Black Queer Animated Short ‘Two Black Boys in Paradise’ Wins BAFTA

The Manchester-produced stop-motion film “Two Black Boys in Paradise” claimed the 2026 BAFTA for British Short Animation, spotlighting Black queer love in a year otherwise sparse on LGBTQ+ recognition.

While Sunday’s 2026 BAFTA Film Awards offered few moments centered on LGBTQ+ storytelling, one quiet triumph unfolded beyond the BBC’s main broadcast: “Two Black Boys in Paradise,” a nine-minute stop-motion short about Black queer love, won the BAFTA for British Short Animation.

The animated film, produced in Manchester and filmed in the Cheetham Hill area, beat out fellow nominees “Cardboard,” a 2026 Oscar nominee, and Luce Angus’ “Solstice.” Though the category was not announced during the televised ceremony, the win marked a significant moment for Black and queer representation at one of Britain’s most prestigious film events.

Produced by Manchester-based One6th Animation, the short was co-written by award-winning poet Dean Atta and producer Ben Jackson, and directed by Baz Sells. The film is based on Atta’s poem of the same name and draws inspiration from his earlier work, “There is (still) Love Here.”

The story follows teenagers Eden and Dula, voiced by Arun Blair-Mangat,  as they embark on a journey of self-acceptance and romantic love. Narrated by Jordan Stephens, of Rizzle Kicks fame and host of the BBC podcast “Miss Me?,” the film explores race, sexuality, and identity through a tender, hopeful lens. Its official synopsis describes a narrative in which the boys’ love for one another and their refusal to hide it lead them into a “paradise free from shame and judgement.”

For Atta, the project was deeply personal.

“My whole school life, being queer wasn’t allowed to be talked about in a positive way,” Atta told Queerly on the BAFTA red carpet. “I really wanted to make a queer film to help me along my journey of self-acceptance and also to put something out into the world that other people can see and feel seen.”

The film’s journey to the BAFTA stage spanned years. Jackson first approached Atta about adapting the poem into an animated film after watching him perform it live. What followed was a five-year production process involving more than 100 collaborators.

Producer Jackson described the film as a “genuine passion project.” Since its November 2025 release, “Two Black Boys in Paradise” has won 22 international awards, steadily building momentum on the festival circuit before its BAFTA victory.

“Winning the award was absolutely everything beyond my wildest dreams,” Jackson said. “So many people gave so much to it over five years. So for everyone involved, I’m just really proud and really happy.”

Director Sells echoed that sentiment, crediting the film’s success to its collaborative spirit.

“The recognition is incredibly welcome because so many people worked so hard,” Sells said. “There were a lot of tough challenges that were only overcome because we had such an extraordinary crew. I’m so proud of Ben and Dean for bringing their stories to the screen and allowing us collectively to share them with the world.”

Beyond the craft of its stop-motion animation, the film’s cultural impact lies in its unapologetic centering of Black queer love. In a year when LGBTQ+ narratives were notably sparse at the BAFTAs — aside from Harry Lighton’s leather romcom “Pillion,” which left empty-handed despite three nominations — Atta said the award sends a message.

Speaking to HeyUGuys, Atta described the BAFTA win as “making a statement.”

“I feel like that’s a good thing to reflect upon; hopefully, this is saying something to the industry that we need more of these types of stories to be told,” he said. “We need the resources, the budget, for us to tell our stories our way.”

In an earlier interview with The British Blacklist, Atta emphasized his desire to portray joy alongside struggle.

“As a storyteller, I want to celebrate Black queer love and joy,” he said. “I don’t want to shy away from the challenges, but I want to offer hope for a better future and occasionally a much-needed escape from reality. Paradise in our film is very much a fantasy world, but it’s a world that, even through the imagining, people can imagine themselves in; they might bring a little bit of paradise into their real lives.”

The film’s imagined paradise functions not as a denial of homophobia or racism, but as a radical assertion of possibility. By placing two young Black boys at the center of a love story that refuses shame, “Two Black Boys in Paradise” challenges long-standing industry narratives that too often frame queer lives, especially Black queer lives, primarily through trauma.

Instead, Eden and Dula’s story offers tenderness, vulnerability, and mutual affirmation. Their refusal to conceal their love becomes an act of liberation.

For audiences in the United Kingdom, the film is currently streaming on Channel 4’s platform, extending its reach beyond festival circuits and awards ceremonies. Its BAFTA win may well introduce it to viewers who had not previously encountered it.

As the film industry continues to grapple with questions of representation, funding, and whose stories receive institutional backing, “Two Black Boys in Paradise” stands as both a creative achievement and a cultural marker. Its victory affirms that short films, especially animated ones, can carry immense emotional and political weight.

For Atta and his collaborators, the award is not just a trophy. It is evidence that Black queer stories, told with care and imagination, belong on the industry’s biggest stages and in the hearts of audiences seeking a glimpse of paradise.

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