Oscars Watch: 2025 Black Reel Film Awards

26TH ANNUAL BLACK REEL FILM AWARDS
Monday, February 16, 2026

Outstanding Film

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Hedda – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, Tessa Thompson
Highest 2 Lowest – Todd Black, Jason Michael Berman
One of Them Days – Issa Rae, Deniese Davis, Sara Rastogi, James Lopez, Poppy Hank
Wicked: For Good – Marc Platt, David Stone

Outstanding Director

RYAN COOGLER
SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Nia DaCosta – Hedda
Spike Lee – Highest 2 Lowest
Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres

Outstanding Lead Performance

MICHAEL B. JORDAN
SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
André Holland – Love, Brooklyn
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine
Jonathan Majors – Magazine Dreams
Keke Palmer – One of Them Days
Tessa Thompson – Hedda
Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest

Outstanding Supporting Performance

WUNMI MOSAKU
SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Miles Caton – Sinners
Regina Hall – One Battle After Another
Damson Idris – F1
David Jonsson – The Long Walk
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – Eternity
A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest

Outstanding Screenplay

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Written by Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
40 Acres – R.T. Thorne
Hedda – Nia DaCosta
On Becoming A Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni
One of Them Days – Syreeta Singleton

Outstanding Documentary

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR • Netflix

Geeta Gandbhir | Director
Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee, Geeta Gandbhir | Producers

—
Being Eddie – Angus Wall
In Whose Name? – Nico Ballesteros
Orwell: 2+2=5 – Raoul Peck
Songs From the Hole – Contessa Gayles

Outstanding Ensemble

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Casting by Francine Maisler

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
40 Acres – Stephanie Gorin
Highest 2 Lowest – Kim Coleman
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Isabella Odoffin
One of Them Days – Nicole Abellera, Jeanne McCarthys

Outstanding International Film

ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL • A24
(Zambia, United Kingdom, Ireland)

Rungano Nyoni | Director
Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Tim Cole | Producers

—
My Father’s Shadow – United Kingdom
Night Call – Belgium
Souleymane’s Story – France
We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe – Germany

Outstanding Voice Performance

Zoe Saldaña
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH • 20th Century Studios

James Cameron | Director
James Cameron, Jon Landau | Producers

—
Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2
Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2
Idris Elba – Zootopia 2
Anthony Ramos – The Bad Guys 2

Outstanding Independent Film

40 ACRES • Magnolia Pictures

R.T. Thorne | Director
Jennifer Holness | Producer

—
Love, Brooklyn – Rachael Holder
Magazine Dreams – Elijah Bynum
My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr.
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni

Outstanding Independent Documentary

We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe • Do The Right Films

Fred Kudjo Kuwornu | Director
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, Lorenzo Fabbri, Peter Boateng Manu | Producers

—
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions – Kahlil Joseph
The Eyes of Ghana – Ben Proudfoot
Fatherless No More – Kayla Johnson
Seeds – Brittany Shyne

Outstanding Short Film

THE DEVIL IS BUSY • HBO Max

Christalyn Hampton, Geeta Gandbhir | Directors
Christalyn Hampton, Rose Arce, Amber Fares, Soledad O’Brien | Producers

—
JULES – Tiffany Abney
Walk in the Light – Princella Smith

Outstanding EMERGING Director

R.T. THORNE
40 ACRES • Magnolia Pictures

Jennifer Holness | Producer

—
Akinola Davies Jr. – My Father’s Shadow
Rachael Holder – Love, Brooklyn
Kahlil Joseph – BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance

MILES CATON
SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Susan Chardy – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Naya Desir-Johnson – Sarah’s Oil
Damson Idris – F1
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Jayme Lawson – Sinners
A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest
Abou Sangaré – Souleymane’s Story
SZA – One of Them Days
Tyriq Withers – HIM

Outstanding FIRST Screenplay

One of Them Days • TriStar Pictures

Written by Syreeta Singleton

Lawrence Lamont | Director
Deniese Davis, Poppy Hanks, James Lopez, Issa Rae, Sara Rastogi | Producers

—
40 Acres – R.T. Thorne
The Knife – Nnamdi Asmougha
My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr., Wale Davies
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni

Outstanding Score

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Composed by Ludwig Göransson

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
The Eyes of Ghana – Kris Bowers
Freaky Tales – Raphael Saadiq
Hedda – Hildur Guðnadóttir
Highest 2 Lowest – Howard Drossin

Outstanding Original Song

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Music & Lyrics by Miles Caton, Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
“Highest 2 Lowest” from Highest 2 Lowest – Aiyana-Lee Anderson, Nicole Daciana Anderson
“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” from Sinners – Miles Caton, Alice Smith, Ludwig Göransson
“Pale, Pale Moon” from Sinners – Brittany Howard, Ludwig Göransson
“Sinners” from Sinners – Darius Povillunas, Kyris D’Asia, Rod Wave, Tarkan Kozluklu

Outstanding Soundtrack

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Freaky Tales
Highest 2 Lowest
One of Them Days
Wicked: For Good

Outstanding Cinematography

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
After the Hunt — Malik Hassan Sayeed
HIM – Kira Kelly
My Father’s Shadow – Jermaine Canute, Bradley Edwards
Seeds – Brittany Shyne

Outstanding Costume Design

WICKED: FOR GOOD • Universal Pictures

Costume Design by Paul Tazewell

Jon M. Chu | Director
Marc Platt, David Stone | Producers

—
40 Acres – Charlene Akuamoah
Highest 2 Lowest – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Estelle Don Banda
Sinners – Ruth E. Carter

Outstanding Editing

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Editing by Michael P. Shawver

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions – Kahlil Joseph, Luke Lynch, Paul Rogers
HIM – Taylor Joy Mason
Seeds – Malika Zouhali-Worrall
The Smashing Machine – Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie

Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Hairstyling & Makeup by Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Sian Richards, Shunika Terry

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
40 Acres – Antonio Hines, Chancelle Mulela
My Dead Friend Zoe – Amber Aprin, Mele Egbe
One of Them Days – Vonda K. Morris, Nikki Wright
The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, Mia Neal

Outstanding Production Design

SINNERS • Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Design by Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne

Ryan Coogler | Director
Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler | Producers

—
Captain America: Brave New World – Ramsey Avery, Rosemary Brandenburg
Hedda – Cara Brower, Stella Fox
The Smashing Machine – James Chinlund, Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel, Frank Okay
Wicked: For Good – Nathan Crowley, Lee Sanders

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 Independent DOCUMENTARY:
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:

“Sinners”
Ryan Coogler – “Sinners”
Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners”
Wunmi Mosaku – “Sinners”
“Sinners” – Ryan Coogler
“The Perfect Neighbor”
“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” – Zambia, United Kingdom, Ireland
“Sinners” – Francine Maisler
Zoe Saldana – “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
“40 Acres” – R.T. Thorne
“We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe” – Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
“The Devil Is Busy”
R.T. Thorne – “40 Acres”
Miles Caton – “Sinners”
“One Of Them Days” – Syreeta Singleton
“Sinners” – Ludwig Göransson
“I Lied to You” from “Sinners”
“Sinners”
“Sinners” – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
“Wicked: For Good” – Paul Tazewell
“Sinners” – Michael P. Shawver
“Sinners” – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Sian Richards, Shunika Terry
“Sinners” – Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne

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.