Nickel Boys, about two African American teenagers sent to a notorious reform school in the Jim Crow South, has been named best picture of the year by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA).
Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by the same name, the drama chronicles the brutal realities at Florida’s state-run Dozier School for Boys, where in real life dozens of boys are known to have died.
The film is directed by RaMell Ross. The main cast includes Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
In a press release on Friday, Dec. 13, AAFCA announced the winners of its 16th annual AAFCA Awards, along with the group’s top ten films of the year.
“This has been a defining year for cinema, with an impressive array of stories that capture the complexity, resilience, and beauty of the human experience,” AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson said in a statement. “We are proud to honor this year’s filmmakers and talent, whose work continues to expand the scope of humanity on screen. These films do more than entertain—they amplify voices and perspectives that deserve to be heard, and we look forward to celebrating their lasting impact.”
The awards will be handed out at a star-studded gala on Feb. 19 in Beverly Hills. Below is the full list of winners along with the AAFCA’s top 10 list of films.
WINNERS | 16TH ANNUAL AAFCA AWARDS
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
Best Picture: Nickel Boys
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
