iKON film and television awards 2026 set for December

The fourth edition of the iKON Film and Television Awards will be held on December 12, 2026, at the Kampala Serena Hotel, with organisers promising a continental focus under the theme "Beyond Borders."

The announcement was made during a press conference at the Reach A Hand Africa headquarters in Lungujja, where organisers also unveiled a packed calendar of activities leading up to the awards ceremony.

For the first time since the awards were established, the ceremony has been moved from its traditional March slot to December. According to organisers, the change will allow enough time to implement a series of iKON Activate engagements across Africa aimed at promoting collaboration and strengthening Africa's film and television industry.

A major highlight of the 2026 roadmap is iKON Activate Johannesburg, scheduled for October 22 to 26, in partnership with acclaimed South African actor, producer and filmmaker Thapelo Mokoena. The initiative is designed to bring together filmmakers, producers, actors and other creatives from across the continent to exchange ideas and foster cross-border partnerships.

Addressing the launch virtually from South Africa, Mokoena described the programme as an opportunity for African creatives to learn from one another and strengthen the continent's film industry through collaboration. "It will be a phenomenal opportunity for filmmakers and creatives from across Africa to interact with South Africa's film ecosystem, with a view to learning from each other and building synergies that will take Africa's film industry to the next level," he said.

The Johannesburg edition follows previous engagements in Lagos, Nairobi and Kigali, with organisers also confirming plans to host an edition in London in April 2027.

Speaking at the launch, iKON Awards Founder and Chief Executive Officer Humphrey Nabimanya said the initiative has already produced tangible results. Among the success stories, he highlighted the upcoming Uganda-Nigeria feature film Dambe, directed by Nollywood veteran Ramsey Nouah and starring Ugandan star actor Michael Wawuyo Sr. He also pointed to a Uganda-Kenya co-production.

Registration for filmmakers wishing to participate in the South African Activate programme is open until August 20, 2026.

The awards calendar will include the launch of the iKON Society on August 15, the unveiling of nominees during the South Africa Activate programme in October, the nominees' brunch on November 21, the iKON Africa Film Forum from December 7 to 10, and the screening of films by young filmmakers on December 11, before the main awards ceremony on December 12. A winners' and partners' brunch will conclude the celebrations on December 19.