As the countdown to the highly anticipated African awards ceremony, ZAFAA begins, Ghanaian filmmakers are gaining ground as far as nominations for the various categories are concerned.

Zafaa 2010, which is the third edition, takes place at the prestigious Troxy Hall, East London on October 20, 2010 and is expected to showcase the crème-de-la-crème of the African movie industry.

A statement from the ogranisers revealed that already, online voting has commenced, adding that viewers and admirers should go online to vote for their favourite star or movie. Top among the nominees, which were drawn from Cameroun, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria are Private Storm and Best Honeymoon, from Nigeria and Togetherness Supreme from Kenya, in the Best Lighting category.

In the Cinematography category, Andrew Mungai from Kenya, who did Togetherness Supreme, stands alongside Pindem Lot. (Champions of Our Time) and John Osemeka (Intimidator) from Nigeria . The most interesting category is the lead actress category, where renowned actresses from Gollywood will dare the amazing Nollywood actresses.

Nadia Buari, who comes from an artistic family background, her father, Alhaji Sidiku Buari, being a well known and successful musician in Ghana and chairman of the African Action Committee of the Federation of Musicians (IFM) as well as the acting chairman of the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA), has cut across borders to make waves in Nigeria.

She is nominated for her remarkable role in The Trinity, alongside A-list Nollywood screen goddesses Ini Edo, (Intimidation), Bimbo Akintola (Freedom in Chains); Mercy Johnson. (Corporate Maid) and Genevieve Nnaji for her role in Silent Scandal, in the Best Lead Actress category. Equally, Kalsoume Sinare from Gollywood, for her role in The Trinity, is up for the Best Supporting Actress award, alongside Rekiya Attah (Freedom in Chains) Ayo Adesanya, (Champions of Our Time) and Tonto Dike (Intimidator) all Nollywood actresses.

The Best Supporting Actor category is also a tug-of-war of sorts between Gollywood and Nollywood. Majid Michael and Koti Aloysius all of the Ghanian motion picture industry, are up for nomination for their roles in The Trinity and Necessary Crimes respectively, and they are up against Charles Inojie for his role in Corporate Maid.

Some other interesting categories of ZAFAA 2010 are the Best Film, Best Editing and Best Upcoming Actor categories. All in all, one could conclude that the third edition of the awards ceremony is going to single out the best between the world's third largest movie industry and the upcoming Ghanaian movie industry.

Gupado Films Limited, a production firm from Ghana with its movie, The Trinity, is up against the three most renowned production firms in Nigeria–Nollywood Concept Promotions Ltd. (Freedom in Chains); Macnuel Productions Ltd, (Champions of Our Time) and Purple Dine Productions with its Private Storm, all contesting for the award of Best film.

In the Upcoming Actor category, Gollywood's Nkwa Kingsley, in The Porter did well enough to counter Nigeria 's Frankincense Eche-ben for his role in A Private Sin and Paul Frank in Silent Scandal. Another category keenly contested is that of Best Editing. Kenya's Jesse Elis with his movie Togetherness Supreme, stands alongside Afra Marley of Ghana's The Trinity and Nigeria's Asiri, edited by Daniel Ademinokan.

Other categories include Best Director Indigenous, having Nathan Collett (Togetherness Supreme) from Cameroon; Biodun Olayiwola (Emi Mi Emi Re), and Daniel Ademinokan (Asiri), both from Nigeria. Voters will decide between Segun Arinze, Ekpenyong Bassey Inyang, Ramsey Nouah Jr. and Majid Michael for their remarkable roles in Champions of Our Time, Freedom in Chains, Private Storm and Silent Scandal respectively, for who will wear the crown of Best Actor, Zafaa 2010. Altogether, there are about 24 nominations for this year's edition of the awards.

We reliably gathered that the organisers will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award on a famous African filmmaker, Souleymane Cisse. Cisse, who is from Mali , was born on the 21st April, 1940 in Bamako and lived in Dakar during his adolescent years, until the Senegalese-Mali Federation broke up in 1960, at which point he moved back to Mali .

The young Cisse obtained a three-month grant to study in the Soviet Union (1961); received a scholarship to study film direction at the VGIK (State Institute of Cinema), Moscow (1963-1969) and made three short films as a student: L'homme and Les idoles (1965), Sources d'inspiration (1966).

The famous filmmaker, who was a one-time member of jury for the Cannes International Film Festival, France, has a lot of film to his credit. A few among them are Cinq Jours d'une Vie (1972); Den Muso (The Girl), 1975; Baara (The Work), 1982 and Yeelen (The Light), 1995. Others are Waati (The Time) 1998; Finyé (The Wind ), etc.

The award winning filmmaker has received lots of national and international honours for his excellent filmmaking in Africa cum the world. What is now left is for the ZAFAA jury to act accordingly; let's not have any excuses.