Is 2026 the Year a Nigerian Story Wins a BAFTA? Full List of Nominees

When the British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced its 2026 nominations, the first wave of headlines followed familiar paths. Christopher Nolan, Ryan Coogler and Chloé Zhao have dominated early conversation, reinforcing the sense of a predictable awards season.

However, included among the list of nominees are Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies. Both of them are British-born, and that technicality matters at the BAFTAs. Still, their nominated film, My Father’s Shadow, is unmistakably Nigerian in voice, setting and intent. Shot in Lagos and Ibadan, performed largely in Yoruba and Nigerian Pidgin, and anchored to the political rupture of the 1993 election crisis, the film insists on its origin.

My Father’s Shadow, which was the first Nigerian film selected into Cannes’ Official Selection, earning a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or, has been nominated for Outstanding Debut.

The Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer category has long been a launchpad for filmmakers operating between cultures, and this year, the Davies brothers are its most enthralling entry. Akinola Davies Jr. makes his feature-length debut as director, while Wale Davies co-writes and produces, marking his third film project.

Wale Davies is known to Nigerian audiences as Tec, one-half of the rap duo Show Dem Camp. His film journey is less of a pivot from his music career and more of an expansion. Before music, Davies trained in finance in Europe. He left that path to build a career rooted in creative risk, first through music, then through film and media ventures. 

My Father’s Shadow shows two young brothers who unexpectedly reunite with their father, Folarin, and spend a tense day navigating Lagos together. What begins as a simple outing unfolds against a backdrop of unpaid wages, military presence and a city bracing for political uncertainty. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, widely recognised for Gangs of London, brings good restraint and urgency to the role of a father carrying both personal and national weight.

In 2025, the UK selected My Father’s Shadow as its official entry for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. While it ultimately did not secure an Oscar nomination, the decision itself was revealing.

The British committee backing a Yoruba-language film set entirely in Nigeria signalled confidence in the universality of its story. It also reframed who gets to represent “British” cinema on the world stage. Though the Davies brothers may operate within British institutions, the story they tell belongs unmistakably to Nigeria.

In other news, Sinners continues its strong awards-season run, picking up four BAFTA nominations, including recognition in both the leading actor and supporting actress categories. Marty Supreme also made a solid showing with multiple nominations, reinforcing its status as a major contender this year. The same goes for One Battle After Another. All three titles were already well-represented at the Oscars, exhibiting a good level of consensus across the major awards bodies.

The 79th British Academy Film Awards will take place on February 22, 2026, at London’s Royal Festival Hall, with Alan Cumming hosting for the first time. 

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