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Jeta Amata is a Nigerian filmmaker, born on August 21, 1974, to popular Nigerian actor Zack Amata. He comes from a family of veteran filmmakers including Ifoghale Amata, Zack Amata and Fred Amata.[1] Growing up in the film industry, following his family's passion for film, Jeta produced and directed his first film Glamour Boyz at the age of 21, making it no surprise when he began to rise in the world of film and entertainment.

Jeta Amata
Born21 August 1974
NationalityNigerian
CitizenshipNigerian
EducationTheater Arts, Benue State University
Alma materBenue State University
OccupationFilm Maker
Notable workBlack November
FatherZack Amata
RelativesFred Amata

Education

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Amata studied Theater Arts at Benue State University in Makurdi, Nigeria.

Global production and acclaim

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His work first went global when he produced a documentary film for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 2003, using his film Game of Life as footage for the documentary. He holds 53 nominations and 10 wins for film awards in Africa, Europe and the United States, and is considered one of the most successful filmmakers to come out of West Africa.[2]

Summary of works

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2004–11

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Amata's short film The Alexa Affair premiered at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival.

Amata's film The Amazing Grace, which won the Best West African Film Award at the 2006 Screen Nations Awards UK, holds the honor of being the first Nigerian film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Soon after, Jeta would be recognized for such movies as Inale and Mary Slessor.

2012-present

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Black November premiered at the United Nations during the General Assembly in 2012 and was also screened at the Kennedy Center as well as the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The film inspired the sponsoring of a bi-partisan resolution on the Niger Delta of Nigeria members of the 112th United States Congress, H.CON.RES.121.

Amata had screenings of his documentary Into the Delta, on the situation of the Niger Delta, shown in nine universities in the U.S. including NYU, George Washington University, UCLA and Cornell.

Official appointments

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The President of Haiti, Michel Joseph Martelly, made Jeta Amata a Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti.

Colleagues

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Amata worked with Academy Award winner Kim Basinger, Academy Award nominee Mickey Rourke, and music superstars Akon and Wyclef Jean on the 2012 film Black November.

Family

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In 2001 at an audition in Calabar he met Mbong Amata.[3] Two years later, when she was 18, they began dating. They married in 2008 and their daughter Veno was born later that year. In 2013 they separated and in 2014 they divorced.

Amata is currently in a partnership with Vanessa Teemsma, who has worked in production on his films, including Black November. Amata and Teemsma welcomed a son in 2019, named Kessiena Donald Amata, the middle name was after Teemsma's father.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1996 Glamour Boys Director, writer, producer
1997 No More Food for the Gods Director, writer, producer
2001 Mutanda Director, writer, producer
2002 Black Mamba (video) Director, writer, producer
Tears of a Woman Director, writer, producer
2003 Unconditional Love Director, writer, producer
Love Entangle (video) Director, writer, producer starring: Kate Henshaw, Segun Arinze
Dangerous Desire (video) Director, writer, producer
2004 Queen (video) Director, writer, producer starring: Nkiru Sylvanus, Stella Damasus
Queen 2 (video) Director, writer, producer
The Alexa Affair (short) Director, writer, actor
2005 Wheel of Change Director, writer, producer starring: Mbong Amata, Stella Damasus
Ultimate Crisis Director, writer, producer
Last Game Director, writer, producer starring: Dakore Akande, Rita Dominic, Ini Edo, Enyinna Nwigwe
2006 The Amazing Grace Director, writer, producer starring: Mbong Amata, Joke Silva
2007 Game of Life Director, writer, producer
2008 Mary Slessor (TV series) Director, writer, producer starring: Mbong Amata, Enyinna Nwigwe
2009 Queen Amina Director, writer, producer
2010 Inale Director, writer, producer starring: Mbong Amata, Caroline Chikezie, Ini Edo
2012 Black November Director, writer, producer starring: Mbong Amata, Enyinna Nwigwe
2013 The American King Director, writer, producer
2016 Road to Redemption Director, writer, producer starring: Viva Bianca, Akon, Margaret Avery, Zack Amata

Awards and nominations

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  • Verona International African Film Festival, Best Film, Black November, 2011
  • Verona International African Film Festival, Audience Award, Black November, 2011
  • Monaco International Film Festival, Most Entertaining Film, Inale, 2011
  • Copenhagen Nollywood Festival, Best Film, Black November, 2011
  • American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Best Director (nominated), Black November, 2011
  • American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Best Picture (nominated), Black November, 2011
  • American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Best Screenplay, Black November, 2011
  • Nigerian Entertainment Awards, Best Film, Inale, 2011
  • African Academy Movie Awards AAMA, Best Nigerian Film (nominated), Inale, 2011
  • NFVSB Awards Nigeria, Best Film, Inale, 2010
  • Abuja International Film Festival, Audience Awards, Mary Slessor, 2009
  • Abuja International Film Festival, Best Short, Mary Slessor, 2009
  • SIMA AWARDS, Best Director, The Amazing Grace, 2008
  • Screen Nations Awards, Best West African Film, The Amazing Grace, 2007
  • Nigeria Movie Awards NMA, Best Director (nominated), The Amazing Grace, 2007
  • Nigeria Movie Awards NMA, Best Picture (nominated), The Amazing Grace, 2007
  • Nigeria Movie Awards NMA, Best Cinematography, The Amazing Grace, 2007
  • African Academy Movie Awards AAMA, Best Director (nominated), The Amazing Grace, 2006
  • African Academy Movie Awards AAMA, Best Cinematography, The Amazing Grace, 2006
  • African Academy Movie Awards AAMA, Best Picture (nominated), The Amazing Grace, 2006
  • African Academy Movie Awards AAMA, Best Screenplay (nominated), The Amazing Grace, 2006

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Glo/CNN African Voices profile Nigerian film director, Jeta Amata - Vanguard News Nigeria". Vanguard News Nigeria. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  2. ^ "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jeta Amata | ★Stars★™★ ₳₽₽★". 26 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-06-22.
  3. ^ "Mbong Amata". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  4. ^ "Marriage not my priority for now –Mbong Amata". www.punchng.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02.
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