Takeaways

• The iKON Awards will unveil nominees on October 24, 2026, at 7:00 PM, ahead of the December 12 ceremony at Serena Hotel, Kampala.
• The fourth edition received more than 300 film submissions, the highest in the awards’ history, and introduced four regional African film categories.
• Activities ahead of the ceremony will include screenings under the iKON Young Filmmakers’ Fellowship, a nominees’ brunch and the African Film Forum.

The organisers of the iKON Awards have announced that nominees for the fourth edition of the awards will be unveiled on Saturday, October 24, 2026, ahead of the main ceremony scheduled for December 12 at Serena Hotel in Kampala.

The nominee reveal will be broadcast live from 7:00 PM on major streaming platforms and media outlets, including the iKON Awards YouTube channel and Kwsio TV, which is available on MTN TV through the Afromobile app.

The unveiling will mark a key milestone in the build-up to the awards ceremony, which will be held under the theme “Beyond Borders”, reflecting the awards’ growing Pan-African outlook and commitment to recognising filmmaking talent across the continent.

The awards will feature a wide range of competitive categories celebrating excellence in film production, acting and other aspects of filmmaking. These include Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Design, Best Editor, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects (VFX).

Other categories include Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animation Film, Best Student Film, Best TV Series, Best Actor in a TV Series and Best Actress in a TV Series.

The awards will also present special honours, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Emerging Film, African iKon of the Year under the African iKon Awards, and the African Rising Star Award, also referred to as iKon Rising Star.

This year’s edition has attracted more than 300 film submissions, marking the highest number received in the awards’ history. In line with the “Beyond Borders” theme, the organisers have introduced new regional categories to recognise and celebrate filmmaking achievements from different parts of Africa.

The regional categories include Best East and Central African Film, Best West African Film, Best Southern African Film and Best North African Film.

Following the nominee reveal, activities leading up to the December ceremony will include screenings of short films produced under the iKON Young Filmmakers’ Fellowship, a nominees’ brunch and the African Film Forum.

The fourth edition of the iKON Awards aims to celebrate outstanding film talent while strengthening connections between filmmakers across Africa.