By Adedapo Adesanya

Critically acclaimed drama, My Father’s Shadow, emerged as the winner of the prestigious Best Movie category at the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award.

The win, at the showpiece held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, cements its place among the most celebrated African films of recent years.

The award was received by producers, Ms Funmbi Ogunbanwo and Ms Rachel Dargavel, whose work on the project has continued to attract widespread recognition both within and outside Africa.

Africa Magic described the movie as a production that “delivered on every level: story, craft, and impact,” applauding its artistic depth, emotional storytelling and cinematic excellence. The category was sponsored by Don Julio.

Directed by Akinola Davies Jr. in his feature film debut and co-written with his brother Wale “Tec” Davies, My Father’s Shadow tells a powerful coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s tense political atmosphere during the 1993 election crisis.

The film follows two young brothers navigating the chaotic streets of Lagos alongside their estranged father, a journalist and activist, as the nation grapples with uncertainty during the transition from military rule.

The film, shot entirely on 16mm film, blends intimate family drama with political history, creating a visually striking narrative praised for its authenticity and emotional resonance.

The production stars Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù alongside brothers Godwin and Chibuike Marvellous Egbo, whose performances received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences.

Before its AMVCA triumph, My Father’s Shadow had already achieved significant international success, becoming the first Nigerian film selected for the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a Special Mention for the Caméra d’Or.

The movie also secured several global honours, including a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut, recognition at the Gotham Awards and a place on the BBC’s list of the best films of 2026.

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES & WINNERS

Best Digital Content Creator

Emmanuel Kanaga and Sophia Chisom — Leave to Live

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (North Africa)

Our Memories

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (East Africa)

Inside Job – Kamau Wandug’u et al.

Sayari – Omar Hamza, June Wairegi

Addis Fikir – Leul Shoaferaw [WINNER]

My Son – Isarito Mwakalindile

Kimote – Hassan Mageye

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE (WEST AFRICA)

The Serpent’s Gift – Winifred Mena-Ajakpovi

Lisabi: A Legend Is Born – Lateef Adedimeji [WINNER]

Labake Olododo – Iyabo Ojo et al.

Aljana – Grace Yakubu

Olorisha – Abiola Adeshina

BEST EDITING

To Kill A Monkey — WINNER

Cordelia

My Father’s Shadow

Landline

3 Cold Dishes

Osamede

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Beyond Olympic Glory — WINNER

The Good x The Bad of Afrobeat

The People Shall

Not Addressing This Anymore

BOU

BEST SHORT FILM

Rise – Jessie J. Rowlands

Fleas – Jordy Sank

Telephone – Fimisinuola Adejonwo

Hussainin – Orire Nwani, Josh Olaoluwa [WINNER]

My Body, God’s Temple – Uzoamaka Power

BEST SCORE/MUSIC

My Father’s Shadow — WINNER

3 Cold Dishes

Osamede

Gingerrr

The Party

MTV Shuga Mashariki

To Kill A Monkey

Best Unscripted M-Net Original

Nigerian Idol (S10) — WINNER (Sulaiman Kassim and Ameke)

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa

Chapa Chapa My Love

Out N About (Harar)

Undugu

Best Scripted M-Net Original

Adam To Eve

Mother of the Brides

The Yard

The Low Priest (Femi Ogunsanwo)— WINNER

Bobo

Best Supporting Actress

Olamide Kidbaby – Oversabi Aunty

Bisola Aiyeola – Gingerrr

Sola Sobowale – The Covenant Series

Nadia Dutch – Aljana

Amal Umar – The Herd

Juliebrenda Nyambura – MTV Shuga Mashariki

Funke Akindele – Behind The Scene

Linda Ejiofor —The Herd [WINNER]

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Simileoluwa Hassan – The Yard

Lateef Adedimeji – Gingerrr

Gabriel Afolayan – Colours of Fire

Bucci Franklin – To Kill A Monkey [WINNER]

Femi Adeboye – Agesinkole 2

Femi Branch – Red Circle

Uzor Arukwe – Behind The Scenes

Best Lead Actor

Mike Ezuruonye – Oversabi Aunty

Lateef Adedimeji – Lisabi: A Legend Is Born

William Benson – To Kill A Monkey

Kanayo O. Kanayo – Grandpa Must Obey

Khumbuza Meyiwa – Bet I Love You

Uzor Arukwe – Colours of Fire —[WINNER]

Wale Ojo – 3 Cold Dishes

Femi Branch – Red Circle

Uche Montana wins TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Best Series (Unscripted)

The Real Housewives of Lagos S3

Nigerian Idol S10

Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa

Offair With Gbemi and Toolz

Out N’ About (Harar) — [WINNER]

Best Series Scripted — Inimba [WINNER]

Best Director

Akinola Davies Jr – My Father’s Shadow —[WINNER]

Tunde Kelani – Cordelia

James Kalu Omokwe – Osamede

Daniel Etim-Effiong – The Herd

Yemi Morafa – Gingerrr

Asurf Amuwa Oluseyi – 3 Cold Dishes

Best Movie

Gingerrr

The Herd

My Father’s Shadow— [WINNER]

3 Cold Dishes

The Serpent’s Gift

Behind The Scenes

Over 1.7 billion votes in favor against roughly 16.3 million opposed. Warner Bros Discovery shareholders approved the $110 billion Paramount Skydance merger on April 23, and the margin was not close. Anyone running 1xbet site ROI numbers across entertainment sector positions watched WBD shares trade in a tight band near the $31 cash offer through April, the kind of price action that confirms what the wagering markets had already settled on. Paramount beat Netflix in a months-long bidding war for Warner Bros that started in late 2025, and David Ellison now sits weeks away from running the largest media conglomerate assembled since the breakup of the old studio system.

What the $110 Billion Deal Looks Like on Paper

Paramount acquires 100% of WBD in an all-cash deal backed by committed investment from the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners. The SEC filing from February 27 laid out the financial architecture, and the numbers below capture the key terms.

Warner Bros film studio, HBO, CNN, TBS, TNT, CBS, Nickelodeon, and both companies’ television and film libraries all end up under one roof. Paramount committed to 30 theatrical releases a year in the filing, and the streaming side is where the growth bet sits. That much content in one place gives the merged entity a licensing position nobody else in the industry can match, and it also gives every sportsbook chasing broadcast-integration deals exactly one phone number to call when they want their odds overlays sitting alongside live sports.

How the Bidding War Played Out

Netflix went after WBD first. Paramount Skydance came in over the top, and by February 26 WBD’s board called it a superior proposal, with the definitive agreement signed the next morning. They set the shareholder vote for April 23 at 10 AM. It went 1.743 billion shares in favor, 16.3 million against, and 2.37 million abstaining.

Wagering markets had the outcome priced in long before the ballots were counted. Polymarket contracts on deal completion traded heavily through March and April at implied probabilities above 75%, and the gap between WBD’s trading price and the $31 offer shrank to under a dollar heading into the meeting. Anyone holding the deal-completion side of those contracts walked into the vote with a position the markets had already validated. The question on the table was the timing of the cash, not the outcome of the vote.

Regulatory Review and What Stands Between the Vote and Completion

Antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic get the file next, along with a North American competition bureau that opened its review the same day shareholders voted. Hollywood is not thrilled either. Several high-profile entertainment figures have gone public with concerns about what a combined entity this size does to creative independence and working conditions on set.

For the sports betting industry, the regulatory holdup creates an unusual planning window. Sportsbooks running broadcast-integrated products, the kind that overlay live odds on game telecasts and tie promotions to specific media properties, typically negotiate those deals broadcaster by broadcaster. A combined Paramount-WBD would shrink the negotiating universe to one entity sitting on AFC football coverage at CBS, the cable sports wing through TNT, and the streaming distribution running underneath both. That changes leverage on both sides of the table.

Specific properties make the leverage explicit. NFL AFC games and college football sit at CBS. MLB postseason and the cable sports tier live at TNT. March Madness has been split between the two networks since 2011 under a deal that runs through 2032, which means a closed merger puts the entire tournament on one combined network platform for the first time. Sportsbooks negotiating in-stream odds overlays, contextual ads, and content partnerships across those properties currently run two separate tracks for the two broadcasters. After integration, those tracks collapse into a single conversation.

Ellison’s pitch to regulators has to be that consumers benefit and competition survives in streaming, theatrical distribution, and sports broadcasting. If the deal closes, premium scripted content, live sports rights, and cable news distribution all land under one company.

What Oddsmakers and Prediction Markets Are Watching

Completion timelines for deals this size typically stretch six to twelve months past the shareholder vote. Wagering lines on the merger closing before the end of 2026 reflect a split opinion, with Polymarket traders pricing it at roughly 55%. Regulatory conditions could push the timeline into early 2027. Books pricing media-sector futures contracts beyond the close itself, including first quarterly earnings and the sports-rights renewal cycles that follow, have already started taking positions, which is the cleanest tell that the integration is being priced as something more than a paperwork formality. Contracts pricing tighter regulatory conditions, including potential divestitures or behavioral remedies, have started attracting their own volume. That is a step further out the curve than where prediction markets typically sit on M&A timelines this early in the process.

The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) returns for its 12th edition with an expanded, week-long lineup of events under the theme “Honouring Craft, Celebrating Culture.” This year’s edition is set to spotlight the richness of African storytelling, recognise industry excellence, and celebrate the continent’s vibrant creative spirit.

Scheduled to take place from May 6 to May 9, 2026, AMVCA 12 will bring together filmmakers, actors, creatives, and culture enthusiasts from across Africa for an immersive celebration of film, television, and cultural expression.

The week kicks off on May 6 with Young Filmmakers’ Day, a platform dedicated to nurturing emerging talent and fostering the next generation of African storytellers. The event will feature masterclasses, panel sessions, and networking opportunities designed to equip young creatives with the tools and insights needed to thrive in the industry.

On May 7, the spotlight shifts to Icons Night, an evening dedicated to celebrating industry veterans and trailblazers whose contributions have shaped the African film and television landscape. This night underscores the “Honouring Craft” pillar of this year’s theme by recognising the legacy and excellence of pioneers in the creative space.

The celebration continues on May 8 with the much-anticipated Cultural Night, a vibrant showcase of Africa’s diverse heritage through fashion, music, food, and performance. As a true reflection of “Celebrating Culture,” the event highlights the beauty, identity, and traditions that define the continent.

The week-long festivities will culminate on May 9 with the prestigious Awards Night, where outstanding achievements in film and television will be recognised across multiple categories. The ceremony promises an unforgettable evening of glamour, entertainment, and recognition of excellence within the African entertainment industry.

The AMVCA 12 Awards Night will air live across all Africa Magic channels from 7:00 PM (WAT), bringing the excitement of the celebration to audiences across the continent.

With this expanded format, AMVCA 12 continues to evolve beyond an awards show into a dynamic platform that honours craftsmanship, celebrates culture, and amplifies African voices on a global stage.