PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS 2026

Best Animated Short
Two Black Boys in Paradise (UK)
Directed by Baz Sells

Best Feature Documentary
Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story (UK, US)
Directed by Yemi Bamiro

Best First Feature Documentary
Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul (Canada, Jamaica, US)
Directed by Graeme Mathieson

Best First Feature Narrative
Montmartre (France, US)
Directed by Leon Hendrix III

Best Feature Narrative
Billie (Germany)
Directed by Sheri Hagen

Best Short Narrative
The Black Bart of Taco King #17* (US)
Directed by Rickey Larke

Best Short Documentary
Exodus (Panama, US)
Directed by Nimco Sheikhaden

Audience Award

Short Documentary
The (M) Factor 2: Before the Pause (Perimenopause) (US)
Directed by Jacoba Atlas

Feature Documentary
A Better Way: James Lawson, Architect of Nonviolence (US)
Directed by Karen Hayes

Feature Narrative
Montmartre (France, US)
Directed by Leon Hendrix III

Short Narrative

Spilled Milk (US)
Directed by Jared Leaf

Programmers’ Award

Short Documentary
The Price of Resistance: Sala Udin, An American Agitator (US)
Directed by Annette Banks & Ty Cooper

Feature Documentary
Amazing Grace: YorubaWorlds (Brazil, Nigeria)
Directed by Raynald Leconte

Short Narrative
Legally Black (US)
Directed by Abai Peace

Feature Narrative
Radio Sky (US)
Directed by Carlitos Do Souto

Ja’Net DuBois Founders Award

Short Documentary
When the Sky Turned Orange (US)
Directed by B.P. Edwards

Feature Documentary
Trespass (US)
Directed by Kim Watson

Short Narrative
Complicated Grief (Ghana, Switzerland)
Directed by Julius Amedume

Feature Narrative
Muganga, The One Who Treats (Gabon)
Directed by Marie-Hélène Roux

PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS 2025

Best Feature Documentary
Legacy: The De-Colonized History of South Africa (South Africa)
Director: Tara Moore

Best Feature Narrative
Nawi: Dear Future Me (Kenya)
Director: Vallentine Chelluget, Apuu Mourine, Kevin Schmutzler & Tobias Schmutzler

Best First Feature Narrative
Color Book (US)
Director: David Fortune

Best Short Documentary
Can’t Retire From This (US)
Director: Melanie Page

Best Short Narrative
Advent (US)
Director: Rachel Danae Bass

Audience Award

Feature Narrative
Til Death…Do You (US)
Director: Andra Fuller

Feature Documentary
Memories of Love Returned (Uganda/US)
Director: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine

Short Narrative
For Sale (US)
Director: Nika King

Short Documentary
The Devil is Busy (US)
Directors: Geeta Gandbhir & Christalyn Hampton

Programmers’ Award

Short Narrative
Bela LX-404 (Brazil)
Director: Luiza Botelho

Short Documentary
Born in the Struggle (US)
Director: Kamasi Hill

Feature Documentary
We Want The Funk! (US)
Directors: Stanley Nelson & Nicole London

Feature Narrative
Young King (US)
Director: Bryant Griffin

Ja’Net Dubois Festival Award

Short Documentary
The Thoughts of Our Ancestors (Tanzania/Germany)
Director: Kokutekeleza Musebeni

Short Narrative
Run Like We (UK)
Director: Rhys Aaron Lewis

Feature Documentary (This is a Tie)
Mount Mutombo (United Arab Emirates/US)
Director: Dina Khreinoand

Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Belgium/France/Netherlands)Director: Johan Grimonprez

Feature Narrative
The Fisherman (Ghana)
Director: Zoey Martinson

JURY AWARDS

Best Feature Narrative
Rye Lane (UK)
Director: Raine Allen-Miller

Best First Feature Narrative 
A Song From the Dark (Nigeria/UK)
Director: Ogo Okpue

Best Feature Documentary
King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones (France/US)
Director: Harriet Marin Jones

Best First Feature Documentary 
Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture (US)
Director: David Mesfinn

Best Short Narrative
True Story: God Tells Bad Jokes (US)
Director: Matthew Law

Best Short Documentary
American Justice on Trial: People vs. Newton (US)
Directors: Andrew Abrahams & Herb Ferrette

AUDIENCE FAVORITE AWARDS

Narrative Feature
First (US)
Directors: Jahmela Yarbrough & Brandon Yarbrough

Documentary Feature
Hargrove (France/Italy/US)
Director: Eliane Henri

Short Narrative
Port of a Prince (Haiti/US)
Director: JR Aristide

Short Documentary
Ifine (US/Sierra Leone)
Directors: Adisa Septuri & Ebony Gilbert

PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS

Programmers’ Award: Narrative Feature
The Honeymoon (S.A.)
Director: Bianca Isaac

Programmers’ Award: Documentary 
The Africologist: The Chronicles of Africa (Cape Verde/Egypt/Ghana/Guinea Bissau/Kenya/Morocco/Senegal/
S.A./Tanzania)
Director: Valerio Lopes

Programmers’ Award: Short Narrative
Raw Materials (Jamaica)
Director: Sosiessia Nixon-Kelly

Programmers’ Award: Short Documentary 
Team Dream (US)
Director: Luchina Fisher

PAFF EXECUTIVE’S AWARDS

Narrative Feature
Dancing the Twist in Bamako (Senegal/Mali/Italy/France/Canada)
Director: Robert Guédiguian

Documentary Feature
Fantastic Negrito: Have You Lost Your Mind Yet (US)
Director: Yvan Iturriaga & Francisco Nuñez

Short Narrative
We Were Meant To (US)
Director: Tari Wariebi

Short Documentary
Ifine (US/Sierra Leone)
Director: Adisa Septuri & Ebony Gilbert

JURY AWARDS

Best Feature Narrative
Lingui, the Sacred Bonds (Chad)
Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun 

Best First Feature Narrative 
Queen of Glory (US)
Directed by Nana Mensah 

Best Feature Documentary
Buddy Guy: the Blues Chase the Blues Away (US)
Directed by Charles Todd & Devin Amar 

Best First Feature Documentary 
Africa and I (South Africa)
Directed by Othmane Zolati & Chris Green

Best Short Narrative
Slow Pulse (US)
Directed by Marshall Tyler 

Best Short Documentary
Cuba in Africa (Cuba/US)
Directed by Negash Abdurahman 

PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS

Programmers’ Award: Narrative Feature
Ayinla (Nigeria)
Directed by Tunde Kelani

Programmers’ Award: Documentary 
Race Today (UK)
Directed by Wayne G Saunders

Programmers’ Award: Short Narrative
2 Eye Drops from Normal (US)
Directed by Mora Carew 

Programmers’ Award: Short Documentary 
For Love & Legacy (US
Directed by A.K. Sandhu 

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Favorite: Feature Narrative
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (US)
Directed by Denise Dowse

Audience Favorite: Feature Documentary (tie)
The Dream Whisperer (US)
Directed by Eric Drath

and

Ferguson Rises (US)
Directed by Mobolaji Olambiwonnu 

Audience Favorite: Short Narrative
Contraban (US)
Directed by Chelsea Hicks

Audience Favorite: Short Documentary
Crawford – The Man the South Forgot (US)
Directed by Carol Devoe

JA’NET DUBOIS AWARDS

Narrative
A Brother’s Whisper (US)
Directed by Jacinto Taras Riddick

Documentary
Grandpa was an Emperor (US/Canada/Ethiopia/France/Germany/Jamaica/UK)
Directed by Constance Marks 

JURY AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature
Back of the Moon (South Africa)
Directed by Angus Gibson

Best Documentary
Firestarter – The Story of Bangarra (Australia)
Directed by Wayne Blair, Nel Minchin

Best First Feature Director-Narrative
Caged Birds (US)
Directed by Fredrick Leach

Best First Feature Director-Documentary
Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (US)
Directed by Royal Kennedy Rodgers, Kathy McCampbell Vance

Best Short Narrative (Animation or Live Action)
Tuk-Tuk (Egypt)
Directed by Mohamed Kheidr

FESTIVAL AWARDS

Narrative Feature Award    
The Milk Maid (Nigeria)
Directed by Desmond Ovbiagele

Contemporary Vision Award
Who Is Gatsby Randolph (US)
Directed by Kobie Randolph

Documentary Feature 
Uprooted – The Journey of Jazz Dance (Canada/France/UK)
Directed by Khadifa Wong

Short Narrative or Documentary
The Cypher (US)
Directed by Letia Solomon

Best Actor
Chase Gutzmore, Standing Ovation (US)
Directed by Chase Gutzmore

JURY AWARDS

Best Feature Narrative Award
The Mercy of the Jungle (Rwanda)
Directed by Joël Karekezi

Honorable Mention:

Knuckle City (South Africa)
Directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka

Best First Feature Narrative Award
A Taste of Our Land (Uganda)
Directed by Yuhi Amuli

Honorable Mention:

Mr. Weekend (US)
Directed by McKenzie Woodward

Best Documentary Award
One Child Left Behind:  The Untold Atlanta Cheating Scandal (US)
Directed by Jodi Gomes

Honorable Mention:

PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (US)
Directed by Jacoba Atlas

Best Short Narrative Award
White Gold (South Africa) Directed by Luke Bradford

Honorable Mention:

My Father Belize (Belize)
Directed by Leon Lozano

FESTIVAL AWARDS

Programmers’ Best Narrative Feature
She Ball (US)
Directed by Nick Cannon

Programmers’ Best Short Narrative

Sixteen Thousand Dollars (US)
Directed by Symone Baptiste

Programmers’ Best Documentary Award

parTy boi: black diamonds in ice castles (US)
Directed by Micheal Rice

Programmers’ Best First Feature Narrative Award (Tie)
Coming From Insanity (Nigeria)
Directed by Akinyemi Sebastian Akinropo

and

Gonarezhou The Movie (Zimbabwe)
Directed by Sydney Taivavashe

SPECIAL PROGRAMMERS’ AWARD

The Cuban (Canada/Cuba)
Directed by Sergio Navarretta

JA’NET DUBOIS FEATURE NARRATIVE AWARD

HERO – Inspired By The Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Cross (Canada/Trinidad and Tobago/Ghana/UK) Directed by Frances-Anne Solomon

JA’NET DUBOIS SHORT NARRATIVE AWARD

Code_Switch (US) Directed by Sigin Ojulu

JA’NET DUBOIS DOCUMENTARY AWARD

My Friend Fela (Brazil/Nigeria) Directed by Joel Zito Araújo

JA’NET DUBOIS FIRST NARRATIVE FEATURE  AWARD

Zulu Wedding (South Africa) Directed by Lineo Sekeleoane

SPECIAL JA’NET DUBOIS AWARD

Foster Boy (US) Directed by Youssef Delara

AUDIENCE FAVORITE AWARDS

Audience Favorite for Feature Narrative
The Cuban (Canada/Cuba)
Directed by Sergio Navarretta

Audience Favorite for Feature Documentary
PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (US)
Directed by Jacoba Atlas 

Audience Favorite for Narrative Short
My Father Belize (Belize) Directed by Leon Lozano

Audience Favorite for Documentary Short
Once in a Hundred Years: The Life & Legacy of Marion Anderson (US)
Directed by Bill Nicoletti

JURY AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature
Sprinter (Jamaica)
Directed by Storm Saulter

Honorable Mention

Ellen (South Africa)
Directed by Daryne Joshua

Best First Feature Narrative
Skin in the Game (US)
Directed by Adisa

Honorable Mention

Veronica’s Wish (Uganda)
Directed by Rehema Nanfuka

Best Feature Documentary

Mr. Soul! (US) Directed by Melissa Haizlip

Honorable Mention

Oliver Tambo Have You Heard from Johannesburg (South Africa/Netherlands/ UK/US) Directed by Connie Field

Best Short Documentary
120 Years (US)
Directed by Matt Nadel & Lukas Cox

Honorable Mention

The Infamous Future (US)
Directed by Richard Butterworth

Best Short Narrative

Twelfth Round (Australia)
Directed by Nir Shelter

Honorable Mention

Time 2 Surrender
Directed by Elvis Nolasco

FESTIVAL AWARDS

PAFF Programmers’ Award-Narrative Short
The Fisherman (Ghana)
Directed by Zoey Martinson

PAFF Programmers’ Award – Documentary Short
Sincerely, The Black Kids (US)
Directed by Miles Iton

PAFF Programmers’ Award – Documentary Feature (Tie)
Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes (UK)
Directed by Sophie Huber

and

Boss: The Black Experience in Business (US)
Directed by Stanley Nelson

PAFF Programmers’ Award – Narrative Feature
Lara and the Beat (Nigeria) Directed by Tosin Coker

PAFF Directors’ Award – Feature Documentary
Oliver Tambo: Have You Heard from Johannesburg (South Africa/Netherlands/ UK/US)
Directed by Connie Field

PAFF Directors’ Award – Feature Narrative
Nine Nights (UK)
Directed by Veronica McKenzie

PAFF Directors’ Award – Narrative Short
Bail (UK)
Directed by Kwame Lestrade

PAFF Directors’ Award – Documentary Short
Power to Heal (US)
Directed by Charles Burnett & Daniel Loewenthal

AUDIENCE FAVORITE AWARDS

Audience Award – Short Documentary
Bakosó: Afrobeats de Cuba (US)
Directed by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Audience Award – Narrative Short
Pas Honteux (US)
Directed by John D. Tucker

Audience Award – Documentary Feature
Ali’s Comeback: The Untold Story (US)
Directed by Art L. Jones

Audience Award – Narrative Feature
Rattlesnakes (UK/US)
Directed by Julius Amedume