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Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose legacy extended from marching with MLK to running for President twice and shaping Black American history, dies at 84.  The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., one of the most significant civil rights leaders in American history, has died at 84. According to a statement  from his family, Jackson passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and had been battling Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder, with a recent hospitalisation in Chicago in November 2025.  "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilising millions to register to vote - leaving an indelible mark on history," the statement reads. It further added that, "Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world. We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by." Per the statement, Public observances will be held in Chicago, with final arrangements to be released by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition . He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, children: Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline, and Ashley Jackson; and grandchildren.  Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. marching at Selma in 1965. Source: WBUR (Creator: Jamie Sturtevant| Credit: AP) Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Rev Jesse Jackson's activism began early on. As a college student, he was part of the Greenville Eight,  a group arrested for staging a sit-in at a whites-only library in 1960. He marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at Selma in 1965, joined King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and was present on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968, when King was assassinated, a moment that would define the rest of Jackson's mission.  The Reverend went on to found Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which became one of America's foremost civil rights organisations. In 1983, he organised  the voter registration drive widely credited with propelling Harold Washington to become Chicago's first Black mayor. The following year, Jackson became only the second Black American to seek a major party's presidential nomination, after Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm in 1972, running  again in 1988 and winning major primaries, making him the most successful Black presidential candidate in U.S. history until Barack Obama's election in 2008. In 2000, he was awarded  the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the country.   Jackson's relationship with film and television was both personal and profound. From 1992 to 2000, he hosted Both Sides with Jesse Jackson , a weekly political discussion show on CNN that introduced his oratory to a new generation of television viewers. His presence on screen showed how Black leadership could command mainstream American media long before it was the norm.  His story has proven to be fertile ground for Black filmmakers. Peabody Award-winning director Shola Lynch, celebrated for her landmark documentary Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed, which chronicled Shirley Chisholm's presidential campaign that directly preceded Jackson's, was  announced  in 2022 as the director of a major theatrical documentary and limited TV series on his life. Co-executive produced by his son Yusef D. Jackson and backed by The Yucaipa Companies, the project promised exclusive access to the reverend and his family, along with 60 years of previously unseen archival footage. As Lynch put it at the time: "When others have been killed, moved on, or retired, Jackson has been tireless, even relentless." With his passing, that documentary now carries the weight of the final act of self-testimony from a man who spent his life insisting that Black voices be heard and taken seriously.

Nile Entertainment , a subsidiary of Nile Media Entertainment Group,  is set to become the sole theatrical distributor for Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures films across West Africa, following an appointment by United International Pictures. The deal is set to take effect from February 27, 2026 and will see the company take over exclusively for UIP in ‘key markets, including Ghana and Nigeria’.  According to a Press Release  shared via social media by Nile Group CEO, Moses Babatope, the appointment ‘strengthens UIP’s regional presence and supports ongoing investment in the continent’s evolving cinema landscape’. The statement further acknowledged UIP’s expansive 2026 slate, which is ‘expected to further energise admissions and accelerate box-office growth across Africa’. Babatope expressed his joy concerning the deal, saying “Our commitment is simple: to serve audiences, support our exhibitor programs, and help grow the region’s theatrical market sustainably and collaboratively”.  Cameron Hogg, UIP’s Managing Director (South Africa) expressed optimism concerning the appointment, emphasising West Africa’s place as "one of the most dynamic theatrical markets in the world” and pointing to the partnership as “an exciting new chapter”. The statement also acknowledged Silverbird Film Distribution for supporting United International Pictures’ titles across the region for over eight years.  With this deal, Nile Entertainment, which had previously managed  the releases of films like Red Circle , Everybody Loves Jenifa , Wives on Strike: The Uprising , The Serpent’s Gift,   Makemation , Radio Voice , and most recently, Alive Till Dawn , will exclusively distribute Universal blockbusters like: The Odyssey , The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ,   Michael , Disclosure Day , and Minions and Monsters , alongside Paramount’s Scream 7,  Street Fighter, Scary Movie 6,   and The Angry Birds Movie 3.   This effectively makes the distribution company one of the most important players within West African Cinema.  It's the latest in a number of big industry moves aimed at growing local infrastructure, like the Next Narrative African Fund .  Nile Group was founded in August 2024 by Babatope, who was formerly Managing Director of FilmOne. Other subsidiaries within the company include Nile Cinemas, Nile Motion Picture, Nile Studio Lab, and Nile Foundation. Per their mission statement, Nile Group “aims to introduce disruptive and sustainable concepts that will not only elevate the cinematic experience but also transform the fortunes of the deeply independent industry.”

At 68, The Nollywood Pillar Who Went Pan-African Before Streaming Made It Cool Reflects on Building Distribution Networks Across Three Decades By Sahndra Fon Dufe, Editor-in-Chief | Black Film Wire, Atlanta GA February 4, 2026 Zack Orji|2024 On his 68th birthday, Nollywood veteran Zack Orji is still building.  He is not retiring to retrospectives or tribute galas, but commissioning scripts, directing across borders, and preparing to launch an owned YouTube channel as platform dependency becomes the new distributor risk. Nine months ago, when Black Film Wire  sat with him on set in Batoufam, Cameroon, he was playing a king in succession drama 15 Wives , a title that immediately calls to mind King Mswati III of Eswatini (known for his 15 wives and 55+ children), though Orji's script takes a different narrative direction: a king transferring power to his son due to health challenges. This conversation, conducted during production, reveals how one actor's bilingual upbringing became a competitive advantage, how distributor relationships functioned as informal financing networks, and why piracy remains the industry's longest-running structural challenge. With over 300 films across 33 years and 20+ countries, Orji represents a rare breed of the generation that didn't just participate in Nollywood's rise, but those who built its infrastructure from scratch. Zack Orji on the set of 15 Wives in Batoufam, Cameroon The Influence of Bilingualism on His Craft Orji arrived in Cameroon at nine, attended St. Anthony's Catholic School in Buea, and completed primary education in English. Surprisingly, his father made him repeat primary school, this time entirely in French. As a result of this, his younger brother advanced to secondary school before him and Orji resented this twist. "My middle name is Amaefula, which means 'let my heritage not be lost,'" he explains. Years down the line, the benefit of that twist would become clear to him as his bilingualism opened French-speaking markets across West and Central Africa when Nollywood films  were still distributed via VHS and VCD. In 1978, the French embassy in Lagos selected him as one of 60 students for a three-week exchange in Lomé. During this exercise, he was selected to lead the group. Decades later, he directed and starred in a French-language film shot in Yaoundé and Douala.  Orji had achieved, two generations ago, the kind of cross-market production that contemporary streaming platforms are in hot pursuit of, by virtue of that decision his father made when he was young.  Zack Orji’s Lead Role in The Unforgiven Sin (1993)  In 1993, filmmakers developing The Unforgiven Sin, a story based on the Igbo caste system simply told Zack that he fit the lead character after which they handed him the script. He would return three days later to satisfy the filmmakers, having mastered the script.  Zack Orji' s entry into Nollywood illustrates how the industry operated before formalized casting systems. No auditions were barely conducted before selecting actors. Negotiations were also very brief; candidates were simply and easily picked for production. But Orji adds a detail that explains his longevity: "By the way, I studied Estate Management at the University of Nigeria." His background had nothing to do with film, not even remotely. On the other hand, it was in structured thinking, which he applied to an industry building itself in real time. The closest thing to training for him was his attraction for Clint Eastwood  and Lee Van Cleef , actors whom he consistently watched in Cameroonian cinemas. He was fond of seeing them and of practicing his delivery in front of a mirror until he himself was convinced. "You alone can be your best judge," he says. "If you're getting it right, you know." Glamour Girls was released the following year. Movie Poster|1994 Distribution Economics: The Marketer System One of the interview's most instructive moments comes when Orji describes getting his first producing opportunity: a distributor spotted him driving, flagged him down by the road and said: "Zack, I've been looking for you… I want you to produce a movie for me." Orji explains how distribution actually worked. In his explanation, he noted that marketers controlled post-production output, and after a film wrapped, producers negotiated how many VHS/VCD copies would enter circulation, then negotiated revenue per copy sold. There are no formal contracts, or tracking systems. He names specific projects: Love in Vendetta  (with Kate Henshaw): his first producing credit Return to Kazondia : the first Nollywood production to relocate from Lagos to Jos for script-specific locations—a logistical flex that's now standard but was radical in the late 1990s A Ghana run where a distributor sold 10,000 copies in less than a week, then proposed a territorial split: Orji owns Nigeria, distributor owns Ghana That Ghana deal led to Orji's directorial debut, Web. The same year, a friend bought him 25 books on cinematography, lighting, and acting. Orji spent over 200,000 Naira, significant capital at the time, on self-education. ( $1,800 at the time, or about $3,100 in today's dollars) By 2003, he directed Bonds of Tradition, which passed through the British Board of Film Classification and secured UK distribution. This was a reflection of sheer power of will, and cross-border thinking, even before "pan-African cinema" became a funding category. The Industry's Piracy Problem   Orji doesn't romanticize the VHS/VCD era. For him, piracy was the industry's most persistent challenge, and clarifies that the pirates weren't just street vendors. "Even the distributors themselves used to pirate our own films," he says. "They controlled mass production. They could print extra copies beyond what was agreed and sell them under the table. You wouldn't know." Producers watched others profit more from their work than they did and it became an institutional problem in the industry.  While streaming offered temporary relief, Orji points out that it is building a newer power dynamic: YouTube channels, direct audience building, owned distribution. "He's currently commissioning ten scripts for his own channel, not just for films, but for commentary and personal archives. The move signals what many Nollywood veterans are realizing that platform dependency is just another form of distributor risk. Kanayo O. Kanayo , Bob Manuel Udokwu , and Charles Inojie  have similarly built owned YouTube presences, reclaiming direct audience access after decades of value extraction by intermediaries. "  Clinton Joshua, Dera Osadebe and Zack Orji |Family Ties Movie Poster|2025 Pan-African Reach: 300+ Films, 20+ Countries When asked how many films he's done, Orji answers simply: "It's above 300." Richard Mofe Damijo,Victor Olaotan and Zack Orji |Three Wise Men Movie Poster|2017 He hasn't seen three-quarters of them. It's one project into the next, a volume-driven model that defined Nollywood's growth phase and made stars like Orji recognizable across the continent before Netflix discovered the market. His work has taken him across: Benin Republic (acting - French, 2005) Cameroon  (20 years of projects, acting and directing) Gabon (acting and directing) Guinea Conakry (acting and directing) South Africa  (22 years, series and features) Sierra Leone  (2003, By Bure Goes to War) Ghana  (directorial debut, 2001) Gabon  (directing in his country of birth, 2009) Guinea-Conakry  (directing and starring, 2018) Rwanda  (masterclass for 253 actors, free of charge, 2018) Uganda (directing and acting, 2006) United Kingdom (acting, 2013 and 2017) United States  (Close Enemies, 2007; multiple Maryland projects) Most opportunities, he says, arrived "by a phone call."  "Zack Orji in the movie Casino (2015) Sierra Leone, 2003: Cinema as Post-Conflict Infrastructure The most revealing moment in the interview was Zack’s revelation about what film does in markets beyond entertainment. In 2003, Orji traveled to Sierra Leone for Bai Bureh Goes to War , with a cast including Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde , Genevieve Nnaji , and Olu Jacobs . They were flown in by helicopter. At that, streets were lined with crowds and people filled hotel balconies waiting just to wave. Even at a stadium reception, the venue was full with some people crying. "Nollywood films gave them entertainment and consolation during the war," Orji pointed out as he recalls. "And now they were seeing the actors live." This is the part of film economics that doesn't show up in box office reports: what stories do for people when formal infrastructure collapses.  Nollywood held communities together when governments couldn't. What Orji Tells Young Filmmakers Orji's advice to emerging talent is consistent and structural: 1. Education first.   Not because degrees make you talented, but because maturity helps you choose the craft with clarity. 2. Don't aim to be a "star."   "You build your wisdom around your gift. Stardom is a byproduct." 3. Read. After his 2001 Ghana win, he invested heavily in film books. "Talent is not enough," he says plainly. 4. Understand the business. Know who controls reproduction, distribution, and revenue. Because if you don't, someone else will and they'll profit from your work. Zack Orji with an ensemble cast in Heritage (2004). It's a measure of his legacy that he strides easily into any similar ensemble today When asked about his longevity, Orji credits both discipline and faith: "God is not only the God of creation, he's also the God of creativity."  It's a perspective common among Nollywood's founding generation, many of whom came from religious broadcasting backgrounds or saw filmmaking as ministry-adjacent work. That spiritual framing helped sustain output during periods when financial returns were uncertain. According to Black Film Wire Orji's career exposes a critical gap in how African cinema  history is archived: the infrastructure-builders are often misread as just "actors." But Orji's trajectory from self-taught performer to producer navigating informal financing networks to director securing UK distribution, illustrates how Nollywood's first generation operated as de facto studio executives without the studio . His current move toward owned YouTube distribution mirrors a broader industry shift. After decades of value extraction by marketers, pirates, and platforms, veteran creators are reclaiming audience access.  What Orji built was more than just a filmography; but a working model for how to sustain creative output across markets with inconsistent infrastructure, unreliable gatekeepers, and predatory distributors. That model is relationship-driven, volume-focused, linguistically flexible, and pan-African by necessity, and remains more relevant than the platform-dependent strategies currently dominating industry discourse. At 68, Zack Orji is still building. For anyone trying to build sustainable creative careers in markets where formal systems either don't exist or actively extract value, his trajectory offers a more honest model than most industry manifestos: educate yourself, own your relationships, understand the money, and never assume the gatekeepers have your best interests in mind. ZACK ORJI: KEY FILMOGRAPHY Editor's Note This interview was conducted on set in Batoufam, Cameroon, in April 2025, during production of 15 Wives, where Black Film Wire Editor-in-Chief Sahndra Fon Dufe served as co-screenwriter and cast member. The conversation has been edited for clarity and structured to prioritize industry insight over biographical detail, in alignment with Black Film Wire's editorial standards for trade-facing celebrity interviews. Zack Orji and Sahndra Fon Dufe, filming in Batoufam, Cameroon.

Source: Mezha  'One Battle After Another,' 'Sinners' and 'Adolescence'Warner Bros./Netflix The  31st Critics’ Choice Awards  are almost here, and the buzz is real. Set for early January, the ceremony will celebrate the best in film and television from 2025, with critics weighing in on standout performances, direction, and storytelling. This year, films like  Sinners  and  One Battle After Another  are leading the nominations, but attention is also on the performers who are shaping awards season discussions.  Michael B. Jordan ,  Danielle Deadwyler , and  Aunjanue Ellis  are among the Black actors who critics and fans alike expect to make an impact on the evening. From "Frankenstein" to "Hamnet," here are the big contenders for the 2026 Critics Choice Awards. Credit: Composite: Mashable / Images: Netflix / Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures / A24 / Focus Features The Critics’ Choice Awards have long been a bellwether for the season. Past winners and nominees often carry momentum into the  Golden Globes  and  Oscars , making this ceremony a key early indicator of industry support and critical acclaim. Beyond the nominations, the event also highlights diversity and representation in film. With more Black-led films and performances gaining recognition than ever before, the 2026 ceremony signals a shift toward a more inclusive and culturally rich awards season. Fans and industry watchers will be keeping a close eye on the red carpet, where rising stars and established talent will come together for one of the first major celebrations of the year. As the Critics’ Choice Awards approach, it’s clear that 2026 could be a year where Black talent takes center stage, both on screen and in the awards conversation.

From the USA to Ghana and Zambia, here are the Top 7 Diaspora Films that made our year. Happy New Year, everyone! 2025 might well and truly be wrapped, but not before we share these final Black Film Wire recommendations. In a year filled with outstanding feature films across the black diaspora, it was tough coming to a list of just 7. However, we did it for you.  Our criteria for this list are two-fold: cultural impact and cinematic excellence (screenplay, directing, cinematography, etc). We sought a balance between mainstream Hollywood  smashes and the finest of the indie scene. Read on to enjoy! Sinners , Ryan Coogler  (USA): If you somehow managed to evade every scene of this instant classic, including one involving the best musical inversion Christopher Nolan  has seen  since Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, then we really do not know what to say. On a second thought, we do: “Go see it now!” Sinners featured some of the year’s best acting in an original vampire thriller that explores themes of race, spirituality, love, and family in the 1930s Mississippi Delta. Even now, this description feels like a short-sell of a career-best Michael B. Jordan  performance, among other stellar showings from  Wunmi Mosaku , Delroy Lindo , Jayme Lawson , Omar Benson Miller , and newcomer Miles Caton.  Little wonder why it's racked up nominations from the Oscars to the Golden Globes and everywhere else. On Becoming A Guinea Fowl ,  Rungano Nyoni  (Zambia): This brilliant deconstruction of patriarchal family values and sexual abuse in Zambia finally arrived on our screens this year, courtesy of A24. Before this, it had enjoyed a well-deserved stellar run on the festival circuit, claiming the Best Director prize in the 77th Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard  section along the way. It stars British-Zambian  Susan Chardy  as the film’s protagonist, Shula, who happens upon her uncle’s corpse on the road on an evening drive, setting the tone for a dark but vital representation of apathy towards patriarchy’s ills in contemporary Zambia. Rungano’s sophomore feature, after 2017’s   I Am Not A Witch , is a must-see for all.  One of Them Days , Lawrence Lamont (USA): SZA . Keke Palmer.  A 24-hour rent deadline. Hunks. Chaos. Romance. LA. And lest we forget, Issa Rae in charge of production. Mix all of those ingredients, and you have one of the year’s best comedies, and quite frankly, best films. It’s a buddy comedy with the realest stakes since Bow Wow’s survival in Lottery Ticket (2010). But more importantly, it’s a beautiful take on the everyday reality of black people living in LA, and a healthy appraisal of friendships, and the highs and lows of romantic relationships. One of Them Days  is a spiritual successor of classic flicks like the 1995 duo, Friday and Bad Boys .  One Battle After Another ,  Paul Thomas Anderson (USA): PTA’s first film since 2021’s Licorice Pizza  was one of the year’s most critically acclaimed films, and dominated its fair share of conversations, including colourful conservative commentary. It begins with the revolutionary group, The French 75, and expands into an opus of the many Americas. OBAA ’s Black cast includes Teyana Taylor,   Chase Infiniti ,  Regina Hall , and Wood Harris  in moving supporting roles. It is a sharp, biting assessment of the far right and left alike, with the most tense scenes you’ve seen since Kevin Garnett had a rock in Uncut Gems .  The Fisherman , Zoey Martinson  (Ghana): The Fisherman is another film that had premiered on the festival scene in 2024; at the Venice Film Festival,  to be exact. The awards had rolled in (UNESCO’s Fellini Medal, Ja’net Dubois Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Pan African Film Festival, Los Angeles). On the festival circuit in 2025, which includes the African International Film Festival  (AFRIFF), the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIF), and the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF), the film proved why those laurels were so. It’s funny, insightful, aware of its fantastical nature, delightful in its portrayal of fisherman Atta Oko by  Ricky Adelayitar,  and a faithful homage to urban Ghana. Think Al Pacino in Danny Collins  (2015) — not really, but both films capture that air of the older character in a life-changing experience.  The Perfect Neighbour , Geeta Gandbhir  (USA): In 2023, Ajike Owens was killed by neighbour Susan Louise Lorincz. Two years later, director and producer Geeta Gandbhir pieced together police bodycam footage in a chilling Netflix documentary that’s better seen than described.  BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions,   Kahlil Joseph  (USA): When is a documentary essay something more? Perhaps, when it crosses into that realm of super-archival material, attempting to define and redefine a concept as complex as ‘Blackness’ like Kahlil Joseph does in this extended version of his 2020 Sundance Film Festival video installation . It’s a moving — literally and otherwise — evocation of ‘being black’ fashioned from the lens of W.E.B. DuBois, the 1999 Encyclopedia Africana, Agnes Varda, the Middle Passage, and so much more into a culture kaleidoscope. Even with all these, BLKNWS remains a deeply personal film, an ode of sorts to Kahlil’s late father and brother.

Three African films have made the Oscars 2026 Best Picture eligibility list: The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia) and Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight (South Africa). The Voice of Hind Rajab, Source: Cairo Scenes   Three African films: The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl  (Zambia), and Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight  (South Africa); have made the Oscars ’ 201-film eligibility list for the Best Picture category, as seen in a January 8 Press statement.  These 3 are part of 317 total eligible  films for the 98th Academy Awards to hold on March 15.  The Voice of Hind Rajab  had initially been revealed  as the only African Film in contention for the Best International Feature trophy — further making the 15-film shortlist advancing to the next round of voting. It has also been nominated at the Golden Globes, Satellite Awards, and BFI London Film Festival, to name a few, and won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, following in the footsteps of Alaeddine Slim ’s The Last of Us (Akher Wahed Fina)   and Kaouther Ben Hania’ s The Man Who Sold His Skin , which won in 2016 and 2020, respectively – the latter notably earned Tunisia’s first ever Oscars nomination, in February 2021.  While the other two haven’t made so much of a splash in this Awards’ season, they remain some of the best films released in 2025. On Becoming A Guinea Fowl , in particular, made the Black Film Wire’s Top Diaspora Films of 2025 rec  list .  Based on accolades and nods so far, the frontrunners for the statuette include: Sinners , One Battle After Another , Marty Supreme, Sentimental Blues, Hamnet, Blue Moon, Jay Kelly, Train Dreams, It Was Just An Accident, No Other Choice, Bugonia, The Secret Agent, The Testament of Ann Lee, and Frankenstein ; all of which are eligible .  Eligibility in the Best Picture category requires general eligibility and submission of the confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form, per the Academy’s website . Films must also have met two additional standards including a 7-day theatrical run, consecutive or otherwise, in 10 of the top 50 US markets, at least 45 days after the initial release in 2025. Nomination announcements are expected on January 22.

2026 Golden Globes predictions for Black talent: Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler, Tramell Tillman, Ayo Edebiri, and more compete. Who will win on January 11? Golden Globes. Source: Golden Globes The 83rd Annual Golden Globes will be held on Sunday, January 11. Put that way, it might look like just another film and TV award ceremony. Except, of course, it isn’t. We’re talking about one of the most prestigious trophies in cinema. And in an award season as competitive as this has been, with exciting outcomes at the Critics’ Choice Awards,   the Gotham Awards , the British Independent Film Awards , and the National Board of Review , alongside forthcoming nominations for the Producers Guild of America Awards , Directors Guild of America Awards,   BAFTAs , and Oscars , Golden Globe wins could foretell what might be obtainable in the latter run.  Film Predictions As always, Black talent is abundant in competition. Fresh off a four-trophy haul at the Critics’ Choice Awards, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners  will be chasing the globe in seven categories: Best Motion Picture (Drama); Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Michael B. Jordan’s  performance as the Stack twins; Best Director (Motion Picture) and Best Screenplay (Motion Picture) for Ryan Coogler ; Best Original Song (Motion Picture) for Raphael Saadiq  and Ludwing Göransson  – who’s also nominated for Best Original Score; and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.  The Cast of Sinners at the New York City Premiere. Source: Revolt TV Precedent-wise, Sinners ’ chances are strongest in the Male Actor, Screenplay, and Original Song and Score categories. The delineation of Drama and Comedy/Musical means Michael B. Jordan won’t be up against Leonardo DiCaprio  ( One Battle After Another ) and Timothée Chalamet  ( Marty Supreme ), both of whom he’s in likely contention with for the Oscars in March. Still, there’s Wagner Moura  ( The Secret Agent ), who won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor prize, to contend with. Discourse by cinephiles and commentators alike is unconvincing as to why he hasn't won any of the majors yet, despite accolades from multiple Critics’ associations.  Paul Thomas Anderson  ( One Battle After Another ) is set to win the Director prize. Coogler could pull an upset for Best Screenplay, especially as both Directors won the Award (Coogler for Original, Anderson for Adaptation) at the Critics’ Choice Awards. On the fringes, there’s Joachim Trier  and Eskil Vogt ( Sentimental Value ). Sinners ’ music nods should translate to trophies, barring any surprises like “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters .  Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverley Hills in One Battle After Another.  Source: Guardian UK OBAA’s  nominated femme fatales, Teyana Taylor  and Chase Infiniti , for Best Supporting Female Actor and Best Female Actor (Musical/Comedy) respectively, face a tough bracket. As does Cynthia Erivo  ( Wicked: For Good ), who’s in the Best Female Actor (Musical/Comedy) category for the second time as the same character — a first for any Black woman in history. Emma Stone’s  showing in Bugonia  might not be a career best, but it’s strong enough to warrant third and fourth thoughts about the outcome here. It's the tightest call for the female acting categories.  Rounding off the Film category is Tessa Thompson , as the evocative Hedda , who is primarily in contention against Jessie Buckley   ( Hamnet ) , who won the Critics’ Choice Awards, Jennifer Lawrence  ( Die, My Love ), and an improbable but not impossible left field legacy winner in Julia Roberts  ( After the Hunt )  for the Female Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) globe. Of the six nominees, only Buckley got a SAG nod for Female Lead Actor. Go figure.  TV Predictions There are almost always more individual Black nominations in TV than in film, which is primarily due to the increased volume of talent required. Leading this number on Sunday is ABC’s Abbott Elementary   in the Best Television Series (Musical/Comedy) category   — its eleventh nomination since 2023. On paper, it’s a toss-up between Hacks  and Seth Rogen 's cultural titan, The Studio . Rashida Jones as schoolteacher Amanda Waters in Black Mirror S7E1  Ayo Edebiri’s  ( The Bear ) nod in the Female Actor in a Television Series (Musical/Comedy) category portends well. The winners so far in this season are Natasha Lyonne  ( Poker Face ) at the Astra Awards and Jean Smart   ( Hacks )  at the Critics’ Choice Awards, so it really is an open battle. Winning would be a fitting ending to the character of Sydney Adamu. Ahead of the pack in Rashida Jones ’ ( Black Mirror ) Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television category is Sarah Snook  ( All Her Fault ), who previously won in 2022 and 2024 for HBO’s Succession .  Sterling K. Brown in Paradise. Source: Variety Noah Wyle  ( The Pitt ) just about edges out every other nominee in the Male Actor in a Television Series (Drama) category, including the legendary Sterling K. Brown   ( Paradise ) .  The only TV category with two Black nominees, the Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television, is also the most interesting in the section. Tramell Tillman  ( Severance ) is expected to sweep, of course, but there’s the slightest chance that Owen Cooper  ( Adolescence ) beats the Emmy and Critics' Choice winner to it. Or maybe that’s just award season jitters. Props to Adolescence co-star, Ashley Walters , who was also nominated.  Finally, there’s Kevin Hart  ( Kevin Hart: Acting My Age ) in an ultra-competitive category. Bill Maher . Brett Goldstein . Kumail Nanjiani . Ricky Gervais . Sarah Silverman.  That’s one outcome we do not dare predict. Let the comedy deities have their way.  All in all, we look forward to a good night out for Hollywood’s Black superstars!

2026 Oscars: Black talent shines as Sinners and One Battle After Another lead with a record-breaking 16 and 13 nominations, respectively. Tunisia’s Voice of Hind Rajab becomes Africa’s sole representative. Full list below.  The nominations for all categories at the 98th Academy Awards have been announced in a ceremony hosted by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. Ryan Coogle r’s Sinners   broke the record for the most ever nominations for a single film at the Oscars with 16 nominations, including nods in 3 of 4 major acting categories (Best Actor, and Best Actor and Best Actress in a Supporting Role) and the 4 major film categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Original), and Best Cinematography). Hot on its tail is Paul Thomas Anderson ’s cross-generational thriller One Battle After Another   with 13 nominations; including all 4 major acting categories and a lock-in Best Adapted Screenplay.  Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab  made Oscars history as Tunisia’s second ever film to be nominated in the Best International Feature Film category, following 2020’s The Man Who Sold His Skin . It faces stiff competition with all 4 other nominees having won across major award ceremonies.  Read the full list below:  Best Picture Bugonia F1 Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supreme One Battle After Another The Secret Agent Sentimental Value Sinners Train Dreams Best Directing Chloé Zhao – Hamnet Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another Ryan Coogler – Sinners Best Actor in a Leading Role Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another Michael B. Jordan – Sinners Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent Best Actress in a Leading Role Emma Stone – Bugonia Jessie Buckley – Hamnet Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Best Actor in a Supporting Role Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another Delroy Lindo – Sinners Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein Sean Penn – One Battle After Another Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value Best Actress in a Supporting Role Amy Madigan – Weapons Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners Best Original Screenplay Blue Moon  – Robert Kaplow It Was Just an Accident  – Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar, Shadmehr Rastin, and Mehdi Mahmoudian Marty Supreme  – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie Sentimental Value  – Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt Sinners  – Ryan Coogler Best Adapted Screenplay Bugonia  – Will Tracy Frankenstein  – Guillermo del Toro Hamnet  – Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell One Battle After Another  – Paul Thomas Anderson Train Dreams  – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar Best Animated Feature Film Arco Elio KPop Demon Hunters Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Zootopia 2 Best International Feature Film It Was Just an Accident  (France) The Secret Agent  (Brazil) Sentimental Value  (Norway) Sirât  (Spain) The Voice of Hind Rajab  (Tunisia) Best Achievement in Casting (Inaugural Category) Hamnet  – Nina Gold Marty Supreme  – Jennifer Venditti One Battle After Another  – Cassandra Kulukundis The Secret Agent  – Gabriel Domingues Sinners  – Francine Maisler Best Original Score Bugonia  – Jerskin Fendrix Frankenstein  – Alexandre Desplat Hamnet  – Max Richter One Battle After Another  – Jonny Greenwood Sinners  – Ludwig Göransson Best Original Song "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters "Highest 2 Lowest" from Highest 2 Lowest "I Lied to You" from Sinners "Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdi! "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams Best Visual Effects Avatar: Fire and Ash F1 Jurassic World: Rebirth The Lost Bus Sinners Best Cinematography Frankenstein  – Dan Laustsen Marty Supreme  – Darius Khondji One Battle After Another  – Michael Bauman Sinners  – Autumn Durald Arkapaw Train Dreams  – Adolpho Veloso Best Live Action Short Film Butcher's Stain A Friend of Dorothy Jane Austen's Period Drama The Singers Two People Exchanging Saliva Best Animated Short Film Butterfly Forevergreen The Girl Who Cried Pearls Retirement Plan The Three Sisters Best Documentary Feature Film The Alabama Solution Come See Me in the Good Light Cutting Through Rocks Mr. Nobody Against Putin The Perfect Neighbor Best Documentary Short Film All the Empty Rooms Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud Children No More: Were and Are Gone The Devil Is Busy Perfectly a Strangeness Best Makeup and Hairstyling Frankenstein Kokuho Sinners The Smashing Machine The Ugly Stepsister Best Costume Design Avatar: Fire and ash Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supree Sinners Best Sound F1 Frankenstein One Battle After Another Sinners Sirât Best Film Editing F1 Marty Supreme One Battle After Another Sentimental Value Sinners Best Production Design Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supreme One Battle After Another Sinners For our previous coverage of the Awards season, including The Voice of Hind Rajab's journey , and Golden Globes  and Critics Choice outcomes, among others, check here.

You know that feeling when you stumble on an old Nollywood or Ghallywood film on YouTube and suddenly it's 3 AM and you're crying over a love triangle that involves juju, class warfare, and at least two people pretending to be dead, BlackBerry in hand? That's " jakusco" energy, the beautifully chaotic,  melodramatic African love stories from the late 90s to the early 2010s that defined a generation, with raw emotional performances that prioritized drama and cultural depth.  In celebration of that energy, here are 10 iconic pre-2016 love stories from the continent to watch this Valentines:  1. World Apart  (Nigeria, 2004) Starring : Ini Edo , Kenneth Okonkwo , Liz Benson A prince falls in love with a peasant woman. Will love conquer class? This is the classic "royal falls for commoner" story that launched Ini Edo into stardom. Kenneth Okonkwo as the undercover prince trying to love a village girl (Ini Edo as Ulli) while his royal family loses their minds? Ci-ne-ma! The Igbo adage "the duck and fowl never mix" gets tested to the max, here! Jakusco Level: 10/10 2. Yemi My Lover  (Nigeria, 1993) Starring : Yemi Ayebo , Tajudeen Oyewole , Iyabo Momoh Yemi falls hopelessly in love with a mermaid after meeting her as a child, in this OG supernatural romance. It gave us Bollywood-style songs, a mermaid love interest, of all things, and the kind of devotion that became a slang. To this day, when someone says "Yemi My Lover," they're talking about a man completely smitten by his woman. Even Olamide made a song about it in 2013. Jakusco Level: 11/10 3. A Million Tears  (Nigeria, 2006) Starring : Emeka Ike , Kate Henshaw , Patrick Doyle Uche (Emeka Ike), a reckless playboy falls for reserved principled Lola (Kate Henshaw) who's battling leukemia. Together, they fight for love. This film taught us that love can exist even in the face of death. Jakusco Level: 10/10 4. Keeping Faith (Nigeria, 2002) Starring : Genevieve Nnaji , Richard Mofe-Damijo Princewill and Nadine's love is tested by betrayal, secrets, and the question: Can love survive broken trust? This isn't your typical "they fell in love and lived happily ever after." Keeping Faith  asked the hard question: What happens when the person you love breaks your heart? Can faith in love be restored?  Jakusco Level : 9/10  5. O lè kú  (Nigeria, 1997) Starring : Feyikemi Abdounrin , Tunde Adegbola , Deji Adenuga Ajani, a final-year University of Ibadan student, finds himself in an "entanglement" with three different women after his mother pressures him to find a wife. Based on Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola's novel and directed by Tunde Kelani , Oleku  gave us one of Nollywood's most iconic love squares (not triangle, square!).   Jakusco Level: 8/10 6. Phone Swap  (Nigeria, 2012) Starring : Nse Ikpe-Etim , Wale Ojo A fashion designer and an arrogant businessman mistakenly switch phones at the airport. Chaos ensues. And suprisingly, romance blooms. Directed by Kunle Afolayan , this was the first cinema-screened Nigerian film to center its plot around mobile phones (Shoutout to Blackberry Babes  which came a year earlier).  Jakusco Level : 7/10  7.  Unconditional Love  (Cameroon, 2014) Starring : John Dumelo , Sahndra Fon Dufe , Princess Manka Bridget A father and son fall in love with a mother and daughter. Who will back down? This Cameroonian gem tackles the ultimate taboo: generational love conflicts within the same family. The tension of father vs. son, the ethics of who "deserves" love more, and the sheer audacity of the premise make this film unforgettable. Nice, and dare I say, wawu , indeed! Jakusco Level : 9/10  8. Beyoncé: The President's Daughter  (Ghana, 2006) Starring : Jackie Appiah , Nadia Buari , Van Vicker The President's daughter, Beyoncé (Nadia Buari) falls in love, but politics, power, and family expectations complicate everything. This Ghallywood classic defined a generation! The title alone is iconic. There are millennials walking around today who had fights over whether or not Van Vicker’s character made the right decision. A proper if you know you know blockbuster.  Jakusco Level: 9/10 9. Critical Decision  (Nigeria, 2004) Starring : Genevieve Nnaji , Stephanie Linus, Mike Ezuronye, Richard Mofe-Damijo Love and betrayal choices force characters to make decisions that will change their lives forever in this classic rom-com featuring emerging Nollywood superstars of the time. Critical Decision  delivered on all fronts with a plot that kept you guessing and a romance that kept you invested. Jakusco Level : 8/10 10. Private Sin  (Nigeria, 2003) Starring : Genevieve Nnaji, Olu Jacobs Our final film on the list is one that requires very little exposition. All we can say is that it will leave you….in awe. This is Olu Jacobs at the height of his powers. Enough said.   Jakusco Level : 9/10  Written by Sahndra, Editor-in-Chief, Black Film Wire FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What are the best classic Nollywood love stories? Classic Nollywood love stories include Worlds Apart  (2004) with Ini Edo and Kenneth Okonkwo, Yemi My Lover  (1993) featuring a supernatural mermaid romance, A Million Tears  (early 2000s) with Emeka Ike and Kate Henshaw, Keeping Faith  (2004) starring Stephanie Okereke and Ramsey Nouah, and Phone Swap  (2012) with Nse Ikpe-Etim and Wale Ojo. What does "jakusco" mean in African cinema? "Jakusco" refers to the beautifully chaotic, over-the-top, melodramatic style of African love stories popular in pre-2016 Nollywood and Ghallywood films. These stories featured impossible love, class warfare, supernatural elements, terminal illnesses, and raw emotional performances that prioritized drama and cultural depth over production polish. What is Unconditional Love about (Cameroon film)? Unconditional Love  (2014) is a Cameroonian film starring John Dumelo and Sahndra Fon Dufe about a father and son who fall in love with a mother and daughter, creating a generational romantic rivalry. The film explores the ethical dilemma of who "deserves" love more and the tension of competing affections within the same family dynamic. Who were the most popular Nollywood on-screen couples? The most popular Nollywood on-screen couples include Ramsey Nouah and Genevieve Nnaji (with films like Critical Decision  and Battle Line ), Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) and Stella Damasus ( Engagement Night , Queen ), Rita Dominic and Jim Iyke ( Unforgettable ), and Stephanie Okereke and Ramsey Nouah ( Keeping Faith ). These pairs had undeniable chemistry that made them pop culture icons of the 1990s-2000s era.

Birdie at Sundance 2026: Nigerian-American director Praise Paige Odigie crafts a moving portrait of a Biafran refugee family navigating loss and identity Once upon a time, a mother and her two daughters lived in the American countryside. They were from another country, building a new life in the aftermath of a war between their people and those whom they once called compatriots. The older daughter believed her father was dead. Mother and younger teenage daughter believed he was alive. Faith in God kept them together.  And then a man came.  This is Birdie  in an oversimplified nutshell. This sophomore short film by Nigerian-American Praise Paige Odigie, screened in the US Shorts category of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival . It was one of three African shorts to do so, and part of a significant six in total, from the continent.  The film begins with an establishing wide-shot of sisters, young adult Birdie/Bernadette ( Precious Maduanusi ) and teenage English ( Eniola Abioro ), walking across a meadow, small against the grandeur of the grasses and flowers that flood the screen. As they draw closer, English's voice comes through, narrating. It’s the summer of 1970, and she, alongside her sister and mother, Celeste ( Sheila Chukwulozie ), are refugees, thousands of miles away from Nigeria, where the Civil War has just ended. They wait and pray for news of their father, a soldier on the Biafran side, and attempt to settle into their new life. English is mercurial, a 16-year-old navigating that stage of adolescence where there’s a better grasp of reality, but everything can’t seem to go as she wants. Birdie is withdrawn, much like her mother, who’s either listening on the phone, to the radio, or in prayer when we see her.  Celeste, English, and Birdie in prayer. Here, one can see the difference in hope between all three. Their doldrum is interrupted one evening by the arrival of Justus ( Said Marshall ), a young ex-soldier (on the Nigerian side, judging by his use of Yoruba). Birdie is immediately drawn to him. As her feelings grow apparent, so does the distance from English, who settles for listening to the pair through the walls. He’s soon to leave. Birdie wants to go with. There’s a slight commotion as Celeste confronts her over this desire, but she doesn’t budge. We’re not sure what she chooses in the end. Images of the teary-eyed family singing in front of a framed photograph of their lost patriarch close out the film, borne, as in the beginning, on the wings of a forlorn English’s narration.  Director Praise Paige Odigie utilises silence to great effect here. Much of the film’s 20-minute run-time has no words, not even a voice-over, such that every bit of dialogue lands. A brief mention of nuns from São Tomé and Príncipe bringing news of the war teases broader historical relevance; the fact that the former Portuguese colony’s ports became the sole gateway for food and relief for the Biafrans for months during the war. And as this 1968 New York Times article shows, there was a joint ecumenical effort across Europe and America, which would explain how the family found their way to a Catholic safehold. Radio broadcasts tilt the entire family’s gravity, ears-first towards whatever new happenings they can’t see. When sound is absent altogether, we watch the characters process their emotions and can almost tell exactly what is on their minds. It is a weighty economy. It also means the audience has to fill in the gaps concerning these women’s lives. How did they get here? Why does Celeste seem so adamant that her husband is alive? We know only as much as the film tells us (Birdie is the only one mentioned by name). The short appears written deliberately to avoid resolution. Affording us a look into the moment in time where this family exists, but not a second more; these sad, displaced sisters and their grieving mother stuck in denial.  Birdie explores identity and what it means to be family when normalcy ceases. Celeste doesn’t hesitate to speak Igbo to her kids. And were it not for the presence of the white Reverend sisters, one could easily believe they live in a posh community somewhere in post-Independence Nigeria. At the same time, she takes extra care in preparing food for the nuns, and is taken aback when one presents her with a bottle of wine. The Sisters sing at the dinner table. She doesn’t. And why should she? This Igbo woman, who tells her daughter to wash beans intended for dinner a second time so the Sisters know “they come from somewhere”, is unlikely to let loose. That’s without accounting for the ache in her heart. We feel the family’s grief in her insistence that her husband lives, and the slow unravelling when denial gives way to anguished acceptance.  Soldier Justus sets the unfurling in motion. Her daughters are coming into their own, too. It makes sense that Birdie seeks escapism at this age. Precious Maduanusi’s shifting facial expressions – smiling only when with Justus, frowning at prayers, contorting into visible irritation — and body language capture her character’s flux. She’s tired, and the ex-soldier is a gift from a God who’s ignored prayers for Father to return. Plopped between both women, English is lonely, separated from anyone else her age. She calls her sister “Ashawo!’ for applying makeup, and regrets it immediately — applaudable acting for first time actress, Eniola. The connection between sisters fades. Perhaps it’s because I grew up with two older sisters, but I immediately related to the identity shift and redefining oneself in the absence of an older sibling. Birdie deals with the quotidian concerns of this family, attempting to redefine themselves. Even Justus seeks solace in being alone. Escaping war isn't enough if you're not at peace with who you are becoming.   These themes are better reflected in the film’s visuals. Cinematographer Lidia Nikonova  and Colourist Joseph Bicknell   contrasts muted  tones with the household’s tension. Lidia’s compositions focus on the family’s simplicity; minimal possessions, English draped in faded Ankara wrappers, as is common with girls and women back home. Shots of the meadow, stretching for miles, create the illusion of freedom, when really, outside is only a temporary break from a permanent loss of home. There are a few sharp transitions between shots. But even those seemed to fit into the overall picture of uncertainty; like when we cut from the kitchen with dish-washing Birdie and Justus sharing a moment of playful intimacy — I felt like an intruder here — to English sitting on the stairs, listening to their laughter in longing.  Appraising this film without considering its music would be a disservice. On multiple occasions, including the final scene, the family sings the second verse of “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”, fitting for the “world behind” them, the country they’ve abandoned, and faith in “the cross before” them. It’s emblematic of Nigerian Christian families who have that one song that recurs in morning devotions, sometimes even passed down across generations.  One of my favorite shots in the film is this one of English, back against the door, light pouring through netting, pondering on whatever it is that has arrested her thoughts in that moment.  There’s the diegetic use of “ Ka-Nyi Naba Nibo ”, a song from almost two decades before the Biafran War, written by musical luminary, Haruna Ishola, for the Asaba Youth Orchestra. In the summer the film is set, both Ishola and the Orchestra would have been on opposite sides of the war. Boys in that orchestra might have been part of over five hundred predominantly Igbo males killed by Federal troops in the infamous October 5-7, 1967,  Asaba massacre . Celeste and her daughters could have been victims of this androcide. Or one of the many other undocumented murders, carried out under the banners of war, stripping families of brothers, uncles, sons, and fathers. I don’t assume that the Director knew of this link. If at all she didn’t, it’s proof that culture speaks, and artists just have to listen to draw from those wells, regardless of the medium.  There is no denouement in this film. No overarching message. It feels incomplete, in the mould of a Jane Austen novel that stops a third of the way through; clearly intended for post-screening discourse. Birdie calls us to watch and reflect. To stay with this family awhile, learn their troubles, and leave, quiet as we met them.  Black Film Wire Score: 4/5 Performances: 0.8/1 Plot and Scriptwriting: 0.5/1 Cinematography: 1/1 Themes: 0.7/1 Production Technicalities (Costuming, set design, sound design, etc.): 1/1

The Akunna Cook-led fund, intending to deploy $50 million in support of audio-visual content made by African and African-diaspora creators, has set up an advisory board.  In an exclusive announcement via The Hollywood Reporter , also shared via their newsletter, the Next Narrative Africa Fund (NNAF),  a content and media investment vehicle targeting $50 million in support of audio-visual content made by African and African-diaspora creators, has unveiled a 13-member advisory board to oversee deployment of $40 million in commercial equity financing and $10 million in grants across film, TV, and new media .  The board includes a who’s who of names in finance, film and TV production, tech, and talent management. Members include:  Khadija Alami , Producer and K Films owner  Georgia Arnold , GA-Agency Founder and social impact executive  Effie T. Brown , Gamechanger Films CEO and Academy Governor  Nitin Gajria , Managing Director of Google Publisher Partnerships for Asia Pacific and Co-founder of A54 Network Africa Darcy Heusel , Senior film executive and cultural strategist  Tom Lynch, Principal CEO of Tom Lynch Co. Ozi Menakaya , Continental Entertainment founder  Bianca Nepales , Creative technologist and entertainment executive  Tommy Oliver, Confluential Films and Black Love founder  Tunde Onitiri , Global investment and project finance executive  Talitha Watkins , ColorCreative Co-founder and President  Victor Williams, Lions Range Group Founder and Managing Partner  Sahar Yousefi , Film financing executive and producer  According to NNAF’s founder, Nigerian-American economic policy and creative industry advocacy expert Akunna Cook , the board’s formation “is a signal of seriousness to global investors”. She added that, “This powerhouse group of creative industry players and finance experts have assembled to prove that investing in African narratives is a sophisticated investment strategy driving innovation, creating jobs, and delivering world-class entertainment to a global audience.” In July 2025, NNAF announced  its $1.5 million Inaugural Development Grant. Per the submission outlines, projects that challenged stereotypes about Africa and confronted gender tropes, while still making a profit and winning awards, were required. The projects from this fund, six to ten from over 2,000 submissions, will be revealed in March.   With the institution of an advisory board, the Fund aims to further ‘leverage data to validate the global demand for African content and mobilize strategic partners and capital to industrialize the African narrative’; the former via partnership with Parrot Analytics  as announced on February 4, 2026.  NNAF joins a growing list of funds and partnerships aimed at building the Black creative economy, timely in the face of changes in the West like the Netflix-Warner Bros merger .

Netflix special proves the comedian wasn't conspiracy theorizing; he was just early Katt Williams  opens his fourth Netflix special, The Last Report , by doing something you don't see enough in comedy these days: acknowledging God. Not as a punchline, not as a setup, but as genuine gratitude. "I'm God's own," he declares early in the hour, and it sets the tone for what becomes a masterclass in truth-telling wrapped in hilarious packaging. Released February 10, "The Last Report" arrives at a moment when Williams' credibility has never been higher. After his viral January 2024 "Club Shay Shay" interview  where he declared "all lies will be exposed" and "all these big d**k deviants is all catching hell in 2024, we watched in real time as his so-called conspiracy theories turned into front-page news. Diddy's arrest . The industry scandals. The revelations. All of it happened exactly like Katt said it would. And he's not letting us forget it. The Whistleblower's Last Report The special’s title is Katt’s entire thesis. No branding here. He positions himself as a confirmed whistleblower who infiltrates Illuminati meetings, learns what they’re planning, and rushes back to report to the regular folks.  “In my spare time, I infiltrate the Illuminati. Find out what the f* they got going on. Get the information, run back to y’all, tell y’all everything I know. That’s my …mf.. job.” But there’s a catch, he doesn’t know how many more times he’ll be able to sneak in there. After the Shannon Sharpe interview pulled 90 million views, he jokes that his cover may be blown, hence the title. This may genuinely be his last report from ‘inside the machine’ before ‘they’ lock him out for good. Whether you believe in shadowy cabals or not, the framing is genius. It lets Williams operate as both court jester and town crier delivering uncomfortable truths wrapped in enough humor to make them digestible. And after everything that went down since 2024, fewer people are laughing at his “theories” now. Katt Williams Unleashed | CLUB SHAY SHAY (91M views  2 years ago) Diddy Jokes Hit Different When You Were Right Speaking of vindication, Williams doesn't hold back on his Diddy material, and it hits harder now because he called it a year early. Remember when Katt said "Not a thousand bottles of baby oil!" on Club Shay Shay in 2024? That line broke the internet then, but in "The Last Report," he doubles down with even sharper observations about the case. Williams directly references Diddy being indicted for what he bluntly calls “ass trafficking,” leaning fully into the shock value of the charges. When breaking down the mention of “19 prostitutes,” he jokes that the judges probably assumed it was 19 women. The punchline lands: it wasn’t. Unlike before, this time he doesn’t soften the edges. He says it plainly and lets the discomfort sit in the room. Then comes the sentencing comparison: the part that shifts the joke into social commentary. Williams notes that Diddy is facing four years, the same sentence he says he once faced for “the intention to smoke 2 blunts.” Hyperbole aside, the contrast is intentional. A mug shot of Katt following an arrest for a separate incident in 2016.  Four years for trafficking versus four years for weed possession? The math isn’t mathing. And Williams makes sure we feel that imbalance. It’s not just about Diddy. It’s about how justice operates and who it seems to operate differently for. This ties directly back to his latter Hollywood critique: they play by their own rules, create their own realities, and the rest of us are expected to pretend it all makes sense. Today's World: Where Anyone Can Be Anything Katt extends this theme of things not making sense into a broader riff about how in today's world, anyone can be anything, and people are getting away with everything. It's part social commentary, part absurdist observation. He even takes aim at the head of the FBI, Director Kash Patel, joking that the man can't get witness protection right because he can't see straight. It's the kind of joke that makes you wince and laugh simultaneously. A little cruel, sure, but it's Katt Williams. He's built a career on saying what many are thinking but won't say out loud. And honestly? It's not coming from a malicious place. It's coming from that same truth-telling impulse that drives all his comedy dating back to classics like 2006's  The Pimp Chronicles ; the hypocritical, the things that don't add up when you really look at them.  Farm Life, Big Pharma, and the Paprika Principle Katt's comedy has always reflected the political and social temperature of the moment, and "The Last Report" is no exception, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act  passed in July 2025 allocating $170 billion to immigration enforcement over four years, and responsible for ICE’s one million deportees per annum goal, serving as core material.  One of the most brilliant extended bits on this subject involves Katt’s farm purchase four years ago. He bought " all the animals that was delicious; cows, pigs, chickens, everything ”.  Four years later, he hasn't killed a single one. " I'm supposed to eat these? These are my friends, b*tch! " The farm material takes a sharp sociopolitical turn when Katt riffs on immigration and labor. With Mexicans being deported and gone, he jokes that it's now white Americans' turn to work on the farms because ‘Black people damn sure aren't going back to doing farm labor after liberation from slavery.’ He paints a hilarious picture: Black folks standing on the sidelines of farms, shouting encouraging lines to white workers. Uncomfortable truths hidden in comfortable jokes.  Katt Williams on his farm for GQ. Source: GQ Katt gets surprisingly vulnerable when discussing his recent battle with kidney stones, crediting God for healing him. But he uses that personal story to pivot into what becomes one of the special's most important messages:  "Mental health is the most important of all the health."  He's learned to focus on his own health rather than speaking on others' situations, a shift that comes with its own comedic backstory. "I was the first to say 'Free Britney,'" he recalls. And now that she's out? "Oh baby, is she ok?" The implication is clear: (maybe that conservatorship was protecting something we didn't fully understand.) He mentions Lil Nas X and Wendy Williams in the same thread, illustrating how public advocacy for celebrities' mental health can backfire when we don't have the full picture. The health segment turns into a full-blown pharmaceutical roast, and it's one of the funniest stretches of the special. Williams tackles the absurdity of medication side effects being worse than the original condition. He jokes about eczema medication that lists “skin conditions” as a side effect; you're treating a skin issue with something that causes a different skin issue.  But the real brilliance comes with the medication names segment. Forget Ozempic and Wegovy. Katt's focused on names so cool that both Black and white kids want to use them just based on sound alone: Rinvoq, Skyrizi (which he claims was his nickname in middle school) - Tremfya (and yes, he jokes this was his nickname for lady parts) These pharmaceutical companies have figured out that making the drug name sound like a luxury brand makes everybody to suddenly want it. Speaking of Ozempic, Williams reminds the audience he called this three years ago, “that Ozempic had Hollywood in a chokehold”. He jokes about Oprah and Gayle (claiming "Oprah took so much Ozempic that Gayle lost 10 pounds"), and the entire celebrity industrial complex chasing these weight-loss drugs. And he wasn't wrong. Back then, people came for him, including 50 Cent, who Katt describes as "the only second square-headed person in Hollywood" after Herman Munster (the actor who played Frankenstein). The visual alone is comedy gold.  Serena Williams’ controversial SuperBowl GLP-1 Ad was the latest in a series of weight-loss drugs promotions by Black celebrities.  Amid all the pharmaceutical roasting, Williams drops the ‘Paprika principle’.  " It's dried up, ground up bell peppers. Walked in as bell peppers, walked out as Paprika Jenkins. Couldn't keep it on the shelf... She sounds exotic ."  Reinvent yourself as many times as you want. You can evolve and the world will receive the new version of you differently. It's empowering, giving people permission to transform without shame.  He touches on fluoride; how it's been sold to Americans for decades with no substantial reports backing its safety. Throughout the health segment, there's music following him during certain breaks, adding theatrical flair to the education. It's comedy as a public service announcement. Only Katt Williams could make pharmaceutical critique this entertaining. When Hollywood Doesn’t Make Sense Katt extends this into a broader critique of how Hollywood operates when reality contradicts the narrative they want to sell. Two examples stand out: First, Martin Lawrence. Katt noticed the comedian showing clear signs of a stroke and mentioned it publicly. The backlash was immediate: everyone came for him. Then Martin proceeded to do interview after interview on TV to "prove" he was okay, which only reinforced Katt's point: if you were actually fine, why the PR tour? Second, Usher. Without naming him directly, Katt references a major artist performing a Vegas residency who allegedly has herpes, and fans are still going wild, dancing on him, with nobody highlighting this public health reality. Then there's Mike Tyson's recent fight, where the legend showed up in literal underwear (You could see his butt) and proceeded to get defeated. Katt's baffled that people act like he's the one making this stuff up or not seeing clearly. His conclusion? "Hollywood is too strong. They play by their own rules." And this is where the Diddy conversation gains even more context.  Trump, Chaos, and the Unpredictability of Power Katt dedicates a significant portion to the current political landscape, specifically the unpredictably humorous reality of Trump's second term. The examples pile up: firing and rehiring FAA workers, the constant policy reversals, the daily chaos that's become normalized. But the wildest moment? When Trump said he spoke to the president of the Virgin Islands. " My whole brain scrambled,"  Katt says. Trump is the president of the Virgin Islands! It's a U.S. territory. He basically said he talked to himself.  Then there's the Epstein files saga. Trump promised to show everyone the files. They showed him the files. He saw his own name in them. " B**h, is that my name ?" The bit works because it highlights Trump's pattern of shooting from the hip without considering consequences, saying he'll do something, then immediately backtracking when he realizes the implications. Katt just describes what actually happened, and the absurdity speaks for itself. We're living through genuinely bizarre times where the person with the most power operates on pure instinct and vibes, changing his mind constantly, creating chaos that somehow functions as policy. The Glow-Up: Physically and Prophetically Katt looks good. The jokes sound good. The fans feel good.   Source: IMDb Let's talk about something people might not say out loud but definitely notice: Katt Williams looks better than he's looked in years. Gone is the skinny, scrawny high-energy comedian from earlier specials. He's clearly taken care of himself physically, and it shows. The man looks healthy, and confident in ways that mirror his professional vindication. And about those conspiracy theories, they keep coming true. Beyond the Diddy situation that dominated 2024, Katt has been talking about industry corruption, sexual coercion, the casting couch culture, and power dynamics in Hollywood for years.   When he told Shannon Sharpe he turned down $50 million four times to protect his integrity, people laughed. Now? After everything we've seen? That story hits different. Gary Owen confirmed Katt's claims about being propositioned by male executives. The Epstein connections alluded to, became public knowledge. The "big d**k deviants" he said would catch hell in 2024? Check the news receipts. Compared to earlier works like "The Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1"which remains one of the greatest pure comedy specials ever recorded, up there with Eddie Murphy's Delirious  and Richard Pryor: Live in Concert , The Last Report trades some joke density for prophetic weight. It's not trying to be the funniest hour Williams has ever done. And in 2026, after everything we've witnessed, it might be, it just might be his most important.  There a JFK joke in the special that clearly meant something deeper,  but I’ll be honest, it went straight over my head. If you caught the reference and understood what he was really getting at, please explain it in the comments. I’m genuinely curious. Rating and Final Thoughts  Rating: ★★★★½ Standout Moments: Opening acknowledgment of God and faith Every single Diddy joke (the baby oil bit is le-gen-da-ry!) The farm material about Black people never going back and white folks' turn to work Kidney stones testimony and prioritizing mental health The paprika reinvention principle Medication names being too smooth His visible physical transformation and glow-up The entire ‘confirmed whistleblower’ framing Bottom Line:  This special is his victory lap, and he's earned every second of it. Bold, funny, faithful, and vindicating for a comedy prophet in his prime.  "Katt Williams: The Last Report" is now streaming on Netflix.