Black Reel Awards
Awarded forExcellence in African-American Films
CountryUnited States
Presented byFoundation for the Advancement of African-Americans in Film
First awardedFebruary 16, 2000 (2000-02-16)
Last awarded2022
Websiteblackreelawards.com

The Black Reel Awards, or BRAs, is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in film (FAAAF) to recognize excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora, in the global film industry, as assessed by the foundation’s voting membership. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially called the Black Reel Award. The awards, first presented in 2000 in Washington, DC, are overseen by FAAAF.

The awards ceremony was initially awarded online during its first two years before the first live show presentation in 2002. The awards have broadcast to radio since 2014. The Black Reel Awards is the oldest cinema-exclusive awards ceremony for African Americans.

History

Founded by film critic 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.[1] 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 Black Reel Awards benefit the Foundation for the Advancement of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF), a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to provide educational opportunities to future minority film executives. Through the FAAAF programs "Reel Kids", and "Producer's Institute", scholarships are awarded to minority junior high, high school and college graduate students pursuing careers in the movie and television industries.

In 2015, the foundation changed its name to the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film.[2]

Institutions

The first Outstanding Actor award was given to Denzel Washington for his performance in The Hurricane.[3] He subsequently received the same honor the next two years, for his performances in Remember the Titans and Training Day.[4][5]

At the 3rd Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony, held on February 16, 2002, the Outstanding Foreign Film category was introduced.

The 6th Annual Black Reel Awards, held in 2005, presented the first Vanguard Award for entertainer of the year to Jamie Foxx for his performances in Collateral, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, and Ray.

Each of the Black Reel Awards ceremonies has ended with the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Film.

Black Reel Awards statuette

Motion picture categories

Independent & next generation categories

Professional categories

Discontinued categories

Television
  • Outstanding Original Television Program: 2001 to 2005
Film

In 2005, three categories, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Actress, as well as Outstanding Film awards were split into two separate categories (Drama and Musical/Comedy). In addition, the Outstanding Original Television Program was discontinued in 2005 and later expanded and resurfaced in 2015 as the Outstanding Television Documentary or Special category.

Television categories

A television awards, known as the Black Reel Awards for Television was first presented on August 1, 2017. The awards honors performers, programs, directors and writers over 27 categories in drama, comedy, music, documentaries and TV Movie or Limited Series. The TV Movie or Limited Series categories, which previously were honored as part of the Black Reel Awards were moved to the television awards.

Special categories

The Special Black Reel Awards are voted on by special foundation committees, rather than by the voting academy membership as a whole. They are not always presented on a consistent annual basis.

Current special categories

  • Vanguard Entertainer of the Year Award: since 2004
  • Oscar Micheaux Filmmaker Distinction Award: since 2017
  • Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award: since 2017
  • Ruby Dee Humanitarian Award: since 2017
  • Chadwick Boseman Vanguard Award: since 2024 [6]

Discontinued special categories

  • Black Reel Award Special Achievement Award: 2004 to 2006

Ceremonies

Film nominations

Below are the motion picture films with 10 or more nominations. The Harder They Fall holds the record for the most nominations with 20 while Black Panther holds the record for most wins for a single film with 10 categorical wins. 12 Years a Slave, Selma, and Dolemite Is My Name are tied for second place with 8 wins apiece. BlacKkKlansman currently holds the record for most nominations without a single win (11).

20 Nominations

19 Nominations

17 Nominations

15 Nominations

14 nominations

13 nominations

12 nominations

11 nominations

10 nominations

Records

Film

Actors with multiple awards for motion picture performances

  • D - indicates a winning role in drama categories (2005 ceremony)
  • C/M - indicates a winning role in comedy or musical categories (2005 ceremony)
  • I - indicates a winning role in Independent categories
Actor/Actress Leading Role Supporting Role Breakthrough Voice Performance Total awards Total nominations
Denzel Washington The Hurricane (2000)
Remember the Titans (2001)
Training Day (2002)
Flight (2013)
Fences (2017)		 5 16
Viola Davis The Help (2012)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2021)		 Doubt (2008)
Fences (2017)		 4 11
Jamie Foxx Ray (D, 2005) Ali (2002)
Collateral (2005)		 Soul (2021) 4 11
Lupita Nyong’o Us (2020) 12 Years a Slave (2014) 12 Years a Slave (2014) 3 6
Chiwetel Ejiofor Dirty Pretty Things (2003)
12 Years a Slave (2014)		 The Lion King (2020) 3 10
Dev Patel Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 2 2
Teyonah Parris Chi-Raq (2016) Dear White People (2015) 2 3
Wesley Snipes Brooklyn’s Finest (2010)
Dolemite Is My Name (2020)		 2 3
Da’Vine Joy Randolph Dolemite Is My Name (2020) Dolemite Is My Name (2020) 2 2
Tiffany Haddish Girls Trip (2018) Girls Trip (2018) 2 2
Tessa Thompson Passing (2022) Creed (2016) For Colored Girls (2011) 3 6
Michael B. Jordan Creed (2016) Black Panther (2019) 2 4
Terrence Howard Hustle & Flow (2006) Crash (2005) 2 4
Sharon Warren Ray (2005) Ray (2005) 2 2
Sanaa Lathan Love & Basketball (2001)
Out of Time (2004)		 2 5
Samuel L. Jackson Django Unchained (2013) Turbo (2014) 2 9
Quvenzhane Wallis Beasts of the Southern Wild (2013) Beasts of the Southern Wild (2013) 2 4
Queen Latifah The Secret Life of Bees (2009) Chicago (2003) 2 7
Naomie Harris Skyfall (2013) 28 Days Later (2003) 2 5
Morgan Freeman Invictus (2010) The Lego Movie (2015) 2 6
Kimberly Elise Woman Thou Art Loosed (I, 2005)
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2006)		 2 5
Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls (2007) Dreamgirls (2007) 2 4
Idris Elba Beasts of No Nation (2016) The Jungle Book (2017) 2 9
Gabourey Sidibe Precious (2010) Precious (2010) 2 3
Don Cheadle Traffic (2001)
The Guard (2012)		 2 7
Djimon Hounsou In America (2003)
Blood Diamond (2007)		 2 2
Derek Luke Antwone Fisher (2003) Antwone Fisher (2003) 2 5
Dennis Haysbert Far From Heaven (2003) Wreck-It Ralph (2013) 2 2
Daniel Kaluuya Get Out (2018) Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Get Out (2018) 3 6
Barkhad Abdi Captain Phillips (2014) Captain Phillips (2014) 2 2
Anthony Mackie Night Catches Us (2011) The Hurt Locker (2010) 2 4
Chadwick Boseman Black Panther (2019)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2021)		 2 6
Angela Bassett Sunshine State (2003) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2023) 2 9
Jeremy Pope The Inspection (2023) The Inspection (2023) 2 2

Notes

    Actors with five or more nominations for motion picture performances

    Actor/Actress Total nominations Total awards
    Denzel Washington 16 5
    Jamie Foxx 11 4
    Chiwetel Ejiofor 10 3
    Viola Davis 11 4
    Samuel L. Jackson 9 2
    Queen Latifah 7 2
    Octavia Spencer 8 1
    Maya Rudolph 10 1
    Kerry Washington 7 1
    Idris Elba 9 2
    Don Cheadle 7 2
    Angela Bassett 9 2
    Zoe Saldana 8 1
    Taraji P. Henson 6 1
    Rosario Dawson 6 0
    Morgan Freeman 6 2
    Lupita Nyong’o 6 3
    Forest Whitaker 6 1
    Sanaa Lathan 5 2
    Nia Long 5 1
    Nate Parker 5 0
    Naomie Harris 5 2
    Laurence Fishburne 5 0
    Kimberly Elise 5 2
    Halle Berry 6 1
    Gugu Mbatha-Raw 5 1
    Derek Luke 5 2
    Chadwick Boseman 6 2
    Tessa Thompson 6 3
    LaKeith Stanfield 6 0
    Daniel Kaluuya 6 3
    Will Smith 5 1
    Gabrielle Union 6 1
    Keke Palmer 5 1
    Janelle Monae 5 1

    Television

    Actors with multiple awards for television performances

    • D - indicates a winning role in drama categories
    • C - indicates a winning role in comedy categories
    • M/LS - indicates a winning role in television movie, mini-series or limited series categories
    • Years Italicized - Honored at Black Reel Awards Film honors (2000 - 2017)
    Actor/Actress Leading Role Supporting Role Guest Role Total awards Total nominations
    Regina King Seven Seconds (M/LS - 2018)
    Watchmen (M/LS - 2020)    		 American Crime (M/LS - 2016, 2017, 2017) 5 7
    Sterling K. Brown This Is Us (D - 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022) The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (M/LS - 2017) 5 9
    Issa Rae Insecure (C - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) 4 6
    Cicely Tyson The Trip to Bountiful (M/LS - 2015) A Lesson Before Dying (M/LS - 2000)
    The Rosa Parks Story (M/LS - 2003)    		 How to Get Away with Murder (D - 2020) 4 6
    Rutina Wesley Queen Sugar (D - 2017, 2018, 2019) 3 5
    Jenifer Lewis Black-ish (C - 2017, 2018, 2019) 3 7
    Don Cheadle A Lesson Before Dying (M/LS - 2000)
    Black Monday (C - 2019, 2020)    		 3 4
    Thandiwe Newton Westworld (D - 2017, 2020) 2 3
    Susan Kelechi Watson This Is Us (D - 2018, 2019, 2022) 3 5
    Ron Cephas Jones This Is Us (D - 2017) This Is Us (D - 2018) 2 5
    Phylicia Rashad Empire (D - 2018)
    This Is Us (D - 2019,2021)    		 3 7
    Katt Williams Atlanta (C - 2018)
    Black-ish (C - 2019)    		 2 2
    Jeffrey Wright Angels in America (M/LS - 2004)
    Lackawanna Blues (M/LS - 2006)    		 2 6
    Donald Glover Atlanta (C - 2017, 2018,2022) 3 4
    Courtney B. Vance The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (M/LS - 2017) Let It Shine (M/LS - 2013) Lovecraft Country (D- 2021) 3 4
    Blair Underwood Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker (M/LS - 2020) The Trip to Bountiful (M/LS - 2015) 2 3
    Titus Burgess Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (C - 2017, 2019) 2 4
    Anika Noni Rose The Watsons Go to Birmingham (M/LS - 2014) A Day Late and a Dollar Short (M/LS - 2015) 2 4
    Angela Bassett Ruby's Bucket of Blood (M/LS - 2002)
    The Rosa Parks Story (M/LS - 2003)    		 2 4
    Alfre Woodard The Water is Wide (M/LS - 2007)
    Steel Magnolias (M/LS - 2013)    		 2 6
    Dave Chappelle Saturday Night Live (C- 2017, 2021) 2 2
    Michael K. Williams When They See Us (M/LS - 2019)
    Lovecraft Country (D- 2021)    		 2 5
    Zendaya Euphoria (D-2020,2022) 2 2
    Quinta Brunson Abbott Elementary (C- 2022) A Black Lady Sketch Show (C- 2022) 2 2
    Wood Harris The New Edition Story (M/LS - 2017)
    Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (D - 2022)    		 2 3
    Sanaa Lathan Shots Fired (M/LS - 2019) Succession (D - 2022) 2 3

    Actors with five or more nominations for television performances

    Actor/Actress Total nominations Total awards
    Sterling K. Brown 9 5
    Angela Bassett 9 2
    Regina King 7 5
    Phylicia Rashad 8 3
    Lynn Whitfield 6 1
    Jenifer Lewis 7 3
    Jeffrey Wright 6 2
    Idris Elba 6 1
    Cicely Tyson 6 4
    Alfre Woodard 6 2
    Viola Davis 6 0
    Tracee Ellis Ross 7 0
    Rutina Wesley 5 3
    Regina Hall 8 0
    Laurence Fishburne 6 0
    Issa Rae 7 4
    Carmen Ejogo 5 1
    Andre Braugher 5 1
    Giancarlo Esposito 9 1
    Anthony Anderson 6 1
    Aunjanue Ellis 5 1
    Michael K. Williams 5 2
    Rosario Dawson 7 0
    Yvonne Orji 5 1
    Susan Kelechi Watson 5 3
    Ron Cephas Jones 5 2
    Queen Latifah 6 1
    Kofi Siriboe 5 0
    Don Cheadle 5 3
    Donald Glover 5 3
    Orlando Jones 5 1
    Delroy Lindo 5 0
    Kerry Washington 5 1
    Forest Whitaker 5 1

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Kearney, Ryan (December 15, 2010). "'For Colored Girls' leads D.C.'s Black Reel Awards nominations". TBD Arts. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015.
    2. ↑ "History". Black Reel Awards. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
    3. ↑ "2000 Black Reel Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
    4. ↑ "2001 Black Reel Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
    5. ↑ "2002 Black Reel Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
    6. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (December 14, 2020). "Black Reel Awards: Colman Domingo to Accept Inaugural Chadwick Boseman Vanguard Award". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
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