The Regal Film Festival and Awards last Friday unveiled its nominees for the December awards at a ceremony held at the Accra Marriott Hotel.
The nomination night, which attracted some of Ghana's top actors and actresses including Joselyn Dumas, Eunice Banini, Portia Asare and Akuma Mama Zimbie, set the stage for a festival scheduled for December 8 to 11, 2026.
Speaking at the event, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of REFFA, Ms Selassie Ibrahim, said the festival is not just about awards but about building a sustainable film industry.
"For me, I keep saying that the festival is my baby because if we don't have a new network producing, educating and marketing, there's no industry to award," she said.
She announced that 36 countries submitted 314 entries for this year's awards, with submissions coming from across Africa as well as the United States, Italy and Iran.
"The festival opens with panel discussions, meeting people who matter, who are doing it from outside Ghana, who are making a mark in this industry, who teach us how to do the packaging, the storytelling, so it can attract the appropriate investors or buyers, aggregators," she explained.
The festival will feature scriptwriting sessions, marketing sessions, film markets, pitch sessions and a portrait night on December 11 at 6pm where all nominated countries will be represented.
"I'm inviting everybody, dress in your traditional wear, and come, let's network, let's connect," she urged.
Asked about her excitement, Ms Ibrahim said, "I'm excited because I know God will not fail us."
On the aims and objectives of the festival, she said, "The aim is to make sure African content is everywhere, flooded everywhere. Our stories are told the way we want to tell it. We will not allow anyone to dilute our stories. Our stories, we'll tell it our way, but quality-wise, we'll make sure we match up with the world standard."
Full list of nominees;
Best Student Documentary
Shadows of the Past (Ghana), Fiashidi (Ghana), Asanti Nyuki (Kenya), Forged Scrap (Ghana)
Best Student Short Film
Echoes from Home (Ghana), Her Dark Past (Nigeria), Rekiya (Nigeria), Blind Pursuit (United States), Unfinished Ride (Ghana)
Best Student Animation
Nzo (Ghana), Smokes and Mirrors (Ghana)
Best YouTube/Web Film
Monica (Nigeria), Me, You and Luna (Nigeria), Local Trouble (Nigeria), A Mother's Bargain (Nigeria), Heaven Must Wait (Nigeria), Trails of Olaide (Nigeria)
Best Short Film
*1992* (Kenya), The House That Never Sleeps (South Africa), Almost Forever (Ghana), Dictatrix (Ghana/United States), Mfuko the Duffle Bag (Uganda), Jimbi (Uganda), Ashes of Accra (Ghana)
Best Diasporan Film
Echoes From The Past (United Kingdom), Dictatrix (United States), Destination Ghana – PIM (Belgium), Don't Whistle at Night (Belgium), Dreaming of Serenada (Denmark)
Best International Film
The Border (Italy), Blind Pursuit (United States), Dhakira (France), Ancheseliodio (Italy)
Most Promising Actor
Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Gadede Segbefia, No Man of God (Ghana) – Jackline Nafula, Black Pepper (Nigeria) – Gbubemi Ejeye, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Evangelista Adjei, Amenfi (Ghana) – Larabie Dimzoure, Unvirtous (Burkina Faso) – Simon Peter Walusimbi, Nkinzi (Uganda) – Michelle Lemuya Ikeny
Best Child Actor
Nkinzi (Uganda) – Lubowa Mayra Ariana, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Joel Liwan, Alechenu (Nigeria) – Royal Aziomaku, No Man of God (Ghana) – Averie Dzama, Son of the Soil (Nigeria) – Ijelu Folajimi
Best Animation
Tumi (Ghana), Lion Gwoza (Nigeria), The Travails of Ajadi (Nigeria), Selase's Adventure (Ghana), The Rusty Fish (Iran), Lice And Shine (Uganda)
Best Documentary
Mama Nike: Queen of Adire (Nigeria), Prisoner in My Mind (South Africa), We Won't Let You Poison Us (Ghana), The Journalist Who Never Came Home (Nigeria), Shining A Light on Lupus (Uganda)
Best Comedy Film
Vibes – The Movie (Ghana), Family Brouhaha (Nigeria), Local Trouble (Nigeria), Boda Love (Kenya), Three for Trouble (Nigeria), Dorathy (Nigeria)
Best TV Series
Damalie (Uganda), House of Klu (Ghana), La Coach (Côte d'Ivoire), Hustle (Nigeria), With You Every Moment (Ghana), Big Boys (Ghana), After The Ashes (Uganda)
Best Debut Film
Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Luc Gnepa, Two (Ghana) – Nana Kofi Asihene, Vibes – The Movie (Ghana) – Nicholas "Big Ghun" Nartey, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Vincho Nchogu, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Maureen Mona Jolly, No Man of God (Ghana) – Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, Somewhere Near Love (Nigeria) – Gbolahan Gafar
Best Indigenous Language Film
Amenfi (Ghana), Adui (Uganda), Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya), One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria), Sika Fra Mogya (Ghana)
Best Ghanaian Film
No Man of God, Two, Amenfi, Vibes – The Movies
Achievement in Casting
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Roman Pogorzelski, Two (Ghana) – Nana Gyasi Owusu and Richmond Ofori, No Man of God (Ghana) – Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Maureen Mona Jolly, Boda Love (Kenya) – Florence Nduta
Achievement in Costume Design
Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Vivian Njeri Kimotho, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Valerie Okeke, Two (Ghana) – Raymonde Lozo, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Aphua Larbi-Amoah, Amenfi (Ghana) – Vincho Nchogu, Fatuo Hassan and Neema Mbeti Ithea, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Lucy Opoku, Evi (Nigeria) – Kingsley Okoye Rex
Achievement in Hair and Makeup
Evi (Nigeria) – Tolu Obadipe and Carina Ojoko, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Alakpa Uduoghene Beautifly, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Madjeneba Diomande, Amenfi (Ghana) – Frederick Boateng, Adui (Uganda) – Micheal Wawuyo Snr, Heaven Must Wait (Nigeria) – Maureen Ifezue
Achievement in Production Design
Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Suuna Abubakar, Amenfi (Ghana) – Emanuel Owusu Sarpong, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Erixon Kangethe, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Franck-Lionel Groude, The Creek (Nigeria) – Toka Mcbaror, Two (Ghana) – Nana Kofi Asihene, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Ayanmo Yakub
Achievement in Soundtrack
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Apuu Mourine and Amadeus Indetzki, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Gbenga Akinnola, Evi (Nigeria) – Tolu Obanro, Vibes – The Movie (Ghana) – Nicholas "Big Ghun" Nartey, No Man of God (Ghana) – Tito Marshall Gomez
Achievement in Sound
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Roman Pogorzelski, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Adam Songbird, No Man of God (Ghana) – Tito Marshall Gomez, Vibes: The Movie (Ghana) – Nicholas "Big Ghun" Nartey, Two (Ghana) – Ivan Ayitey, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Andrew Ahuurra, Son of the Soil (Nigeria) – Tolu Obanro
Achievement in Visual Effects
The Creek (Nigeria) – Peter Kojo Sampah, No Man of God (Ghana) – Banjo Ayodele, Black Pepper (Nigeria) – Steve Askey, Colours of Fire (Nigeria), Son of The Soil (Nigeria)
Achievement in Cinematography
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya, Nigeria) – Klaus Kneist and Mwende Renata, Two (Ghana) – John Kwame Markin, No Man of God (Ghana) – Kelly Doe and Eric Oppong Appiah, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Barnabas Emordi Barny, The Creek (Nigeria) – Tolu Timilehin, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Mandione Laye Ka, Moussa Diallo and Elie Josue Dabire, Evi (Nigeria) – Barnabas Emordi Barny
Achievement in diting
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Tobias Schmutzler, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Dolapo Adigun, Son of the Soil (Nigeria) – Alistair Cave, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Penda Ndiaye, The Creek (Nigeria) – Toka Mcbaror, Two (Ghana) – Mohammed Abdul Majeed, No Man of God (Ghana) – Magdalene Morton
Achievement in Screenplay
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Kevin Schmutzler and Tobias Schmutzler, No Man of God (Ghana) – Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Amadou Koné, Unvirtous (Burkina Faso) – Chloé Aïcha Boro, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Nanfuka Rehema and Musa Luswata, Boda Love (Kenya) – Grace Irungu and Janet Wells, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Vincho Nchogu
Best Supporting Actor (Female)
No Man of God (Ghana) – Bamike Olawunmi, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Michelle Tiren, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Maud Guerard, Two (Ghana) – Dela Seade
Best Supporting Actor (Male)
No Man of God (Ghana) – Adjetey Anang, Evi (Nigeria) – Uzor Arukwe, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Samuel Kabugo, The Creek (Nigeria) – Kelechi Udegbe, Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Ochungo Obiero, Two (Ghana) – Senanu Gbedawo
Best Actor (Female)
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, No Man of God (Ghana) – Gadede Segbefia, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Jackline Nafula, Monica (Nigeria) – Uche Montana, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Armande Lo, Safari (Nigeria) – Osas Ighodaro, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Sarah Karei
Best Actor (Male)
Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Ephriam Oka Kouakou, No Man of God (Ghana) – Majid Michel, The Creek (Nigeria) – Bucci Franklin, Two (Ghana) – Gideon Boakye, Boda Love (Kenya) – Murunyu Duncan Mungai, Heaven Must Wait (Nigeria) – Fredrick Leonard, Safari (Nigeria) – Emmanuel Mugo
Best Director
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Maureen Mona Jolly, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Vallentine Chelluget, Apuu Mourine, Kevin Schmutzler and Tobias Schmutzler, No Man of God (Ghana) – Luc Gnepa, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Vincho Nchogu, Son of the Soil (Nigeria) – Chee Keong Cheung, Two (Ghana) – Nana Kofi Asihene
Best Picture
Nawi – Dear Future Me (Kenya) – Caroline Heim, Brizan Were and Lydia Wrensch, No Man of God (Ghana) – Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, Colors of Fire (Nigeria) – Osas Ighodaro, Ebinto (Côte d'Ivoire) – Charly Kodjo, One Woman One Bra (Kenya, Nigeria) – Josh Olaaluwa and Esther de Rothschild, Two (Ghana) – Nana Kofi Asihene, Aphua Larbi-Amoah, Louis Lamis, Isaac "Yaw Skyface" Mensah and John "Kwame Black" Markin, Slum Bomber (Uganda) – Maureen Mona Jolly
