Bayelsa , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- The stars of African cinema graced the red carpet at the African Movie Academy Awards ( AMAA ) , in Nigeria , showcasing the films that could make waves on the global festival circuit . The African movie industry gathered in Yenagoa , in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria , for the fifth annual `` African Oscars . '' Set up in 2005 by former lawyer Peace Anyiam-Osigwe , the awards have helped raise the profile of African movies around the world . `` African film has a hard time in getting recognition in most film festivals [ outside Africa ] , '' Anyiam-Osigwe told CNN . `` I think one of the biggest achievements of the AMAA is that the main festivals now look upon us as a selection process , and will pick those particular films that we 've looked at and carry them on to the different festival circuits . `` The first Nollywood film that the British International Film Festival showed was 'Irapada , ' by Kunle Afolayan , which won Best Indigenous Film at AMAA in 2007 . 'The Figurine ' premiered at Rotterdam this year and has gone on to other film festivals and 'From a Whisper ' traveled the festival circuit based on its win at AMAA . '' `` The Figurine , '' a thriller about a sculpture with mystical powers , also by Nigerian director Kunle Afolayan , stole the show at this year 's ceremony , claiming five awards in total -- including Best Picture . South African football star Steven Pienaar shares his World Cup dream . Afolayan told CNN , `` It feels great -- like we 've not worked in vain . It feels like we 've opened up a new page in African cinema . `` For me , a good story will cut across , not just appeal to Nigerians but will appeal to an average film lover , regardless of the language you speak , the continent you are from , or the color of your skin . '' In its first years the AMAAs focused on Nigeria 's booming movie industry -- known as `` Nollywood . '' But since then they have become more pan-African . The 24 awards at this year 's ceremony included nominations from across the continent . Nonetheless , in terms of sheer output , Nigeria dominates African cinema . Nigeria is the world 's second-biggest producer of movies , behind only India . In 2006 it produced 872 movies , compared with 485 major feature films made in the U.S. , according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics . Nollywood movies are typically low-budget -- often filmed , edited and released within a month . Most do n't end up on the big screen . Instead , they are distributed as VCDs costing about $ 1 to $ 2 , meaning they are affordable for the mass African market . But it is Nollywood 's pioneering use of relatively inexpensive digital cameras instead of costly 35mm film that Anyiam-Osigwe says has been its most important contribution to African cinema . `` There is a new wave of African cinema which is mostly the digital revolution , which has gone on from what Nollywood started in the early 90s , '' she told CNN . `` Nigeria made people believe they could make films for less [ by using digital cameras ] . That has spread across the continent and I think that 's a good thing , otherwise Africa would not be able to have any kind of production , because it could n't afford it . `` You see a lot of the older generation of filmmakers from Africa who have made only one short film or one feature-length film in their lifetime , because they have not been able to make up the cost of making another film . '' Anyiam-Osigwe said that while some older filmmakers still believe movies should be shot only on 35mm film , directors from Malawi , Kenya , and Johannesburg 's `` Joziewood '' have now made the switch to digital . She added that while every African country has its own movie-making style , the themes are often universal . `` Everyone tries to do a film that people in their own community will watch , '' she said . `` But I 've found that all over the continent we have similar stories -- it 's just how we tell them . '' Mark Tutton and Christian Purefoy contributed to this report .
African Movie Academy Awards are the ` ` African Oscars '' The awards have helped promote African cinema overseas . Best Picture winner ` ` The Promise '' has played at international festivals . Africa 's ` ` Nollywood '' produces more films than Hollywood .