the busy music scene to spend quality time with her son. She says she’s currently working on new songs and fans should expect some very good stuff from her.

“I took time off my music to be with my son. My son lives and schools in London so I had to take a break and spend some quality time with him. We play video games and have good times. I’m working on new songs with Fuse ODG and some big collaboration with a UK-based Nigerian musician, Moelogo, and a South African musician as well,” she said.

Tiffany also told Jessica she has renewed energy after taking time off and she’s going to let all that energy lose at the Decemba 2 Rememba Concert on the 24th.

“I’m coming with my dancers and we are ready to shake the Conference Center. If you want to have a really good time, get your white top and jeans, your ticket and pull your friends along and come on the 24th and let’s party,” she said.

I’M THE TREE OF HIPLIFE

Music legend Gyedu-Blay Ambolley seem to have ended the long-standing argument about who the originator of rap music in Ghana really is after describing himself to NEWS-ONE as the “tree of hiplife”.

“When it comes to hiplife, I’m like the tree and the rest of them are the branches,” Ambolley stated when the paper caught up with him about the fast rising music genre in Ghana.

Entertainment Pundits over the years referred to Reggie Rockstone as the grandpapa of hiplife until the he openly declared Ambolley as the real ‘Grandpapa’ of the genre at the just-ended Glo Slide and Bounce concert.

“I think it was just appropriate that Reggie came out to acknowledge me as the grandpapa of rap music in Ghana. It is called humility. He was the one who opened the eyes for Obrafour and the rest to have that idea that they could actually rap in Twi. That was more like an eye-opener for the rest to follow. I have known Reggie since he was kid because his father was my friend. He was fascinated with me at that time so we built a rapport,” the saxophonist and rapper said.

Ambolley is currently working towards the launch of his new album he calls ‘Different Shade of Ambolley’. According to him, the album which is due to be launched on December 19, at Alliance française, features some young champs like the Wanlov the Kubolor and M3nsa on two separate tracks.

“My new album is more about socialism. Currently everyone seems to be singing about girlfriends and nobody is really looking at what is going on to sing about it. The album talks about corruption, why pastors don’t go to the hospitals and heal the sick for free and all. Basically the album is just to enlighten the public,” he added.

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, known as the ‘Simigwa Do Man’, hails from the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, in the Western Region. The irrepressible singer, songwriter, producer and “musical-life-force” exploded on the music scene some 27 years ago with jazzy highlife sounds called ‘Simigwa-Do’.

YVONNE NELSON AND JOSELYN DUMAS AT LOGGERHEADS

Brand ambassador is no doubt one of the many jackpots many air personalities, actors and actresses among many other popular figures in their field of endeavours have been jostling for, as a result of the cash and other eye popping benefits that comes with it.

In Ghana, several personalities have been a benefactor of this new generation way of advertising, and there’s no doubt that Yvonne Nelson is one of those who have been favoured to have been brand ambassador to different organisation, which Zaron Hair and Make-Up is one of.

The Ghanaian fair complexion actress however began to act in ways that already started making potential brands cast doubt on her being a reliable brand ambassador as she was alleged to have boycott the recently launched of Zaron Hair and Make-Up launch in Accra; an event which she was billed to anchor as the brand ambassador of the cosmetic ad make up label.

Zaron management, who couldn’t afford to get embarrassed at the sudden disappearance of their brand ambassador, even, after eye popping amount of money have exchanged hands as part of the deal, had to call in Joselyn Dumas to fill the gap of Yvonne Nelson, an attempt which many who witnessed it claimed was responsible for the mishap in speech delivery of Joselyn.

However, disappointment of such magnitude has began to raise questions from concerned quarters, why Yvonne Nelson would disappoint his business partners.

Some are suggesting if there was break down in certain agreement or she was just stuck somewhere in a far away island and just decided not to stress a nerve.

But whatever her reason is, our parrot shall let you know.

MR. BEAUTIFUL IS NOT A MARKETABLE ACTOR - MOVIE PRODUCER

After allegations by Ghanaian actor Clement Bonney often known as Mr. Beautiful of being sidelined by movie producers in the Ashanti Region for openly displaying his political colours and rallying behind the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Movie producer and marketer Paul Gee has confirmed the allegations and stated the actor is no more marketable in the Ashanti Region perhaps for reasons he is yet to establish and cannot tell if it is due the difference in political orientation.

Paul Gee who spoke in an interview with Charles Asare on the Angel Entertainment Show on Sunday disclosed saying “although Mr. Beautiful is a great actor, he is not marketable and I would not cast him for a movie since most of the target audience would no longer buy movies that had him starred”.

Although Mr. Beautiful’s accusations had somehow been substantiated by Paul Gee who cast him for one of his popular movies “Ama Ghana” in 2009.

Others believe his dwindling career is not as a result of his political orientation but as a result of other great actors such as Agya Koo, Nkansah Liwin and Kwaku Manu who are now favourites of the people and can equally play his roles.

The great question which remains to be answered is all Kumasi based producers and movie watchers from the NPP?

SHIRLEY FRIMPONG MANSO ENDORSES KUMAWOOD MOVIES

Despite incessant calls and outcry by many film critics in Ghana condemning movies produced from Kumasi that have often been tagged “Kumawood”, award winning Ghanaian movie producer and CEO of Sparrow Productions, Shirley Frimpong Manso has against all odds commended such movies and acknowledged the pivotal role these movies played in ensuring the interests and hope of a “movie industry” existed.

Speaking on New Day on TV3, producer of award winning movies A Sting in a Tale, 6 Hours To Christmas, The Perfect Picture, Adams Apples, Scorned disclosed although there were a lot of challenges, Kumawood movies kept the movie market going at a tough moment when the Ghanaian market was almost nonexistent.

She stated it would be unfortunate and unfair for anyone to condemn such movies as such productions are made out of individual efforts with no institutional interventions.

“It’s like going to Makola market and telling somebody who’s put up his store that your market is not looking good. We could only suggest positively”

As a way forward for movie makers, Shirley believed it would be in the interest of the government of Ghana to support the industry as anything portrayed goes a long way to sell Ghana.

She also asked the government to put in place the right structures before passing and implementing the Film law which has been laid before parliament and also for interventions to aid the film industry only if it existed.