‘My Father’s Shadow,’ a film by Nigerian-British filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., was the biggest winner at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) on Saturday, also taking home six awards.
The ceremony was held at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos.
The film, set during the annulled 1993 Nigerian presidential election, won awards for ‘Best Overall Movie’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Sound Design’, ‘Best Music Score’, ‘Best Cinematography’, and ‘Best Writing in a Movie’.
Linda Ejiofor made history at the AMVCA, emerging as a double winner. She claimed both the ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Supporting Actress’ awards.
Uzor Arukwe won ‘Best Lead Actor’ for his role in ‘Colours of Fire,’ directed by Niyi Akinmolayan. The film also won ‘Best Costume Design’.
Bucci Franklin received ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for ‘To Kill a Monkey,’ which also won ‘Best Cinematography’ and ‘Best Editing.
‘Lisabi: A Legend Is Born,’ a film by Lateef Adedimeji, won ‘Best Indigenous Movie (West Africa)’.
‘Hussainin’ was named ‘Best Short Film,’ while Nigerian Idol (Season 10) won ‘Best Unscripted M-Net Original’.
Uche Montana received the ‘Trailblazer Award’. ‘The Industry Merit Awards’ were presented to veteran actors Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo.
See full list of winners:
Best Supporting Actor
- Simileoluwa Hassan – The Yard
- Lateef Adedimeji – Gingerrr
- Gabriel Afolayan – Colours Of Fire
- Bucci Franklin – To Kill A Monkey – WINNER
- Femi Adebayo – King Of Thieves 2
- Lateef Adedimeji – Red Circle
- Femi Branch – Owambe Thieves
- Uzor Arukwe – Behind The Scenes
Best Supporting Actress
- Linda Ejiofor – The Herd – WINNER
- Olamide Kidbaby – Oversabi Aunty
- Bisola Aiyeola – Gingerrr
- Sola Sobowale – The Covenant
- Nadia Dutch – Aljana
- Amal Umar – The Herd
- Juliebrenda Nyambura – MTV Shuga Mashariki
- Funke Akindele – Behind The Scenes
Best Lead Actor
- Mike Ezuruonye – Oversabi Aunty
- Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
- William Benson – To Kill A Monkey
- Kanayo O. Kanayo – Grandpa Must Obey
- Khumbuza Meyiwa – Bet I Love You
- Uzor Arukwe – Colours Of Fire – WINNER
- Wale Ojo – 3 Cold Dishes
- Femi Branch – Red Circle
Best Lead Actress
- Linda Ejiofor – The Serpent’s Gift – WINNER
- Bimbo Akintola – To Kill A Monkey
- Ifeoma Fafunwa – The Lost Days
- Ariyike Owolagba – Something About The Briggs
- Sola Sobowale – Her Excellency
- Scarlet Gomez – Behind The Scenes
- Genoveva Umeh – The Herd
- Gloria Anozie-Young – Mother Of The Brides
Best Director
- Akinola Davies Jr.- My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- Tunde Kelani – Cordelia
- James Omokwe – Osamede
- Daniel Etim Effiong – The Herd
- Yemi Filmboy Morafa – Gingerrr
- Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes
Best Overall Movie
- Gingerrr
- The Herd
- My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- 3 Cold Dishes
- The Serpent’s Gift
- Behind The Scenes
Best Digital Content Creator
- Elozonam Ogbolu, Genoveva Umeh
- Akwaman
- Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
- Emmanuel Kanaga, Sophia Chisom – WINNER
- Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo
- Taaooma
- Steve Chuks
Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)
- The Serpent’s Gift
- Lisabi: A Legend Is Born – WINNER
- Labake Olododo
- Olorisha
- Aljana
Best Indigenous Language Film (East Africa)
- Inside Job
- Sayari
- Addis Fikir – WINNER
- My Son
- KimoteUzor Arukwe
Best Indigenous Language Film (South Africa)
- Bet I Love You
- Sebata: The Beast
- Ben Made It
- Terra Of Queens And Kuma 2
- Tlhaho Ya Mosadi – WINNER
Best Indigenous Language Film (North Africa)
- The Omnipresent
- The Delivery
- The Hidden Voice
- This Is Portsaid
- Artal Alhanin: Our Memories – WINNER
Best Indigenous Language Film (Central Africa)
- Mabanda – WINNER
- Safou: A Gift From Nature
- Golden Spoon
Best Scripted M-Net Original
- Adam to Eve
- Mother of the Bride
- The Yard
- The Low Priest – WINNER
- Bobo
Best Unscripted M-Net Original
- Nigerian Idol S10 – WINNER
- Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
- Chapa Chapa My Love
- Out N About (Harar)
- Undugu
Best Indigenous M-Net Original
- Inimba – WINNER
- Kukoyi
- Undugu
- Out N’ About (Harar)
- Kampala Creme
- The Chocolate Empire
- Mgbuka
Best Short Film
- Fleas
- Rise
- Telephone
- Hussaini – WINNER
- My Body, God’s Temple
Best Cinematography
- Jermaine Edwards – My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- Kabelo Thathe – To Kill A Monkey
- Emmanuel Igbekele – The Herd
- Daanong Gyang – Finding Nina
- Emmanuel Igbekele – The Serpent’s Gift
- KC Obiajulu – Stitches
- Emmanuel Igbekele – Gingerrr
Best Editing
- Kazeem Agboola – Cordelia
- Omar Guzman Castro – My Father’s Shadow
- Wanguma Peter Chidebere, Dele Doherty – Landline
- Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes
- Winston Aig-Ohioma – Osamede
- Daniel Anyiam – To Kill A Monkey – WINNER
Best Sound Design
- Pius Fatoke, CJ Mirra – My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- Tolu Obanro – Gingerrr
- Vaughan Phillips – Ben Made It
- Tolu Obanro – The Party
- Vaughan Phillips – Sebata: The Beast
- Fisayo Adefolaju – The Herd
Best Music Score
- Duval Timothy, CJ Mirra – My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- Nissi Ogulu – 3 Cold Dishes
- Chubb Okobah – Osamede
- Tolu Obanro – Gingerrr
- Tolu Obanro – The Party
- Sofresh – MTV Shuga Mashariki
- Oscar Heman-Ackah – To Kill A Monkey
Best Art Direction
- Zainab Oladipupo – The Serpent’s Gift
- Omolade Abisola – The Herd
- Ajamolaya Bunmi – Colours Of Fire – WINNER
- Olatunji Afolayan, Gideon Stephen – Aljana
- Victor Akpan – Suky
- Thabiso Senne – Inimba
Best Costume Design
- Mary Chukwuma – The Serpent’s Gift
- Deola Art Alade, Darey Art Alade – The Real Housewives Of Lagos
- Valerie Okeke – Colours Of Fire – WINNER
- Yolanda Okereke – Something About The Briggs
- Ikechukwu Urum, John Joseph Angel – To Kill A Monkey
Best Makeup
- Mojisola Imam – Behind The Scenes
- Adeola Bamgboye – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
- Dablaq Artistry – Gingerrr
- Adeola Bamgboye – Abanisete
- Hakeem Effect – Warlord – WINNER
- Ruth Harcourt – Suky
- Adeola Bamgboye – Labake Olododo
Best Writing TV Series
- Donald Tombia, Timendu Aghahowa, Chiemeka Osuagwu – The Wives
- Annette Shadeya, Natasha Likimani, Mkamzee Mwatela, Arnold Mwanjila, Makgano Mamabolo – MTV Shuga Mashariki – WINNER
- Xavier Ighorodje – Our Husband
- Besufekade Mulu – Addis Fikir
- Temilola Balogun – Baba Oh
- Stephen Okonkwo – The Party
- Yednekachew Ayne – Gizat
Best Writing in a Movie
- Lani Aisida – The Herd
- Wale Davies – My Father’s Shadow – WINNER
- Ikenna Okpara – Blackout
- Shirleen Wangari – Cards On The Table
- Xavier Ighorodje – Gingerrr
- Isaac Ayodeji – Suky
- Tomi Adesina – 3 Cold Dishes
Best Documentary
- Beyond Olympic Glory – WINNER
- The Good, The Bad of Afrobeat
- The People Shall
- Not Addressing This Anymore
- BOU
Best Scripted Series
- To Kill A Monkey
- The Yard
- The Chocolate Empire
- Inimba – WINNER
- Kash Money
Best Unscripted Series
- The Real Housewives Of Lagos
- Nigerian Idol – WINNER
- Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa
- Offair With Gbemi And Toolz
- Out N’ About (Harar)
Trailblazer Award
Uche Montana – WINNER
Industry Merit Award
Sola Sobowale – WINNER
Kanayo O. Kanayo – WINNER