AMC Season 2 Winner Maud Guerrard Claims Best Actress at REFFA Awards

Accra, Ghana — Maud Guerrard, Ivorian actress and winner of Africa Monologue Challenge (AMC) Season 2, has once again affirmed her place among Africa’s finest talents after emerging as the Best Female Actor in a Leading Role as well as the most promising actor in Africa at the Regal Film Awards (REFFA) 2025, held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.

The awards night, which drew senior government officials, including Her Excellency, the vice president of the Republic of Ghana, industry leaders, investors, and creatives from across the continent, stood as a strong reflection of Africa’s growing cinematic unity. The ceremony honoured outstanding works and performances from West, East, and Southern Africa, positioning REFFA as a truly pan-African platform for film excellence.

Maud Guerrard’s recognition came on a night that celebrated African storytelling in its many forms. Zimbabwe’s Rise won Best Short Film, while Ghana took honours for Best Animation with The Chosen Ones and Best Student Film with Ebu. Celebrated Ghanaian film, The Fisherman also took the best Ghanaian film of the year. Nigeria’s Beyond Olympic Glory secured Best Documentary, and Uganda’s Karamoja was recognised as Best African Language Film, underscoring the linguistic and cultural diversity of African cinema.

Acting categories reflected similar continental breadth. Ghana’s Ricky Adelayitar won Best Male Actor in a Leading Role, while Clemento Suarez claimed Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role. Nigeria’s Mercy Aigbe received Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and Zimbabwe’s Sikhanyiso Ngwenya was named Best Child Actor. The Best Picture award went to 3 Cold Dishes, the same film that earned Maud Guerrard her Best Actress honour, further elevating the significance of her win.

Two revered icons of African cinema, Grace Nortey of Ghana and Patience Ozokwor of Nigeria, were celebrated with Lifetime Achievement Awards, a moment that drew prolonged applause and anchored the evening in both legacy and continuity. Technical awards also cut across borders, with recognitions in cinematography, costume design, sound, editing, visual effects, and directing going to practitioners from Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda.

Against this backdrop of continental excellence, Maud Guerrard’s achievement stood out as a defining moment. Speaking briefly after the ceremony, she described the honour as “a responsibility to keep telling African stories with honesty and courage,” adding that the recognition belonged as much to her country as it did to her craft.

Maud Guerrard’s awards were for her critically acclaimed performance in the film 3 Cold Dishes, where her nuanced portrayal captured both depth and vulnerability, winning over the jury and audiences alike. In her acceptance speech, she thanked her family, her creative team, and the AMC community:

“This honour belongs to my mother and every single mother out there. I particularly dedicate the most promising actress award to every voice from Côte d’Ivoire and every storyteller who believes African narratives should be seen and celebrated on the global stage. The African voice and narrative indeed hold promise.”

In further addressing her second accolade as Most Promising Actress in Africa, Guerrard reflected on her journey since her AMC victory:

“The Africa Monologue Challenge opened a door for me to grow, to challenge myself, and to represent both my country and this vibrant creative generation. This award reaffirms that African talent continues to rise.”

Her journey since winning AMC Season 2 has continued to gather momentum. Maud Guerrard is currently working alongside the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire as preparations advance for Africa Monologue Challenge Season 3, scheduled to take place in March 2026 in Ivory Coast. Her REFFA victory, many observers note, reinforces the merit of her AMC win and the vision behind the platform.

Following the upcoming hosting of AMC Season 3 in March 2026, Maud Guerrard is also set to headline a Pan-African feature film, a spin-off from the Africa Monologue Challenge. The film, to be shot in Ivory Coast in 2027, will feature her alongside the other nine finalists of AMC Season 2, bringing together talents from different African countries in a single cinematic project that reflects unity, collaboration, and shared identity.

From her AMC triumph to her REFFA recognition, Maud Guerrard’s rise mirrors a broader shift within African cinema. It is a story of talent meeting opportunity, and of platforms that deliberately connect African creatives across borders.

The Africa Monologue Challenge (AMC) is an innovative  Pan-African platform developed by MK Casting in partnership with the African Chamber of Content Producers that discovers and promotes emerging acting talent across Africa, celebrating cultural diversity through recorded monologues, workshops, and live competitions, aiming to build Africa’s creative economy and control its own narrative. It brings together young creatives for a season-long event in a host country, culminating in a grand finale where finalists showcase their skills, often featuring cultural exchange and promoting investment/tourism. The winning country gets to host the next edition of the month-long cultural event plus a feature film to be produced in their country.