Oscars 2026: Three African-Directed Films Among 201 Best Picture Contenders

On Tuesday January 6th, the Oscars acknowledged the eligibility of 317 feature films for consideration ahead of the 98th Academy Awards, a list that includes 201 titles that are put forward for the Best Picture category.

The 201 films are said to have met the additional criteria beyond the general picks, which includes robust theatrical runs and the completion of a special form for Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry. Selected films were expected to meet at least two of the four inclusion standards and undergo a theatrical experience including a minimum 10 of the top 50 US markets within 45 days of premiere in 2025.

The fate of African cinema at the 2026 Oscars looks slightly promising, as three films by the continent’s filmmakers feature in the tentative Best Picture list. These films are Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming A Guinea Fowl (Zambia), Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), and Embeth Davidtz’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (South Africa).

On Becoming A Guineafowl, a dark comedy drama set in contemporary Zambia, was initially released in 2024, premiering at the Un Certain Regard section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 16th the same year. It also screened at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, 2024 New York Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival. It follows Shula, a young woman who, together with her cousins, attempt to find closure as they unearth buried sexual secrets during the funeral proceedings of their uncle.

The Voice of Hind Rajab, a Tunisian-French co-production, follows the story of five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who is killed by Israeli forces during the ongoing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. It premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 3rd, 2025, where it earned the Grand Jury Prize, and also screened at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival four days later. Following these, it debuted in the Tunisia theatres on September 10th, 2025 and in France on November 26th, 2025.

In Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, screen actor Davidtz makes a directorial debut, adapting Alexandra Fuller’s 2001 memoir about her childhood in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) following the Rhodesian Bush War and just before the election that gave power to Robert Mugabe. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30th, 2024 and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6th, 2024.

Eligibility for the Best Picture category of the upcoming Oscars, however, remains subject to change especially for late-year releases. Films are mandated to complete their extended theatrical runs by Jan 22nd 2026, or risk getting dropped.

With the 2026 Oscars set to take place on March 15th, 2026, celebrating excellence in motion pictures across the continent, it will be interesting to see how far Africa can go considering projects from the region that are currently under the radar of the world’s foremost film awards.