AMVCA 2026 Full Winners List: My Father’s Shadow Wins Best Movie as Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman Makes History

Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman won Best Lead Actress for her role in The Serpent’s Gift at the 2026 AMVCA. This victory was part of her historic double-win night, where she also secured the Best Supporting Actress trophy at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards has wrapped up at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, and what a historic night it was for African cinema. Hosted by Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha — with IK Osakioduwa passing the baton for the first time in over a decade — the ceremony delivered history, emotion, and more than a few surprises across 32 categories.

The evening’s biggest winner was My Father’s Shadow, which took home the prestigious Best Movie award, continuing a remarkable global run following wins at Cannes, BAFTA, and the Gotham Awards.

The biggest story of the night was “My Father’s Shadow,” which took home the most prestigious prize of the evening — Best Movie — continuing a remarkable global run for the film that has already seen it win at Cannes, BAFTA, and the Gotham Awards. Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman made history by winning both Best Lead Actress for “The Serpent’s Gift” and Best Supporting Actress for “The Herd” in a single night, becoming one of the very few performers in the ceremony’s history to achieve a lead and supporting acting double in the same year. Uzor Arukwe claimed Best Lead Actor for “Colours of Fire,” while Bucci Franklin delivered one of the most emotional acceptance speeches of the night after winning Best Supporting Actor for “To Kill A Monkey.”

My Father’s Shadow was named Best Movie at the 2026 AMVCA in Lagos. The film dominated the 12th edition of the awards with 5 total wins, continuing its prestigious run after global recognition at Cannes and the BAFTAs.

In one of the most emotional moments of the night, Lateef Adedimeji dedicated his Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa) win for “Lisabi: A Legend Is Born“ to his wife, Mo Bimpe. The moment comes just days after the couple announced the arrival of their triplets.

Here is the complete list of winners from AMVCA 12:

Best Lead Actor

• Lisabi – Lateef Adedimeji
• To Kill a Monkey – William Benson
• Colours of Fire – Uzor Arukwe – WINNER
• 3 Cold Dishes – Wale Ojo
• Red Circle – Femi Branch

Best Lead Actress

• Her Excellency – Sola Sobowale
• The Serpent’s Gift – Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – WINNER
• Behind the Scenes – Scarlet Gomez
• The Herd – Genoveva Umeh
• Mother of the Brides – Gloria Anozie-Young

Best Supporting Actor

• The Yard – Simileoluwa Hassan
• Gingerrr – Lateef Adedimeji
• Colours Of Fire – Gabriel Afolayan
• To Kill a Monkey – Bucci Franklin – WINNER
• Agesinkole (King Of Thieves) 2 – Femi Adeboye
• Red Circle – Lateef Adedimeji
• Owanbe Thieves – Femi Branch
• Behind the Scenes – Uzor Arukwe

Best Supporting Actress

• The Herd – Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman – WINNER
• Oversabi Aunty – Olamide Kidbaby
• Gingerrr – Bisola Aiyeola
• The Covenant Series – Sola Sobowale
• Aljana – Nadia Dutch
• The Herd – Amal Umar
• MTV Shuga Mashariki – Juliebrenda Nyambura
• Behind the Scenes – Funke Ayotunde Akindele

Best Movie

• Gingerrr – Bisola Aiyeola & Team
• The Herd – Daniel Etim Effiong & Team
• My Father’s Shadow – Funmbi Ogunbanwo and Rachel Dargavel – WINNER
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Oluseyi and Team
• The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
• Behind the Scenes – Funke Akindele and Wendy Imaseun

Best Director

• My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr. – WINNER
• Cordelia – Tunde Kelani
• Osamede – James Kalu Omokwe
• The Herd – Daniel Etim Effiong
• Gingerrr – Yemi Filmboy Morafa
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi

Best Cinematography

• My Father’s Shadow – Jermaine Edwards
• To Kill A Monkey – Kabelo Thathe – WINNER
• The Herd – Emmanuel Igbekele
• Finding Nina – Daanong Gyang
• The Serpent’s Gift – Emmanuel Igbekele
• Stitches – KC Obiajulu
• Gingerrr – Emmanuel Igbekele

Best Costume Design

• The Serpent’s Gift – Mary Chukuma
• The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3) – Deola Art Alade and Darey Art Alade
• Colours of Fire – Valerie Okeke – WINNER
• Something About The Briggs – Yolanda Okereke
• To Kill a Monkey – Ikechukwu Urum & John Joseph Angel

Best Editing

• Cordelia – Kazeem Agboola
• My Father’s Shadow – Omar Guzman Castro
• Landline – Nwanguma Peter Chidebere and Dele Doherty
• 3 Cold Dishes – Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi
• Osamede – Winston AIG-Ohioma
• To Kill a Monkey – Daniel Anyiam – WINNER

Best Writing (Movie)

• The Herd – Lani Aisida
• My Father’s Shadow – Wale Davies – WINNER
• Blackout – Ikenna Okpara
• Cards on the Table – Shirleen Wangari
• Gingerrr – Xavier Ighorodje
• Suky – Isaac Ayodeji
• 3 Cold Dishes – Tomi Adesina

Best Art Direction

• The Serpent’s Gift – Zainab Oladupupo
• The Herd – Omolade Abisola
• Colours of Fire – Ajamolaya Bunmi – WINNER
• Aljana – Olatunji Afolayan and Gideon Stephen
• Suky – Victor Akpan
• Inimba – Thabiso Senne

Special Awards

• Trailblazer Award: Uche Montana

• Industry Merit Award: Sola Sobowale and Kanayo O. Kanayo

Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa)

• The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi
• Labake Olododo – Iyabo Ojo & Team
• Aljana – Grace Yachat Yakubu
• Olorisha – Abiola Adeshina
• Lisabi: A Legend is Born – Lateef Adedimeji – WINNER

Best Digital Content Creator

• Luxury Koko – Maryam Apaokagi-Greene (Taaooma)
• The Marriage List – Destiny Ogie Osarewinda
• The Rate Race – Benedict Ehimare Oriaifo
• August Meeting Election – Steve Chuks
• Did I Just Hear Muah – Akwaman
• Leave To Live – Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom – WINNER

Best Scripted M-Net Original

• Adam To Eve – Lizz Njagah & Alexandros Konstantaras
• Mother of the Brides – Rogba Arimoro and Bio Arimoro
• The Yard – James Kalu Omokwe
• Bobo – Maurice Muendo
• The Low Priest – Femi D. Ogunsanwo – WINNER

Best Indigenous M-Net Original

• Kukoyi – David Akande
• Undugu – Hatibu Madudu
• Out N’ About (Harar) – Bruk Yibrah
• Kampala Creme – Joel Ndugwa
• The Chocolate Empire – Grace Kahaki and Phillippe Bresson
• Mgbuka – Eze Izu
• Inimba – Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu – WINNER

Best Unscripted M-Net Original

• The Real Housewives of Lagos (S3) – Deola Art Alade & Darey Art Alade
• Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa – Graeme Swanepoel
• Off Air – Gbemi & Toolz
• Out N’ About – Bruk Yibrah
• Nigerian Idol (S10) – Sulaiman Kassim & Anneke De Ridder – WINNER

Best Scripted Series

• To Kill a Monkey – Kemi Adetiba
• The Yard – James Kalu Omokwe
• The Chocolate Empire – Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson
• Kash Money – Grace Khaki & Phillipe Benson
• Inimba – Siphosethu Tshapu, Thandi Ramathesele and Yolanda Ndhlovu – WINNER

Best Documentary

• Beyond Olympic Glory – Shedrack Salami
• The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat – Louis Ejiofor
• The People Shall – Mark Maina & Nick Wambugu
• Beyond Olympic Glory – Shedrack Salami – WINNER

Best Short Film

• Rise – Jessie J. Rowlands
• Fleas – Jordy Sank
• Telephone – Fimisinuola Adejonwo
• My Body, God’s Temple – Uzoamaka Power
• Hussainin – Orire Nwani and Josh Olaoluwa – WINNER

Best Makeup

• Behind The Scenes – Mojisola Imam
• Lisabi (A Legend Is Born) – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Gingerrr – Diablaq Artistry
• Abanisete – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Suky – Ruth Harcourt
• Labake Olododo – Adeola Thelma Bamgboye
• Warlord – Hakeem Onilogbo (Hakeem Effect) – WINNER

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