Septimius Awards will take place on September 3rd and 4th, 2025, at the historic Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
The organisers of the 2025 Septimius Awards have unveiled nominees for this year’s edition, with several Nigerian actors and filmmakers earning recognition across key categories. The ceremony will take place on September 3rd and 4th, 2025, at the historic Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam.
In the Best African Actor category, Stan Nze received his first Septimius Awards nomination for a role critics described as intense and emotional. He is joined by fellow Nigerian actor Olarotimi Fakunle, recognised for his performance in Recall, a film directed by veteran filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, who himself secured a nomination for Best African Producer.
Other nominees in the category include Lemogang Tsipa (South Africa), Ayden Croy (South Africa), Idir Benaibouche (Algeria), Oumar Diaw (Senegal), Adam A. Zango (Nigeria), and Slim Baccar (Tunisia).
The Best African Actress lineup also features strong Nigerian representation, with Sharon Ooja (for Recall) and Osas Ighodaro joining a competitive list alongside Nomzamo Mbatha (South Africa), Meriem Medjkane (Algeria), Nisrin Erradi (Morocco), Antoinette Louw (South Africa), Faten Ahmed (Sudan), and Eya Bellagha (Tunisia).
Nigerian productions also earned a presence in the Best African Producer category, with Afolayan’s Recall competing against Sisi, Magazine Dreams, Julie Keeps Quiet, The Glassworker, The Adamant Girl, Girls Will Be Girls, and The Ecstasy of Gold: The Treasure of Jesse James.
The Best African Film category highlights works such as Algiers, (Algeria), Old Righteous Blues (South Africa), Die dekonstruksie van Retta Blom (South Africa), Everybody Loves Touda (Morocco), Nawi (Kenya), Red Path (Sudan), The Serpent’s Gift (Nigeria), and Nigeria’s Mai Martaba.
Organised by Cyrus & Dreamers Inc, The Septimius Awards is an international award ceremony that celebrates global excellence in film, with a strong emphasis on discovering and encouraging independent talent. The event spans fiction, non-fiction, animation, television series, and scripts, and continues to position itself as a platform spotlighting visionary filmmaking from around the world.
With Nigerian filmmakers and actors leading this year’s nominations, the 2025 Septimius Awards reaffirm the rising influence of African cinema and the star power emerging from the continent.
Check out the complete list of all the nominees here.