Actress and model Beverly Osu has ignited discussions within the entertainment industry following her candid critique of the fashion trends at the 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
Sharing her thoughts on Instagram Stories on Thursday, Beverly drew comparisons between the AMVCA and international film festivals, expressing concern over the event’s shifting focus.
She wrote, “While Cannes is setting boundaries by banning nudity and massive trains on the red carpet to refocus attention on actors and filmmakers, AMVCA is spiraling in the opposite direction. What was once a celebration of African cinematic excellence now looks like a masquerade parade.”
In a subsequent post, she added:
“It’s no longer about the craft. It’s about CLOUT. Social media numbers are being prioritized over performances. The Red carpet feels louder than the awards. The heart of the industry, the storytellers, the technicians, the performers are being drowned by corsets and algorithms.”
The 11th edition of the AMVCA took place last Saturday at the Exhibition Center, Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria.
Sponsored by Amstel Malta and presented by MultiChoice, the event honoured excellence in television, film and digital content creation across Africa.
Notable winners included Femi Adebayo and Chioma Chukwuka, who secured Best Actor and Best Actress in a Drama for their roles in Seven Doors.
The film Freedom Way clinched the Best Film award, while Lisabi: The Uprising received accolades for Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa), Best Art Director and Best Makeup Artist.
Veteran actors Nkem Owoh and Sani Mu’azu were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
In a bid to align with global standards, the AMVCA organizers implemented significant changes to the award categories this year.
The performance awards were streamlined to four main categories: Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, with winners determined by a jury rather than public voting.
Additionally, the total number of award categories was reduced to 27, comprising 16 non-voting and 9 audience voting categories, along with two recognition awards: Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer Awards.
