One day after coming in second in the LAFCA voting, The Tree of Life was named best picture by the African-American Film Critics Association.  A full list of the AAFCA’s awards can be found below: 

Best picture: “The Tree of Life.” The other films rounding out the top 10, following in order of distinction, are: “Drive,” “Pariah,” “Rampart,” “Shame,” “Moneyball,” “The Descendants,” “A Better Life,” “My Week With Marilyn” and “The Help.”

Best director: Steve McQueen, “Shame.”

Lead actor: Woody Harrelson, “Rampart.”

Lead actress: Viola Davis, “The Help.”

Best supporting actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”

Best supporting actor: Albert Brooks, “Drive.”

Breakout performance: Adepero Oduye, “Pariah.”

Best Documentary: “The Black Power Mixtape.”

Best screenplay: Ava DuVernay, “I Will Follow.”

Best foreign film: Alrick Brown, “Kinyarwanda.”

Best song: Jason Reeves & Lenka Kripac, writers, “The Show” from “Moneyball.”

Best independent film: “Pariah.”

Special Achievement: George Lucas (Cinema Vanguard); Richard Roundtree (AAFCA Legacy); Hattie Winston (AAFCA Horizon) and Institution, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Obviously, the AAFCA isn’t as well-known or influential an organization as the LAFCA, the National Board of Review, or the New York Film Critics.  Still, when one looks at the disparity in awards among all of the critics’ groups this year, it’s hard not feel that this is could shape up to be an interesting Oscar race.  While I’m not as huge a fan of The Tree of Life as some (though I have an endless respect for Terrence Malick’s artistry), it’s would still be very interesting and kind of exciting to see  this experimental and rather esoteric film competing in the Academy Awards.  It’ll be interesting to see if The Tree of Life factors into the Golden Globe nominations on Thursday.

Also, I’m happy to see the AAFCA honoring Steve McQueen’s direction of Shame.