Saudi-Iraqi film Hijra wins top honours at Cape Town's HACC 2026

Saudi-Iraqi feature Hijra, directed by Shahad Ameen, won Best Feature Film at the 2026 Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) festival in Cape Town. Festival creative director Weaam Williams praised its storytelling, filmmaking, performances and use of landscape, and said HACC would seek opportunities to bring it to South African cinemas and audiences across the continent. South African filmmaker Lwazi Duma’s Izenzo Zami received an honourable mention, while Nigerian filmmaker Ella Ogechi Chikezie’s In Her Shoes won Best Short Film.