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.
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
2004–11
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.
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
The President of Haiti, Michel Joseph Martelly, made Jeta Amata a Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti.
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
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2018)
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