Oscars Watch: 2024 Black Reel Film Awards

25TH ANNUAL Black Reel Film Awards
Monday, February 17, 2025

Outstanding Film

“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

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“Challengers” – Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal & Zendaya | Amazon MGM Studios
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” – Stephanie Allain, Derek Cianfrance, Sean Cotton, Titus Kaphar & Jamie Patricof | Roadside Attractions
“The Piano Lesson” – Todd Black & Denzel Washington | Netflix
“Sing Sing” – Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar & Monique Walton | A24

Outstanding Director

RaMell Ross
“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

—
Titus Kaphar – “Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Roadside Attractions
Zoë Kravitz – “Blink Twice” | Amazon MGM Studios
Steve McQueen – “Blitz” | Apple Original Films
Malcolm Washington – “The Piano Lesson” | Netflix

Outstanding Lead Performance

MARIANNE JEAN-BAPTISTE
“Hard Truths” • Bleecker Street

Directed by Mike Leigh
Produced by Georgina Lowe

Outstanding Supporting Performance

DANIELLE DEADWYLER
“The Piano Lesson” • Netflix

Directed by Malcolm Washington
Produced by Todd Black, Denzel Washington

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Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – “Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Roadside Attractions
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – “Nickel Boys” | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
Brian Tyree Henry – “The Fire Inside” | Amazon MGM Studios
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing” | A24
Lashana Lynch – “Bob Marley: One Love” | Paramount Pictures
Zoe Saldaña – “Emilia Pérez” | Netflix
Jurnee Smollett – “We Grown Now” | Sony Pictures Classics
Denzel Washington – “Gladiator II” | Paramount Pictures
Brandon Wilson – “Nickel Boys” | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios

Outstanding Screenplay

“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Written by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

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“Blitz” – Steve McQueen | Apple Original Films
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” – Titus Kaphar | Roadside Attractions
“The Fire Inside” – Barry Jenkins | Amazon MGM Studios
“The Piano Lesson” – Malcolm Washington & Virgil Williams | Netflix

Outstanding Documentary

“LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH” • Giant Pictures

Directed by Dawn Porter
Produced by Trish D Chetty, Ged Doherty, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Leah Smith

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“Dahomey” – Mati Diop | MUBI
“Daughters” – Angela Patton & Natalie Rae | Netflix
“Piece by Piece” – Morgan Neville | Focus Features
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” – Jazmin Renée Jones | NEON

Outstanding International Film

“HARD TRUTHS” (United Kingdom) • Bleecker Street

Directed by Mike Leigh
Produced by Georgina Lowe

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“Bird” (United Kingdom) | MUBI
“Emilia Pérez” (France) | Netflix
“Old Righteous Blues” (South Africa) | The Ergo Company
“Nine” (South Africa) | Silver Lining Entertainment

Outstanding Ensemble

“The Piano Lesson” • Netflix

Casting by Lindsay Graham & Mary Vernieu

Directed by Malcolm Washington
Produced by Todd Black, Denzel Washington

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“Exhibiting Forgiveness” – Kim Coleman | Roadside Attractions
“Hard Truths” – Nina Gold | Bleecker Street
“Nickel Boys” – Victoria Thomas | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
“Sing Sing” – Greg Kwedar | A24

Outstanding Voice Performance

LUPITA NYONG’O
“The Wild Robot” • DreamWorks/Universal

Directed by Chris Sanders
Produced by Jeff Hermann

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Ayo Edebiri – “Inside Out 2” | Pixar Animation/Walt Disney Pictures
Brian Tyree Henry – “Transformers One” | Paramount Pictures
Dwayne Johnson – “Moana 2” | Walt Disney Pictures
Aaron Pierre – “Mufasa: The Lion King” | Walt Disney Pictures

Outstanding Independent Film

“WE GROWN NOW” • Sony Pictures Classics

Directed by Minhal Baig
Produced by Joe Pirro, Minhal Baig

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“Albany Road” – Christine Swanson | Faith Filmworks
“Blink Twice” – Zoë Kravitz | Amazon MGM Studios
“Hard Truths” – Mike Leigh | Bleecker Street
“I Saw the TV Glow” – Jane Schoenbrun | A24

Outstanding Short Film

“CHOCOLATE WITH SPRINKLES” • AFI

Directed by Huriyyah Muhammad

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“Mosiah” | Jirard, director
“On a Sunday at Eleven” | Alicia K. Harris, director
“Self” | Searit Kahsay Huluf, director
“Will I See You Again?” | Michael Perez-Lindsey, director

Outstanding EMERGING Director

RaMell Ross
“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

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Titus Kaphar – “Exhibiting Forgiveness” | Roadside Attractions
Zoë Kravitz – “Blink Twice” | Amazon MGM Studios
Angela Patton – “Daughters” | Netflix
Malcolm Washington – “The Piano Lesson” | Netflix

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance

CLARENCE MACLIN
“Sing Sing” • A24

Directed by Greg Kwedar
Produced by Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

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Naomi Ackie – “Blink Twice” | Amazon MGM Studios
Ryan Destiny – “The Fire Inside” | Amazon MGM Studios
Ray Fisher – “The Piano Lesson” | Netflix
Elliot Heffernan – “Blitz” | Apple Original Films
Ethan Herisse – “Nickel Boys” | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
Blake Cameron James – “We Grown Now” | Sony Pictures Classics
Jharrel Jerome – “Unstoppable” | Amazon MGM Studios
Lamorne Morris – “Saturday Night” | Columbia Pictures
Brandon Wilson – “Nickel Boys” | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios

Outstanding FIRST Screenplay

“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Written by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

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“Blink Twice” – Zoë Kravitz | Amazon MGM Studios
“Exhibiting Forgiveness” – Titus Kaphar | Roadside Attractions
“Parallel” – Aldis & Edwin Hodge | Vertical
“The Piano Lesson” – Malcolm Washington | Netflix

Outstanding Score

“The Wild Robot” • DreamWorks/Universal

Composed by Kris Bowers

Directed by Chris Sanders
Produced by Jeff Hermann

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“Blink Twice” – Chandra Dancy | Amazon MGM Studios
“Bob Marley: One Love” – Kris Bowers | Paramount Pictures
“The Fire Inside” – Tamar-kali | Amazon MGM Studios
“Saturday Night” – Jon Batiste | Columbia Pictures

Outstanding Original Song

“THE JOURNEY“
from “The Six Triple Eight” • Netflix

Written by Diane Warren | Performed by H.E.R.

Directed by Tyler Perry
Produced by Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tyler Perry, Keri Selig, Tony Strickland

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“Bricks” from “Exhibiting Forgiveness” – Andra Day & Jherek Bischoff | Roadside Attractions
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez” – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille, Clément Ducol, Jacques Audiard | Netflix
“Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” – Adrian Quesada, Abraham Alexander & Brandon Marcel | A24
“Piece by Piece” from “Piece by Piece” – Pharrell Williams, Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers | Focus Features

Outstanding Soundtrack

“Wicked” • Universal Pictures

Directed by Jon M. Chu
Produced by Marc Platt, David Stone

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“Bob Marley: One Love” – Tuff Gong / Island | Paramount Pictures
“Mufasa: The Lion King” – Walt Disney Records | Walt Disney Pictures
“Piece by Piece” – Columbia / I AM Other | Focus Features
“The Wild Robot” – Black Lot Music | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures

Outstanding Cinematography

“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Cinematography by Jomo Fray

Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner & David Levin

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“Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” – Wolfgang Held & Moses Tau | Magnolia Pictures
“Luther: Never Too Much”– Bryan Gentry | Giant Pictures
“Rez Ball” – Kira Kelly | Netflix
“Suncoast” – Bruce Francis Cole | Searchlight Pictures

Outstanding Costume Design

“Wicked” • Universal Pictures

Costume Design by Paul Tazewell

Directed by Jon M. Chu
Produced by Marc Platt, David Stone

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“The Book of Clarence” – Antoinette Messam | TriStar Pictures
“The Piano Lesson” – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck | Netflix
“Shirley” – Megan Coates | Netflix
“We Grown Now” – Courtney Wheeler | Sony Pictures Classics

Outstanding Editing

“WE GROWN NOW” • Sony Pictures Classics

Editing by Stephanie Filo

Directed by Minhal Baig
Produced by Joe Pirro, Minhal Baig

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“Daughters” – Adelina Bichis & Troy Lewis | Netflix
“Hard Truths” – Tania Reddin | Bleecker Street
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” – Yeelen Nelson Cohen, Jon Fine & Jazmin Renée Jones | NEON
“Twisters” – Terilyn A. Shropshire | Universal Pictures

Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup

“The Piano Lesson” • Netflix

Hairstyling & Makeup by Andrea ‘Mona’ Bowman & Para Shardé Malden

Directed by Malcolm Washington
Produced by Todd Black, Denzel Washington

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“Bob Marley: One Love” – Nadia Stacy & Carla Farmer | Paramount Pictures
“The Book of Clarence” – Allison Lacour, Wayne Jolla Jr. & Yolanda Mercadel | TriStar Pictures
“Nickel Boys” – Iganica Soto-Aguilar & Shandrea Williams | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
“Shirley” – Nakoya Yancey & Debi Young | Netflix

Outstanding Production Design

“The Piano Lesson” • Netflix

Production Design by David J. Bomba, Chardae Adams & Patrick Cassidy

Directed by Malcolm Washington
Produced by Todd Black, Denzel Washington

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“Nickel Boys” – Nora Mendis, Elizabeth Herberg, & Monique Champagne | Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
“Nine” – Gilbert Ekow Ampah & Edmund Johnson | Silver Lining Entertainment

BLACK REEL AWARDS

Outstanding Film:
Outstanding Director:
Outstanding Lead Performance:
Outstanding Supporting Performance:
Outstanding Screenplay:
Outstanding Documentary:
Outstanding International Film:
Outstanding Ensemble:
Outstanding Voice Performance:
Outstanding Independent Film:
Outstanding Short Film:
Outstanding Emerging Director:
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance:
Outstanding First Screenplay:
Outstanding Score:
Outstanding Original Song:
Outstanding Soundtrack:
Outstanding Cinematography:
Outstanding Costume Design:
Outstanding Editing:
Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup:
Outstanding Production Design:

“Nickel Boys”
RaMell Ross – “Nickel Boys”
Marianne Jean-Baptiste – “Hard Truths”
Danielle Deadwyler – “The Piano Lesson”
“Nickel Boys” – RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
“Luther: Never Too Much”
“Hard Truths” (United Kingdom)
“The Piano Lesson”
Lupita Nyong’o – “The Wild Robot”
“We Grown Now”
“Chocolate With Sprinkles”
RaMell Ross – “Nickel Boys”
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing”
“Nickel Boys” – RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
“The Wild Robot” – Kris Bowers
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Wicked”
“Nickel Boys” – Jomo Fray
“Wicked” – Paul Tazewell
“We Grown Now” – Stephanie Filo
“The Piano Lesson” – Andrea ‘Mona’ Bowman & Para Shardé Malden
“The Piano Lesson” – David J. Bomba, Chardae Adams & Patrick Cassidy

ABOUT BLACK REEL

FAAAF’S primary mission is to provide educational opportunities to the next generation of studio executives through its two-member programs, Reel Kids and the Producer’s Institute. It is the desire of the Foundation, now known as the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film, that our programs will help train the studio executives and filmmakers that will continue to shape the images of people of color well into the 21st century.

Founded by Tim Gordon and Sabrina McNeal in 2000, the first annual Black Reel Awards presentation was held on February 16, 2000, online courtesy of Reel Images Magazine. Two years later, the third annual Black Reel Awards held its first live presentation at a private dinner function at the Cada Vez in Washington, DC, with an audience of about 150 people. Twenty statuettes were awarded, honoring African American artists, directors, and other participants in the filmmaking industry, for their works in 2001. The ceremony ran for 90 minutes. In subsequent years, the Black Reel Awards have largely been presented in the nation’s capital, with the exception of one year when the awards were moved to New York.

The awards have been presented live several times: the fourth annual Black Reel Awards presentation was held at H2O on the Southwest waterfront in Washington, DC with an audience of about 200 people; the sixth annual Black Reel Awards presentation was held at the French Embassy with an audience of about 350 people, and the thirteenth annual Black Reel Awards presentation was held at the MIST Harlem with an audience of about 200 people. Initially winners were announced online. Later, the live awards presentations would use a sealed envelope to reveal the name of each winner. The winners of each category are announced on the night of the event during the live broadcast. The ceremony also showcases the best African-American performances as well as those from the African diaspora.