The Tunisian docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab, which generated sturdy pre-ceremony buzz, finally did not safe the award for the continent.
The weekend was all in regards to the 98th Academy Awards, which passed off on Sunday on the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to honour one of the best movies launched in 2025.
For the twenty first consecutive 12 months, no African movie has taken dwelling the Oscar for Greatest Worldwide Function Movie. Regardless of a robust Tunisian entry making the ultimate 5, Joachim Trier’s intimate Norwegian household drama ‘Sentimental Worth’ claimed the prize, turning into the primary Norwegian movie ever to win the class.
Throughout the 77-year historical past of the class, solely three African movies have gained the award, with South Africa’s Tsotsi remaining the continent’s most up-to-date victory.
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Tunisia’s ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab,’ a harrowing docudrama directed by Kaouther Ben Hania in regards to the real-life 2024 killing of a five-year-old Palestinian lady in Gaza, was the continent’s sole consultant within the ultimate 5.
The movie generated huge pre-ceremony buzz. It finally misplaced out, marking one more near-miss for African cinema.
‘Sentimental Worth’
Director Joachim Trier, accepting the award on stage on the Dolby Theatre, said, “I am only a movie nerd from Norway; this implies the world to me. This movie is a couple of very dysfunctional household, and it is the other of what I felt with this stunning group behind me. I believe I’ve made movies to really feel at dwelling with folks, and I’ve actually felt at dwelling with the crew.”
The movie, which additionally earned nominations in classes together with Greatest Image, Greatest Actress (Renate Reinsve), and Greatest Supporting Actor (Stellan Skarsgård, tells the story of a famend movie director trying to reconnect together with his two estranged grownup daughters after years of emotional distance.
It is quiet, character-driven storytelling and robust performances from the Skarsgård-Reinsve household dynamic that finally swayed voters over extra politically charged contenders.
The most important story for international cinema watchers, nevertheless, was Africa’s continued miss .
Nigeria’s lengthy Oscar bid continues
Nigeria, dwelling to Nollywood, Africa’s largest movie trade by quantity, has by no means had a single movie nominated within the Greatest Worldwide Function class in your complete historical past of the Oscars.
In 2019, Genevieve Nnaji’s ‘Lionheart’ turned Nigeria’s first-ever submission however was instantly disqualified as a result of many of the dialogue was in English (Nigeria’s official language). The choice sparked widespread outrage, with critics accusing the Academy of failing to grasp postcolonial realities and African storytelling.
Subsequent submissions like CJ Obasi’s ‘Mami Wata’ (2023) and others by no means superior past the preliminary listing. For 2026, Nigeria did not submit an entry, with the choice committee explaining that not one of the six entries met the required requirements. The UK submitted a Nigerian story (My Father’s Shadow), however nonetheless didn’t make the minimize.
Throughout your complete continent, solely three African movies have ever gained the award in 77 years of the class:
Algeria’s Z (1969, Costa-Gavras, technically a French-Algerian co-production)
Ivory Coast’s Black and White in Color (1976). South Africa’s Tsotsi (2005) was the final African winner 21 years in the past.
South Africa and Algeria have a number of nominations over the a long time, Tunisia has come shut a number of instances (together with The Man Who Bought His Pores and skin, 2020), and Morocco, Egypt, and others have reached shortlists, however the wins stay uncommon. European movies proceed to dominate (59 of 77 wins).
2026 Oscar notable winners
The 2026 ceremony, hosted for the second consecutive 12 months by Conan O’Brien, lasted about three hours and 45 minutes and was broadcast on ABC and streamed on Hulu.
The occasion featured a garden-courtyard themed stage, stay performances, an In Memoriam tribute, and a particular tribute by Barbra Streisand honouring Robert Redford.
The night time was largely dominated by two Warner Bros. movies: ‘One Battle After One other’ and ‘Sinners.’ ‘One Battle After One other,’ directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, gained six Oscars, together with Greatest Image. Anderson additionally achieved a significant milestone by successful his first Academy Award after 14 nominations, taking Greatest Image, Greatest Director, and Greatest Tailored Screenplay on the identical night time.
‘Sinners,’ directed by Ryan Coogler, entered the ceremony with a report 16 nominations, probably the most in Oscar historical past, and gained 4 awards, together with Greatest Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
The ceremony additionally included historic achievements. Autumn Durald Arkapaw turned the primary lady to win Greatest Cinematography for her work on Sinners and the primary lady of color nominated within the class. The Academy additionally launched the Greatest Casting class in 24 years, with the inaugural award going to ‘One Battle After One other.’
Different notable winners included Amy Madigan, who gained Greatest Supporting Actress for Weapons after a 40-year hole since her final nomination and defeated British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), ands different nominees Teyana Taylor, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (each from Sentimental Worth).
The movie Frankenstein earned a number of technical awards, whereas the animated movie KPop Demon Hunters gained two Oscars. Total, Warner Bros. led all studios with 11 wins.
Full Listing of 98th Academy Awards Winners
Greatest Image
One Battle After One other
Greatest Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After One other
Greatest Actor
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Greatest Actress
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Greatest Supporting Actor
Sean Penn – One Battle After One other
Greatest Supporting Actress
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Greatest Unique Screenplay
Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Greatest Tailored Screenplay
One Battle After One other – Paul Thomas Anderson
Greatest Animated Function
KPop Demon Hunters
Greatest Worldwide Function
Sentimental Worth (Norway
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Greatest Documentary Function
Mr No one Towards Putin
Greatest Cinematography
Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Greatest Unique Rating
Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
Greatest Unique Track
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
Greatest Movie Modifying
One Battle After One other – Andy Jurgensen
Greatest Manufacturing Design
Frankenstein
Greatest Costume Design
Frankenstein – Kate Hawley
Greatest Make-up and Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Greatest Sound
F1
Greatest Visible Results
Avatar: Hearth and Ash
Greatest Casting
One Battle After One other – Cassandra Kulukundis
Greatest Documentary Brief
All of the Empty Rooms
Greatest Animated Brief
The Woman Who Cried Pearls
Greatest Reside Motion Brief (tie)
The Singers and Two Individuals Exchanging Saliva
