AFRIFF Globe Awards 2025 Recognizes Excellence in African and Diaspora Cinema 

The 14th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF 2025) ended on Saturday, November 8th, 202,5 with AFRIFF Globe Awards,  the prize-giving component of the festival held annually in Lagos in recognition of excellence in filmmaking from Africa and the Diaspora. A total 18 awards were presented at the festival across different categories.

The show involved the presentation of the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence to individuals advancing film, governance, and community development in various capacities. The recipients were actor David Oyelowo for championing African narratives on a global scale, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state for his commitment to progressive development, Hakeem Muri-Okunola for his leadership and pursuit of youth development, and music sensation Flavour for his efforts towards the advancement of African cinema.

The Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Film and Best Documentary award went to The Eyes of Ghana, a documentary about legendary Ghanaian filmmaker Christian Tsui Hesse, directed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot. Nwamaka Chikezie’s  To Adaego With Love, a historical romantic drama that explores interethnic romance against the backdrop of post-Civil War tensions in Nigeria, won the Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay prizes. Ghanaian-American filmmaker Zöey Martinson won the Best Director prize for The Fisherman, a comedy film that follows an aging  Ghanaian fisherman’s transformative journey from his humble home in the coastal region to the city where he learns to tolerate modern values.

Kalu Oji’s Pasa Faho won Best International Film award,  while the Best  Animation award was given to Adeoye Adetunji’s The Travails of Ajadi. There were also awards for excellent contributions in the acting department, with Nigerian actor  Richard Bamgbaye and Kenyan actress Michelle Lemuya Ikeny winning Best Male and Best Female Performances for Aljana and Nawi, respectively. In the shorts section, Russell Oru’s The Day The Heart Died (Nigeria) emerged Best Short while Toluwalope Okunade Ebiseni won Best Student Short for The Labyrinth (France) and Peter Fada Osiughwu took the Best Documentary Short award for Beyond The Screen (UK/Nigeria). In addition, Joshua Neubert and Victor Muhagachi were awarded Best International Short for Majini.

The last film to screen at the 2025 AFRIFF theatrical run was TUKKI: From Roots to Bayou, a co-production between France, Ghana, Senegal, and the USA, which also ended up being crowned Best International Documentary at the Globe Awards. Ultimately, the Audience Choice Poll went to Son of The Soil, a gritty revenge-fuelled crime thriller set in Nigeria and directed by British-Chinese filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung.

Here is the full list of winners:

Jury Prize

The Eyes of Ghana | Ben Proudfoot | Ghana

Audience Choice Poll

Son of the Soil |  Chee Keong Cheung | Nigeria

Best Feature Film

To Adaego With Love | Nwamaka Chikezie | Nigeria

Best International Film

Pasa Faho | Kalu Oji | Australia

Best Director

Zoey Martinson | The Fisherman | Ghana

Best Male Performance

Richard Bamgbaye | Aljana | Nigeria

Best Female Performance

Michelle Lemuya Ikeny | Nawi | Kenya

Best Screenplay

Brenda Garuba | To Adaego With Love | Ghana

Best Documentary

The Eyes of Ghana | Ben Proudfoot | Ghana

Best International Documentary

TUKKI: From Roots to Bayou | Vincent Le Gal, Alune Wade | France, Ghana, Senegal, USA

Best Documentary Short

Beyond The Screen | Peter Fada Osiughwu | Nigeria, UK

Best International Short 

Majini | Joshua Neubert, Victor Muhagachi | Tanzania, United Kingdom

Best Animation

The Travails of Ajadi | Adeoye Adetunji | Nigeria

Best Short

The Day The Heart Died | Russell Oru | Nigeria

Best Student Short

The Labyrinth | Toluwalope Okunade Ebiseni | France