Desmond Finney is a veteran multi – talented Sierraleone movie star. A graduate from Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, Desmond Finney has been in the field of acting directing and producing spanning a period of 20 years.

He has appeared in over Forty African movies and was nominated Best Newcomer for the African Movie Awards ‘Zafaa’ in the United Kingdom ,Best supporting Actor by the Giama awards in Houston Texas and won Best Actor AWOL Sierra Leone .

He was also nominated as best actor for the ‘Ansev Movie Awards’ in Sierra Leone and his movie ‘Diamond Wahala’ has won two awards as best comedy at the Sierra Leone International Film Festival and the Ansev Movie Awards.

He has worked alongside industry greats like Desmond Elliot, Ramsey Noah, Rita Dominic, John Okafor( Mr Ibu),Mike Ezerounye, Morris K. Essay, Jimmy B ,Fatima Jabbi and many more shooting in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.

Collins Archie-Pearce a multi-award winning movie producer, actor, the founder / CEO of Archie-Pearce Production Ltd; was born in Freetown Sierra Leone, West Africa in the mid-sixties.

He was the first of three children and had spent the first 25 years of his life in Sierra Leone where he attended the Albert Academy and Fourah Bay College studying Economics.

He preceded to United Kingdom in 1991 and got married years after and blessed with three children and one grandchild.

He furthered his education at Croydon College where he studied Business Management and graduated in March 2008.

Presently Collins Archie-Pearce is also a Senior Manager at London Underground Ltd with twenty years of managerial experience heading the managers on the Bakerloo line.
Collins started his career as an actor in the late 70s during his secondary school days in Sierra Leone. And thereafter went to British Film Institute (BFI) to develop his acting & directing skills.
To his credit he has proudly produced several popular African films including: ‘Ibu in Sierra Leone’, ‘Devil in Freetown’, ‘I Can’t get you off my mind’, ‘Flight 442’
The British Expert and has himself featured in several Nollywood/ African Movies both here in the UK and abroad, including: Rubicon’, Amina’, Shameful Deceit’, Battered’,Ibu in Sierra Leone’

London na wa’, ‘The Soul’, ‘Otega and his Enemies’,‘The King Maker’, ‘Complicated’, ‘Broken’ Cross, ‘I can’t get you out of my mind’, National Virus’,The Devil in Freetown’,

Love counts’, ‘Enchained’, ‘Oxford Gardens’ The British Expert, Santana City, The Village Girl, Gilo and Sheena, etc.
He has also featured on national television in the UK for the past nine years, playing the role of a business tycoon in a TV drama/series titled ‘Everyday life’ (which was showing on four Sky Television channels in the UK).
Collins has also built a great portfolio managing the successful careers of top Nollywood actors including: Patience Ozorkwo, Desmond Elliott, Van Vicker, Mike Ezuroenye, Osita Iheme (Pawpaw), John Okafor (Mr Ibu), Kenneth Okonkwo, Chinere Wilfred, Alex Ekubo, Okey Bakasi, Lanre Balagun, Anthony Monjero, Victoria Inyama, Atto Erick, Joannes Maier, Ifunaya Igwe, Adaeze Ngozi, Chinwe Owoh, Bob Manuel, Charles Awurum and many more, as well as managing non-Nollywood actors including: Kao Denero, Desmond Finney, Martha Sesay, Christiana Kamara, Tyron Da Prince, Heaven Jay, LXG etc.

His achievements and recognition’s include:
1. Unsung Heroes Award 2013 by Calabash Magazine
2. Recognition Award for contribution to the African Film Industry in the UK 2013 by ZAFAA
3. Most impactful member 2011 by the Redeem Christian Church of God,Woolwich
4. Best Movie Premiere “Ibu in Sierra Leone” 2013 by Sierra Leone Excellence Awards;
5. Best Sierra Leone Film Producer 2014 by the Universal Achievement Awards;
6. Outstanding Contribution to Cinema by United Artist
7. Best Supporting Actor 2014 by AWOL.
8. Best Film Producer (UK) 2015 by Malisha Da Queen Foundation
9. Outstanding Support in the Film Industry by Malisha Da Queen Foundation.
10. Best Community Supporter by Malisha Da Queen Foundation.
11. Best Supporting Actor 2015 by BEFFTA Award.
12. Crowned, Diaspora Movie Ambassador by Diaspora Focus organisation, Sierra Leone.

Collins Archie-Pearce has a massive fan and a proven track record of doing things “bigger and better” each time. Few months ago, he was in Sierra Leone, Freetown to shoot blockbuster film titled The British Expert.
He was received with a rosy welcome by hundreds of entertainers right from Lungi International Airport; the fans printed hundreds of T-shirts with his picture in the front and a welcome note at the back and they also hired buses to rally the streets of Freetown with the Sierra Leonean icon and legend who has lifted the name of his country and put it on the world map in terms of film production and promotion.

SPECIAL MOVIE AWARDS PRESS RELEASE 2016

VENUE: JOINT OFFICERS MESS

DATE: 8th August 2016

TIME: 12:00PM

We are pleased to inform you of the successful completion of screening of the SMA 2016 Film Entries, 37 films were submitted by 24 film production houses and after a weeklong screening by an independent Jury. Based on the films submitted the Jury came up with three nominees in each of the 15 Categories. The Production Houses, Categories and Nominees are as follows:

NOTE:

            To vote for your favourite Nominee in any of the Categories, please go to SMA Vote page on www.afrinitypro.com  Voting officially opens 10th August and Closes 10th September 2016. Good Luck to all the Nominees, the grand Final is on the 30th September 2016. See you all there!!!

Special Movie Award under the auspices of afrinity productions recently convened a press conference for the maiden edition of the special movie award dedicated to recognize the work of filmmakers and actors in The Gambia.

This according to organisers is to celebrate films made in the Gambia, promote qualitative film contents, encourage the art of film making and to recognize key players in the industry and support film productions in the country.
Speaking at the conference, Franklin Adim, the program/Award coordinator of special movie awards (SMA) said afrinity productions is a recognised media house in the Gambia and has come up with this initiative.

“Special movie awards is an award that has been initiated some few months ago. This is an award that will be celebrated to bring film makers in the country. When we talk about film makers, producers, actors for both lines as well as other recognition in the process of making film. The publicity has been going on gradually over the weeks and we are here today to formally inform and involve the press in the whole process and the award is slated for 30th September 2016.”

“The award is meant to award the film makers, actors and actress in the country and secondly it is a way of publishing the activities of film makers and actors in the country and to call out more collaborations, more support for film makers and actors in the Gambia. It is an award for celebration, publicity and recognition for those who are into film making.” 

Also speaking at the conference, Sheikh Tijan Sonko, the producer of the SMA, said: “The maiden edition of SMA is to celebrate together with Gambian film makers and actors to at least recognize them. There are lot of people that are not aware of the good work the film makers are doing and we also want to at least promote quality films in the Gambia.
“And by doing this we decided to bring fifteen awardees in the film making and we will give out honorary award.”
Winners of the maiden edition will go home with certificates, a trophy and cash, according to the organizers of the event.
Special Movie Awards 2016 (Maiden Edition) is a night of glitz, glamour and paparazzi it is a night of unforgettable experience for movie starts to celebrate creative titles, diverse languages, beautiful colors, melodious sounds, graphical effects, styles and actions.

By Samsideen Ceesay & Juldeh Njie  The Standard Newspaper, The Gambia.