2026 BAFTA Film Awards: Nigerians Shine as Wunmi Mosaku, My Father’s Shadow Win
Nigerian-born creatives recorded major successes at the 2026 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards in London on Sunday night, with actress Wunmi Mosaku and Lagos-set film My Father’s Shadow among the winners.
My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr., with a screenplay by his brother, Wale Davies, won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. The film is rooted in a deeply personal and political story of Nigerian life.
Set in Lagos during the annulled 1993 Nigerian presidential election, My Father’s Shadow follows a father and his two sons as they move through the city amid protests, uncertainty and political tension. It examines family bonds against the backdrop of one of the most consequential moments in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Davies Jr. has described the project as a tribute to their late father, whose death when the brothers were young shaped both the emotional tone of the film and its focus on memory, loss and resilience. Though the award category recognises British debuts, its subject matter, setting and creative vision are firmly rooted in Nigeria, underscoring the growing transnational nature of contemporary African cinema.
Mosaku won the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sinners, marking a return to the BAFTA winners’ stage nine years after she claimed the same category at the television awards for Damilola, Our Loved Boy in 2017. Her latest win adds to a career that has steadily placed her among the most visible African actors working in British and international cinema.
In Sinners, Mosaku plays Annie, a Hoodoo priestess whose character anchors the emotional and spiritual core of the musical horror film. The performance had already drawn strong critical attention ahead of the awards season, with the film also securing multiple nominations across technical and creative categories.
The win made Mosaku the first Black British actress to take the supporting actress prize at the BAFTA film awards.
After the ceremony, Mosaku said the role allowed her to reconnect with parts of her identity she had previously felt pressure to suppress.
Born in Nigeria and raised in Manchester after moving to the UK as a child, she has frequently spoken about navigating questions of belonging as an immigrant and performer. Her speech and subsequent press conference comments resonated widely, particularly among Black women who said they felt represented by the character and her portrayal.
Mosaku’s career spans stage, television and film, with appearances in productions such as Luther, Black Mirror and several Marvel titles. Her BAFTA success has further strengthened expectations around her prospects during the ongoing international awards season.
The BAFTA recognition builds on the film’s strong international run. My Father’s Shadow became the first Nigerian film selected for the official lineup of the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered in the Un Certain Regard section to positive reviews. Critics praised its restrained storytelling, historical grounding and performances, noting its contribution to a broader re-evaluation of African narratives on global screens.
Sunday’s awards ceremony was led overall by One Battle After Another, which topped the night with six wins, including Best Film and Best Director. Sinners also featured prominently, earning multiple technical awards alongside Mosaku’s acting prize.
