National Film & TV Awards South Africa
National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2026
Press Release
Monday 4 May 2026

National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2026
Full Nominations Announced

12th Annual Ceremony · Wednesday 1 July 2026 · Porchester Hall, Johannesburg W2

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For Immediate Release — Monday 4 May 2026
Porchester Hall, Johannesburg W2 · 1 July 2026
Live: channelonetv.co.uk

Johannesburg, 4 May 2026 — The National Film Academy has today announced the official nominations for the 12th Annual National Film & TV Awards South Africa, marking its most expansive and publicly driven edition to date.

With over 1 million+ submissions from the public during the nominations phase, this year's shortlist reflects a shift in how audiences engage with film and television — where global stars, independent creators, and emerging formats now compete on equal footing.

At the centre of the 2026 nominations are defining industry clashes: Cillian Murphy (Steve) vs Riz Ahmed (Hamlet) in Best Actor. Helen Mirren (The Thursday Murder Club) vs Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) in Best Actress. Stephen Graham emerges as one of the year's most dominant figures, recognised across both film and television.

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Vote from 4 May – 27 June 2026

The only major British screen awards determined entirely by public vote.

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"The vertical drama industry is not a trend. It is the new language of storytelling — spoken by millions who have never once opened a cinema listing."

— Jamie Walsh, National Film Academy

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The National Film Academy now represents over 3.7 million members globally, spanning actors, directors, producers, and industry professionals across 15 international territories.

The 12th National Film & TV Awards South Africa also introduces the Best Vertical Series category — making the Academy one of the first major awards bodies to formally recognise mobile-first storytelling. The global vertical drama market exceeded $11 billion in 2025.

Eligibility: 1 July 2025 – 29 April 2026

Full Nominations

12th National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2026 · All 28 Categories

Best Drama 2026

8 Nominees

Glenrothan
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Hamnet
Goodbye June
Wasteman
Hamlet
Steve
I Swear

Best Feature Film 2026

9 Nominees

Glenrothan
The Magic Faraway Tree
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Wasteman
The Thursday Murder Club
My Father's Shadow
Heel
Rose of Nevada
Past Life

Best Thriller 2026

9 Nominees

Lure
Iron Lung
The Thursday Murder Club
Ballad of a Small Player
The Good Boy (aka Heel)
Helloween
Doctor Plague
Diamond Sky
Borley Rectory: The Awakening

Best Actor 2026

9 Nominees

Brian Cox (Glenrothan)
Mark Fischbach (Iron Lung)
Alan Cumming (Glenrothan)
Regé-Jean Page (You, Me & Tuscany)
Robert Pattinson (The Drama)
Cillian Murphy (Steve)
Pierce Brosnan (The Thursday Murder Club)
Riz Ahmed (Hamlet)
David Jonsson (Wasteman)

Best Actress 2026

7 Nominees

Helen Mirren (The Thursday Murder Club)
Olivia Colman (The Roses)
Claire Foy (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Caroline Kaplan (Iron Lung)
Halle Bailey (You, Me & Tuscany)
Zendaya (The Drama)
Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Sponsored by House of Bothania

Best Supporting Actress 2026

11 Nominees

Elsie Lovelock (Iron Lung)
Isabella Ferrari (You, Me & Tuscany)
Nicola Coughlan (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Rebecca Ferguson (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Jessica Gunning (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Jennifer Saunders (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Morfydd Clark (Hamlet)
Emily Watson (Hamnet)
Naomi Ackie (The Thursday Murder Club)
Kate Winslet (Goodbye June)

Best Supporting Actor 2026

9 Nominees

Adam Deacon (Reckless)
Stephen Graham (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Tim Roth (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Alex Hassell (Wasteman)
Andrew Garfield (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Art Malik (Hamlet)
Nonso Anozie (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Ben Kingsley (The Thursday Murder Club)
Paul Mescal (Hamnet)

Best Director 2026

11 Nominees

Brian Cox (Glenrothan)
Oliver Cox (Lure)
Mark Fischbach (Iron Lung)
Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father's Shadow)
Olive Nwosu (Lady)
Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
Antoine Fuqua (Michael)
Chris Columbus (The Thursday Murder Club)
Tom Harper (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Cal McMau (Wasteman)
Aneil Karia (Hamlet)

Best Comedy — Film & TV 2026

10 Nominees

You, Me & Tuscany
Proper Ladies
The Magic Faraway Tree
Twenty Twenty Six
The Walsh Sisters
The Thursday Murder Club
The Roses
Film Club
Glenrothan
The Ballad of Wallis Island

Best Producer — Film & TV 2026

7 Nominees

Jeff Guerrero & Will Hyde (Iron Lung)
Guy Heeley & Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man)
Sophia Gibber & Myles Payne (Wasteman)
Pippa Harris & Nicholas Brown (The Magic Faraway Tree)
Gail Egan & Andrea Calderwood (Secret Service)
Tally Garner, Morven Reid & Richard Gadd (Half Man)
Graham King, John Branca, Prince Jackson & John McClain (Michael)
Sponsored by Dechavel | MondayRepublic.com

Best TV Drama Series 2026

12 Nominees

Bergerac · U/U&Drama
Boarders · BBC
Bridgerton Season 4 · Netflix
Adolescence · Netflix
Babies · BBC One
The Teacher Season 3 · Channel 5
Hijack Season 2 · Apple TV
The Night Manager Season 2 · BBC One
Half Man · BBC/HBO
Secret Service · ITV1/ITVX
Under Salt Marsh · Sky Atlantic
The Walsh Sisters · BBC One

Best Actor in a TV Series 2026

10 Nominees

Tom Hiddleston (The Night Manager Season 2)
Idris Elba (Hijack Season 2)
Damien Molony (Bergerac)
Luke Thompson (Bridgerton Season 4)
Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Gary Oldman (Slow Horses Season 5)
Richard Gadd (Half Man)
Joseph Fiennes (Dear England)
David Morrissey (Gone)
Malachi Kirby (A Thousand Blows Season 2)
Sponsored by IMEAN BEAUTY

Best Actress in a TV Series 2026

8 Nominees

Gemma Arterton (Secret Service)
Kosar Ali (Proper Ladies)
Mia McKenna-Bruce (Agatha Christie's Seven Dials)
Siân Brooke (Blue Lights Season 3)
Kelly Reilly (Under Salt Marsh)
Holliday Grainger (Strike)
Sinéad Keenan (Unforgotten)
Eve Myles (Gone)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series 2026

8 Nominees

Rafe Spall (Secret Service)
Victor Alli (Bridgerton Season 4)
Ashley Walters (Adolescence)
Mark Silcox (Proper Ladies)
Jack Lowden (Slow Horses Season 5)
Jamie Bell (Half Man)
Roger Allam (Secret Service)
Daniel Lawrence Taylor (Boarders)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series 2026

8 Nominees

Zoe Wanamaker (Bergerac)
Amaka Okafor (Secret Service)
Katie Leung (Bridgerton Season 4)
Erin Doherty (Adolescence)
Masali Baduza (Bridgerton Season 4)
Alex Kingston (Secret Service)
Anjli Mohindra (Half Man)
Kristin Scott Thomas (Slow Horses Season 5)
Sponsored by Patherlerella

Best Action in a Film / TV Series 2026

8 Nominees

Bergerac · U/U&Drama
Secret Service · ITV1
Lady
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man · Cinema/Netflix
The Night Manager Season 2 · BBC One
Slow Horses Season 5 · Apple TV
Wasteman
Boaders

Best Streaming Platform 2026

11 Nominees

Netflix — Adolescence, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Apple TV — Slow Horses Season 5
BBC iPlayer — Half Man, The Night Manager Season 2
Prime Video — The Night Manager Season 2
Disney+ — A Thousand Blows Season 2
ITVX — Secret Service, Gone
Sky Atlantic / NOW — Under Salt Marsh
MUBI — My Father's Shadow
BritBox — Riot Women
U / U&Drama — Bergerac
Channel 4 Streaming

Best Screenplay in a TV Series 2026

9 Nominees

Toby Whithouse (Bergerac)
Stefan Golaszewski (Babies)
Riz Ahmed (Bait)
Stephen Graham & Jack Thorne (Adolescence)
Chris Chibnall (Seven Dials)
Steven Knight (A Thousand Blows)
Will Smith (Slow Horses)
Daniel Lawrence Taylor (Boarders)
Tom Bradby & Jemma Kennedy (Secret Service)

Best Independent Film 2026

12 Nominees

Last Save Point
Surviving Earth
The Good Boy
Tales of the Underworld
Rose of Nevada
My Father's Shadow
Lure
Past Life
Iron Lung
Reckless
Hunting Party
Finding My Voice
Sponsored by Leger Holidays

Best British Film 2026

8 Nominees

Pillion
Urchin
The Magic Faraway Tree
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Wasteman
Hamlet
I Swear
Lady
Sponsored by Astelle

Best Newcomer 2026

8 Nominees

Josh Tedeku (Boarders)
Jodie Campbell (Boarders)
Jaafar Jackson (Michael)
Yerin Ha (Bridgerton Season 4)
Lorenzo de Moor (You, Me & Tuscany)
Owen Cooper (Adolescence)
Sabrina Ali (Proper Ladies)
Godwin Egbo & Chibuike Marvellous Egbo (My Father's Shadow)
Sponsored by Channel ONE Radio (UK)

Outstanding Performance 2026

9 Nominees

Jessica Gabriel's Ujah (Lady)
Idris Elba (Hijack Season 2)
Jaafar Jackson (Michael)
Nathalie Emmanuel (The Killer)
Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet)
Robert Aramayo (I Swear)
Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
Riz Ahmed (Hamlet)

Best International Film 2026

8 Nominees

Superman
Michael
The Drama
Sinners
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Snow White
My Father's Shadow
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Sponsored by Channel ONE TV (UK)

Best Short Film 2026

7 Nominees

The Truth About Space
Magid / Zafar
Flock
Stomach Bug
Nostalgie
The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing
Flock
Sponsored by VLOGGOO

Best Vertical Series 2026

12 Nominees

Jollof and Kimchi · UK/South Korea/Nigeria
Game of Choice · UK/USA
In Other Words I Love You · UK
Breaking the Ice · USA/Canada
The Heiress's Revenge · UK/China
Twisted Fate · USA
Off Limits & All Mine · USA
The Beauty and the Billionaire · UK
I Hate to Love My British Bad Boy · UK
Mafia Lover · UK
Tramp · UK
Yr Alwad (The Call) · Wales
Sponsored by Channel ONE TV (UK)

Best Foreign Language Film 2026

12 Nominees

Sentimental Value · Norway
It Was Just An Accident · Iran
Nouvelle Vague · France
Two Women · Canada
Jawan · India
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl · Zambia/UK
Concrete Utopia · South Korea
Radical · Mexico
The Night Owl · South Korea
The Wandering Earth 2 · China
12th Fail · India
The Teachers' Lounge · Germany
Sponsored by Island Falls Home

Best Documentary / Docu-Series 2026

9 Nominees

Becoming Victoria Wood — U&GOLD
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere — Netflix
Harry Styles: One Night in Manchester — Netflix
Twiggy — Studio Soho Distribution
Predators — Dogwoof
A Want in Her — BFI Doc Society
Irvine Welsh: Reality Is Not Enough — Kaleidoscope
2000 Meters to Andriivka — Dogwoof
Becoming Led Zeppelin — Sony Pictures

Best Film Production Company 2026

5 Nominees

BBC Film — Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Agile Films — Wasteman
Potboiler Productions — Secret Service
Mam Tor Productions / Thistledown Pictures — Half Man
Apple TV (UK Content Arm) — Slow Horses Season 5

Key Dates

Public Voting Opens4 May 2026
Public Voting Closes27 June 2026
Ceremony1 July 2026 · Porchester Hall, Johannesburg W2
BroadcastLive on Channel ONE TV

Media Contacts

Press & Accreditation

Yunita Larson

yunita@nationalfilmawards.co.uk

Press & Accreditation

Lisa Fuller

lisa.fuller@nationalfilmawards.co.uk

Partnerships & Product Sampling

Jamie Walsh

jamie.walsh@nationalfilmawards.co.uk

Vote. Attend. Celebrate.

Wednesday 1 July 2026 · Porchester Hall, Johannesburg W2

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