‘Sing Sing,’ ‘Nickel Boys’ win big at the 2025 African American Film Critics Awards
Sing Sing dominated this year’s African American Film Critics Association Awards, taking home a leading three prizes for Colman Domingo (Best Actor), Clarence Maclin (Best Supporting Actor), and Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (Best Screenplay). The movie about the real-life Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York is up for three Oscars on March 2: Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Song (“Like a Bird”).
Nickel Boys also claimed a pair of top trophies, for Best Picture and RaMell Ross (Best Director). It’s nominated for two Oscars (Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay) for its retelling of the Colson Whitehead novel about a 1960s abusive reform school in Florida. Notable AAFCA Best Picture winners throughout history include American Fiction (2024), Black Panther (2018), Get Out (2017), and Moonlight (2016).
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The Piano Lesson, which was skunked at the Oscars, made due with two AAFCA wins on Wednesday night for Danielle Deadwyler (Best Supporting Actress) and Best Ensemble. And the Best Actress prize went to Hard Truths scene-stealer Marianne Jean-Baptiste, also overlooked by the Motion Picture Academy.
SEE 2025 Oscars calendar update
Voting was conducted in December by the African American Film Critics Association’s more than 100 members. The winners were celebrated at the 16th annual awards ceremony on Feb. 19 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
AAFCA president and cofounder Gil Robertson said, “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. 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.”
Here is the complete list of 2025 AAFCA Awards winners:
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
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Best Picture: Nickel Boys
Best Director: RaMell Ross (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 Screenplay: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (Sing Sing)
Best Ensemble: The Piano Lesson
Best Score: Kris Bowers (The Wild Robot)
Best Song: Andra Day, Cassandra Batie and Jherek Bischoff (“Bricks” from Exhibiting Forgiveness)
Best Documentary: (tie) Daughters and Dahomey
Best Animated Feature: The Wild Robot
Best International Film: Emilia Pérez
Best Independent Feature: She Taught Love
HONORARY AWARDS
Nicole Avant, Beacon Award
Malcolm Washington, Emerging Director Award
Ray Fisher, Breakout Performance Award
RaMell Ross, Spotlight Award
Paul Tazewell, Innovator Award
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