AFRIFF 2025 Grand Finale: Flavour and David Oyelowo Honoured, To Adaego With Love Wins Best Feature Film
The week-long Africa International Film Festival came to a beautiful end on Saturday, November 8th, 2025, and it was nothing short of spectacular. The closing ceremony and AFRIFF Global Awards held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos was the perfect ending to a unique week filled with creativity and cinematic excellence.
From the red carpet to the award stage, it was pure glamour and glitz. The stars didn’t come to play. Actors, filmmakers, directors, and industry leaders all came out looking stunning, and the energy in the air was contagious.
Not forgetting the Biggest Star of the show; Founder Of AFRIFF Chioma Ude as she arrived looking stunning and immaculate.
AFRIFF has always been a space where African talent meets global recognition, and this year, it felt even bigger.
One of the highlights of the night was when The Eyes of Ghana, directed by Ben Proudfoot, took home the Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Film. The documentary didn’t stop there as it also won Best Documentary Film.
Nigeria also had its proud moment when Nwamaka Chikezie’s debut feature To Adaego With Love was announced as the winner for Best Feature Film. The film’s emotional storytelling and cultural depth made it a standout of the festival.
In the international category, Kalu Oji’s debut feature Pasa Faho from Australia received the award for Best International Feature Film, while Tukki: From Roots to Bayou by Vincent Le Gal and Alune Wade from France won Best International Documentary. That same film was also the official closing film for AFRIFF 2025, which made the win even more special.
The audience wasn’t left out. The AFRIFF 2025 Audience Choice Award went to Son of the Soil,a UK-Nigeria collaboration directed by Chee Keong Cheung. The action-packed, Lagos-set film was a clear crowd favorite and had festival goers buzzing throughout the week.
One of the most talked-about moments of the night came when Flavour N’abania received the Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence.
He granted a brief interview to give insights into his debut as a producer.
The recognition celebrated his impact on African arts and his creative contribution to storytelling beyond music. His film project Afroculture, created alongside Senegalese legend Baaba Maal, was also featured as one of AFRIFF’s special screenings.
It was a proud moment that showed how African music and cinema continue to connect and influence each other on a global level.
This year’s AFRIFF carried the theme “Rhythms of the Continent: The Afrobeats Film Movement.” It wasn’t just a name, it was a feeling. Every event, screening, and panel echoed the new wave African creativity and creators that’s taking the world by storm. From impactful documentaries to feature films that made people feel, AFRIFF 2025 reminded everyone why African cinema deserves its spotlight.
By the end of the night, it was clear that this year’s festival wasn’t all about films. It was about the people that give way for creativity to blossom. AFRIFF 2025 didn’t just end, it left everyone inspired.
Here is the list of winners:
Jury
JURY PRIZE
The Eyes of Ghana | Ben Proudfoot | Ghana
AUDIENCE CHOICE POLL
Son of the Soil | Chee Keong Cheung | Nigeria
Features
BEST FEATURE FILM
To Adaego With Love | Nwamaka Chikezie | Nigeria
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Pasa Faho | Kalu Oji | Australia
BEST DIRECTOR
Zoey Martinson | The Fisherman | Ghana
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
Richard Bamgbaye | Aljana | Nigeria
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Michelle Lemuya Ikeny | Nawi | Kenya
BEST SCREENPLAY
Brenda Garuba | To Adaego With Love | Ghana
Documentaries
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Eyes of Ghana | Ben Proudfoot | Ghana
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
TUKKI: From Roots to Bayou | Vincent Le Gal, Alune Wade | France, Ghana, Senegal, USA
SPECIAL MENTION
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Beyond The Screen | Peter Fada Osiughwu | Nigeria, UK
Shorts
SHORTS INTERNATIONAL SHORT
Majini | Joshua Neubert, Victor Muhagachi | Tanzania, United Kingdom
BEST ANIMATION
The Travails of Ajadi | Adeoye Adetunji | Nigeria
BEST SHORT
The Day The Heart Died | Russell Oru | Nigeria
BEST STUDENT SHORT
The Labyrinth | Toluwalope Okunade Ebiseni | France
HERBERT WIGWE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS
David Oyelowo (Actor)
Flavour (Musician)
Governor Peter Mbah
Hakeem Muri-Okunola
