The African American Film Critics Association Honors Sinners

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The African American Film Critics Association has announced its picks for the best of 2025! And here they are:

AAFCA’S TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR
1. Sinners (Warner Bros.)
2. One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
3. Hedda (Amazon MGM)
4. Frankenstein (Netflix)
5. Hamnet (Focus Features)
6. Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
7. F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.)
8. One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
9. The Knife (Relativity Media)
10. The Smashing Machine (A24)

BEST ACTOR – Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
BEST ACTRESS – Tessa Thompson – Hedda (Amazon MGM)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Damson Idris – F1 (Apple/Warner Bros.)
BEST DOCUMENTARY – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
BEST DIRECTOR – Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
BEST WRITING – Ryan Coogler – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
EMERGING FACE (ACTOR) – Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
EMERGING FACE (ACTRESS) – Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
BEST INDEPENDENT FEATURE – Hedda (Amazon MGM)
BEST ENSEMBLE – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT – The Rebel Girls
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT – Hoops, Hopes & Dreams
BEST ANIMATED SHORT – Black Man, Black Man
BEST MUSIC – Ludwig Göransson – Sinners (Warner Bros.)

The African American Film Critics Association Honors Nickel Boys

Posted on December 15, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On December 13th, the African American Film Critics Association announced its picks for the best of 2024.

And here they are:

AAFCA’S TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR

1. Nickel Boys

2. Sing Sing

3. The Piano Lesson

4. Gladiator II

5. Wicked

6. Emilia Pérez

7. Albany Road

8. The Fire Inside

9. Exhibiting Forgiveness

10. Dahomey

WINNERS | 16TH ANNUAL AAFCA AWARDS

Best Picture: Nickel Boys
Best Actor: Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)

Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths)

Best Supporting Actor: Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing)

Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson)

Best Ensemble: The Piano Lesson

Best Original Score: The Wild Robot (Kris Bowers)

Best Original Song: Bricks – Exhibiting Forgiveness (Andra Day, Cassandra Batie & Jherek Bischoff)

Best Screenplay: Sing Sing (Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar)

Best Director: RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys)

Best Documentary: *TIE* Daughters (Netflix) & Dahomey (Mubi)

Best Animated Feature: The Wild Robot

Best International Film: Emilia Pérez

Best Independent Feature: She Taught Love

The African American Film Critics Association Honors American Fiction and Origin!

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the African American Film Critics Association announced its picks for the best of 2023!

And here they are:

AAFCA’S TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR
1. American Fiction
2. Origin
3. The Color Purple
4. Oppenheimer
5. Past Lives
6. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
7. Poor Things
8. Anatomy of a Fall
9. Killers of the Flower Moon
10. Barbie

Best Drama: Origin
Best Comedy: American Fiction
Best Musical: The Color Purple
Best Director: Ava DuVernay – Origin
Best Screenplay: American Fiction
Best Actor: Colman Domingo – Rustin
Best Actress: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Origin
Best Supporting Actor: Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Best Supporting Actress: *TIE* Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple & Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Best Ensemble: The Color Purple
Breakout Performance: Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Emerging Filmmaker: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Best Independent Feature: A Thousand and One
Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Documentary: Stamped from the Beginning
Best Music: The Color Purple
Best International Film: Io Capitano
Best Short Film: The After

The African American Film Critics Association Honors The Woman King

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The African American Film Critics Association has announced their picks for the best of 2022! And here they are:

Best Picture: “The Woman King”
Best Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Woman King”)
Best Actor: Jeremy Pope (“The Inspection”)
Best Actress: Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”)
Best Supporting Actor: Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”)
Best Supporting Actress: Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)
Emerging Face: Jaylin Hall (“Till” & “Bruiser”)
Emerging Filmmaker: Carey Williams (“Emergency”)
Best Independent Feature: “Nanny”
Best Animated Feature: “Wendell & Wild”
Best Documentary: “Sidney”
Best Ensemble: “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
Best Writing: Rian Johnson (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”)
Best International Feature: “Saint Omer”
Best Song: “Lift Me Up” (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)
Best Live Action Short: “We Cry Together”
Best Animated Short: “New Moon”

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT HONOREES | 14TH ANNUAL AAFCA AWARDS
Impact Award: “Till”
The Innovator Award, presented by Nissan: Composer, Michael Abels (“Nope”)
Building Change Award, presented by Lowes: Production Designer, Hannah Beachler (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)
The Beacon Award: Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith (“Emancipation”)
The Ashley Boone Award: Producer, Nate Moore (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)

The African-American Film Critics Association Named The Harder They Fall As The Best Film of the Year!

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Monday, the African American Film Critics Association named their picks for the best of 2021! Their pick for film of the year? The Harder They Fall.

Here are the rest of the winners:

Best Picture: “The Harder They Fall”
Best Director: Jeymes Samuel (“The Harder They Fall”)
Best Screenplay: Adam McKay (“Don’t Look Up”)
Best Actor: Will Smith (“King Richard”)
Best Actress: Jennifer Hudson (“Respect”)
Best Supporting Actor: Corey Hawkins (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”)
Best Supporting Actress: Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)
Breakout Actor: Saniyya Sidney (“King Richard”)
Best Ensemble: “The Harder They Fall”
Emerging Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green (“King Richard”)
Best Music: Jeymes Samuel, Kid Cudi & Jay-Z (“The Harder They Fall”)
Best Independent Feature: “Who We Are”
Best Documentary: “Summer of Soul”

The African-American Film Critics Association Honors Judas and the Black Messiah

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The African American Film Critics Association have announced their picks for the best of 2020-2021! And here they are:

Best Picture: Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Best Director: Regina King, One Night In Miami (Amazon Studios)
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Best Actress: Andra Day, The United States Vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu)
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Best Supporting Actress: Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Best Screenplay: Kemp Powers, One Night In Miami (Amazon Studios)
Best Ensemble: One Night In Miami (Amazon Studios)
Best Foreign Film: Night of the Kings (Neon)
Best Documentary: All In: The Fight For Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Best Animation: Soul (Pixar/Disney)
Best Short Film: Two Distant Strangers
Breakout Performance: Radha Blank (Netflix)
Breakout Director: Shaka King (Warner Bros.)

The AAFCA 2020 Top Ten Films
1. “Judas and the Black Messiah”
2. “One Night In Miami”
3. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
4. “Nomadland”
5. “Night of the Kings”
6. “American Skin”
7. “Da 5 Bloods”
8. “Minari”
9. “Miss Juneteenth”
10. “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday”

The African-American Film Critics Association Names Black Panther The Best of 2018!

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Tuesday, the African-American Film Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2018!

Best Film: Black Panther
Best Director: Ryan Coogler – Black Panther
Best Screenplay: Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
Best Actor: John David Washington – BlacKkKlansman
Best Actress: Regina Hall – Support the Girls
Best Supporting Actor: Russell Hornsby – The Hate U Give
Best Supporting Actress: Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Breakout Performance: Amandla Stenberg – The Hate U Give
Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Best Independent Film: If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Foreign Film: Roma
Best Documentary: Quincy
Best Song: “All The Stars” – Black Panther
Best New Media: Red Table Talk
Best TV Drama: Queen Sugar
Best TV Comedy: Insecure

The African American Film Critics Association Names Get Out The Best of 2017!

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, the African American Film Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2017!

BEST PICTURE: GET OUT (Universal Pictures)
BEST DIRECTOR: JORDAN PEELE – GET OUT (Universal Pictures)
BEST ACTOR: DANIEL KALUUYA – GET OUT (Universal Pictures)
BEST ACTRESS: FRANCES McDORMAND – THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI (Fox Searchlight)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: LAURENCE FISHBURNE – LAST FLAG FLYING (Amazon Studios/Lionsgate)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: TIFFANY HADDISH – GIRLS TRIP (Universal Pictures)
BEST COMEDY: GIRLS TRIP (Universal Pictures)
BEST ENSEMBLE: DETROIT (Annapurna Pictures)
BEST INDEPENDENT: CROWN HEIGHTS (Amazon Studios/IFC Films)
BEST ANIMATED: COCO (Disney/Pixar)
BEST DOCUMENTARY: STEP (Fox Searchlight)
BEST FOREIGN: THE WOUND (Kino Lorber)
BEST SCREENPLAY: GET OUT (Universal Pictures)
BEST SONG: “IT AINT FAIR” — DETROIT – THE ROOTS featuring BILAL (Motown Records)
BEST NEW MEDIA: MUDBOUND (Netflix)
BEST TV SERIES (COMEDY): BLACKISH (ABC)
BEST TV SERIES (DRAMA): QUEEN SUGAR (OWN)
BREAKOUT: LAKEITH STANFIELD – CROWN HEIGHTS (Amazon Studios/IFC Films)

AAFCA TOP 10 FILM – 2017

GET OUT (Universal Pictures)
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI (Fox Searchlight)
COCO (Disney/Pixar)
GIRLS TRIP (Universal Pictures)
DETROIT (Annapurna Pictures)
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (Sony Pictures Classics)
THE SHAPE OF WATER (Fox Searchlight)
GOOK (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
CROWN HEIGHTS (Amazon Studios/IFC Films)
MARSHALL (Open Road Films)

The African-American Film Critics Association Honors Moonlight

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Moonlight picked up yet another precursor victory today when the African-American Film Critics Association named it the best film of 2016!

Check out all of the AAFCA awards below:

BEST PICTURE – MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST DIRECTOR – BARRY JENKINS, MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST ACTOR – DENZEL WASHINGTON, FENCES– (Paramount)

BEST ACTRESS – RUTH NEGGA, LOVING – (Focus Features)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – MAHERSHALA ALI, MOONLIGHT – (A24)

BEST ENSEMBLE – THE CAST OF HIDDEN FIGURES (20TH Century Fox)

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE 2017 – JANELLE MONAE, MOONLIGHT AND HIDDEN FIGURES

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM – MOONLIGHT (A24)

BEST ANIMATION FILM – ZOOTOPIA (Disney)

BEST SONG – “VICTORY” from HIDDEN FIGURES (20th Century Fox)

BEST DOCUMENTARY – 13TH (Netflix)

BEST FOREIGN FILM – TANNA (Lightyear Entertainment)

BEST SCREENPLAY – AUGUST WILSON, FENCES – (Paramount)

AAFCA Top 10 Films of 2016 in Order of Distinction

1. “Moonlight”
2. “Fences”
3. “Hidden Figures”
4. “Lion”
5. “La La Land”
6. “Birth of a Nation”
7. “Loving”
8. “Manchester by the Sea”
9. “Hell or High Water”
10. “Queen of Katwe”

The African-American Film Critics Association Declares Straight Outta Compton To Be The Best Of 2015!

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Awards season continues! Earlier today, the African-American Film Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2015! They named Straight Outta Compton best picture and gave their best director award to Ryan Coogler for Creed.

Check out all of the awards below!

Best Picture: “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures)
Best Director: Ryan Coogler – “Creed” (Warner Bros.)
Best Ensemble: “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures)
Best Actor: Will Smith – “Concussion” (Sony)
Best Actress: Teyonah Parris – “Chi-Raq” (Roadside Attractions)
Best Supporting Actor: Jason Mitchell – “Straight Outta Compton” (Universal Pictures)
Best Supporting Actress: Tessa Thompson – “Creed” (Warner Bros.)
Best Independent Film: “Chi-Raq” (Roadside Attractions)
Best Screenplay: Rick Famuyiwa – “Dope” (Open Road Films)
Breakout Performance: Michael B. Jordan – “Creed” (Warner Bros.)
Best Animation: “The Peanuts Movie” (20th Century Fox)
Best Documentary: “A Ballerina’s Tale” (Sundance Selects)
Best Song: “See You Again” – Furious 7 (Atlantic Records)
Best TV Comedy: “Black-ish” (ABC)
Best TV Drama: “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)
Best Cable/New Media TV Show: “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)

AAFCA Top Ten Films of 2015:

1. Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
2. Creed (Warner Bros.)
3. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
4. Beasts of No Nation (Netflix)
5. The Martian (20th Century Fox)
6. 3½ Minutes, Ten Bullets (HBO), Dope (Open Road Films)
7. Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions)
8. Carol (Weinstein Co.)
9. The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)
10.The Danish Girl (Focus Features)