At the centre of the discussion is veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva, who heads the judging panel for the 12th edition of the awards. Speaking in an earlier interview with Guardian Life, she addressed concerns about how nominees are selected and why some acclaimed works did not make the final list.
Judging process explained amid nomination debate
Silva emphasized that the AMVCA employs a structured evaluation system handled by professionals with strong industry expertise, particularly for categories not determined by public voting.
“Well, there’s the panel of judges, people who are highly skilled, and they are people who understand film,” she said.
She explained that while audience participation remains important in voting categories, technical and performance-based awards are assessed strictly on craft and merit by experts.
“Not a popularity contest” — Silva clarifies criteria
Responding to recurring criticisms that often follow award nominations in Nollywood, Silva noted that perception and opinion naturally influence public reaction, but the jury process is designed to remain structured and evidence-based.
“Well, I did say in my speech that the awards, for the non-voting category, are not necessarily a popularity contest. It is more about craft. It is more about skill,” she added.
She further explained that multiple layers of judging are involved to ensure fairness in scoring.
“Well, I think awards, a lot of times, again, I will always say it, are subjective. And that is why we have a panel of judges.
“We have two sets of judges, so that, as much as possible, it is an aggregation of marks, because every film is graded.
“Hopefully, the prayer is always: may the best man win.
“Now, there are some projects that I know of that even I was alarmed that they did not get a nod, not one nod. And yet, you see the quality of work, and you are like, but this is….
“But it depends on the aggregate of scores that work got,” she said.
Subjectivity and surprises in nomination list
The jury chair acknowledged that award outcomes are not always universally agreed upon, noting that strong productions can sometimes miss out due to overall scoring across categories.
Her remarks come amid growing audience debates over certain films and performances perceived to have been overlooked this year. However, she maintained that the final nomination list reflects aggregated evaluation rather than individual preference.
What defines an award-winning performance
Beyond the selection process, Silva also reflected on what distinguishes an award-winning actor in her view. She described performance excellence as something that transcends technical delivery and moves into full character embodiment.
“It is how far, how much you have become the character. It is the becoming of the character. It is in the believability of the character.
“You believe the character so much that you portray the character in such a way that those watching you believe it.
“They are talking of the character more than they are talking of you,” she said.
She added that achieving such depth is particularly demanding in Nollywood’s fast-paced production environment, where time constraints often challenge creative processes.
Anticipation builds ahead of Saturday ceremony
With final preparations underway, excitement continues to build ahead of the 2026 AMVCA ceremony. Filmmakers, actors, producers, and other stakeholders are expected to gather for one of the continent’s most prominent film award nights, where winners across both voting and non-voting categories will be announced.