Gil Robertson, the President and co-founder of The African American Film Critics Association (“AAFCA”) announced the winners of the 14th annual AAFCA Awards honoring outstanding achievement in film. Winners and special honorees will be celebrated at the 14th Annual AAFCA Awards on Wednesday, March 1st at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “The Woman King,” “Till,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” each won two AAFCA Awards.
“The Woman King” took Best Picture and Best Director for Gina Prince-Bythewood, “Till” for Best Actress (Danielle Deadwyler) and the Emerging Face award (Jaylin Hall), “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” for Best Supporting Actress (Angela Bassett) and Best Song (Rihanna’s “LIfe Me Up”) and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” for Best Writing (Rian Johnson) and Best Ensemble.
Other winners include: Best Supporting Actor Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”), Emerging Filmmaker Carey William(“Emergency”), Best Independent Feature (“Nanny”), Best Animated Feature (“Wendell & Wild”), Best Documentary (“Sidney”) and Best International Feature (“Saint Omer”). Best Live Action Short went to Kendrick Lamar’s “We Cry Together” and Best Animated Short went to Colman and Raul Domingo’s “New Moon.”
AAFCA also announced honorees for several special achievement awards including “Till” for the Impact Award, composer Michael Abels (“Nope”) for the Innovator Award – presented by Nissan, production designer Hannah Beachler (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) for the Building Change Award presented by Lowes, Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith (“Emancipation”) for the Beacon Award and producer Nate Moore (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) for the Ashley Boone Award.
Said Robertson, “These thought-provoking stories of strength, determination and courage lift us and entertain us. It’s an honor to recognize the incredible, visionary work both in front of and behind the camera of this year’s AAFCA Award winners.” Winners are voted on by AAFCA’s 100+ members. The organization, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary in 2023 will be announcing additional special events and programming in the coming months. Continues Robertson, “AAFCA was established in 2003 and is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora.”
Here is the complete list of this year’s AAFCA Award recipients…
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
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”)
For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit AAFCA.com.
