Two Black Boys in Paradise: The Groundbreaking Queer Film Celebrated at the BAFTAs

Two Black Boys in Paradise: A Triumph at the BAFTAs

The recent BAFTA awards ceremony, held on Sunday, February 22, was notable for its unfortunately sparse coverage of LGBTQ+ narratives, with the exception of Harry Lighton’s leather romcom Pillion. Despite its three nominations, Pillion did not secure a win. However, one remarkable victory emerged in the British Short Animation category, which was not highlighted during the main televised broadcast on the BBC. Two Black Boys in Paradise emerged as the winner, overcoming tough competition from the 2026 Oscar-nominated Cardboard and Luce Angus’s short, Solstice.

This nine-minute animated film tells the poignant story of teenagers Eden and Dula as they embark on a journey of self-discovery and mutual love. As the film’s synopsis beautifully puts it, “Their love for each other, and their refusal to hide it, lands them in a paradise free from shame and judgment.”

Voiced by Arun Blair-Mangat and narrated by Jordan Stephens, noted for his work as a singer with Rizzle Kicks and host of the BBC podcast Miss Me?, Two Black Boys in Paradise is based on the poem by acclaimed poet and author Dean Atta. The film’s script was co-written by Atta and producer Ben Jackson, who was inspired to create a stop-motion animation after witnessing a live reading of the poem.

Director Baz Sells, along with Jackson and Atta, dedicated five years to bring this film to life, collaborating with a team of over 100 talented individuals. “It’s been on such an incredible journey,” Atta shared with Queerly on the red carpet at the BAFTAs. He expressed his satisfaction at presenting a story that is joyous rather than tragic, emphasizing the importance of positive representation of Black and queer narratives. “There are some struggles within our story but they overcome and they’re celebrated and they’re joyous at the end and that’s what I needed to see when I was younger,” he added.

Ben Jackson, reflecting on his experiences growing up during Margaret Thatcher’s era under the oppressive Section 28 law, shared his personal journey of self-acceptance with Queerly. “My whole school life, being queer wasn’t allowed to be talked about in a positive way. I really wanted to make a queer film to help me along my journey of self-acceptance and also then to put something out into the world that other people can see and feel seen,” he explained.

In a separate dialogue with HeyUGuys, Dean Atta highlighted the significance of the BAFTA acknowledging a queer, Black story. “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. We need the resources, the budget, for us to tell our stories our way,” he said.

The film's success, celebrated on stage by Atta, underscored the necessity of positive Black and queer representation which was lacking in his own upbringing. Atta, Jackson, and Sells accepted the BAFTA with pride, marking an important milestone for diverse storytelling.

In a candid conversation with The British Blacklist in December, Ben Jackson reaffirmed his commitment to celebrating Black queer love and joy in his storytelling. “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.”

For those eager to experience this heartwarming and visually stunning film, Two Black Boys in Paradise is currently available for streaming on Channel 4’s service in the UK.

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