Sixteen honoured at first film awards 

Accra (Greater Accra) 30 Dec. '99

Sixteen individuals, including a seven year-old girl, and two films swept the bevy of prizes and citations available for Ghana's first film awards held in Accra on Wednesday night.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Communications, National Commission on Culture and the Gama Film Company Limited, was live on TV3 with the cream of the country's film industry in attendance.

Of the 14 competitive categories, little Jessica Boatema Bediako won the Best Juvenile Role for appearing as Mimata in "Triple Echo." She took home a plaque depicting a brass film reel mounted on wood, which she dedicated to her parents.

Best Film was "Jennifer", written by Mr Nick Teye who also won Best Director. Most of the other awards came from the same film namely, Best Music Score, won by Ekwow Parker, Best Sound won by Thomas Bilson and Parkes Adjei.

From the same film came Best Actress, Akofa Edjeani-Asiedu, Best Supporting Actor, David Dontoh, and Best Screenplay, Samuel Gaskin.

Henry Brew-Riverson Jnr. was Best Actor for his role in "Kakraba", Edinam Atatsi won Best Supporting Actress in "A stab in the dark" while Samuel Nai and Agowa Quarshie shared honours for Best Story.

Best Photography went to Mr James Mettle who shot the film, "Dark Sands" and Mr George Arcton Tetteh won Best Editing for the same film. Best Box Office Hit was "I surrender" produced by H. M. Films.

A Lifetime Award was presented to Rev. Chris Hesse, a veteran film producer and Chief Executive of the former Ghana Film Industry Corporation, while the late Mr Reynold Ofoe Fenuku, former Head of the same corporation received a citation for his contribution to the industry.

The awards were instituted to encourage film makers to aspire to higher levels and to recognise and encourage them to raise standards that would ensure that Ghanaian films are marketable internationally.

GRi../