The Woman King named best film of the year by the African-American Film Critics Association

The Woman King beat out Wakanda Forever and has been crowned best film of the year by the African-American Film Critics Association ahead of the 14th Annual AAFCA Awards.

It's not too surprising considering the historical epic received a 'certified fresh' 94% critic approval rating (out of 241 reviews) and a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes since opening September 16.

Independent Spirit Award winner Gina Prince-Bythewood's $50M-budget, $94.2M-grossing film centered on the Agojie, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries.

The film stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega and is currently still in theaters and on VOD.

The Woman King is already garnering Academy Award buzz for Oscar winner Viola Davis.

The top 5 films picked by the AAFCA were:

1. The Woman King

2. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

3. Till

4. "Sidney" documentary

5. Emanicipation

[SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL]

2019 Winners The African-American Film Critics Association Awards

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), the world's largest group of black film critics, announced their film award winners on Tuesday, December 10, 2019.

Jordan Peele's 'US' and the Eddie Murphy film 'Dolemite is My name' were honored with multiple awards while several other notable black actors and movies won awards.

The AAFCA Awards takes place on Wednesday, January 22, 2019, at the Taglyan Complex.

The AAFCA Awards celebrates achievements in film and television as selected by members of our organization. Going into its 8th year, the annual star-studded event attracts some of the biggest names in Hollywood as it recognizes the best performances of the year. In keeping with AAFCA's mission to support and promote the achievement of minorities in the arts and entertainment industry, several special achievement awards are given for extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the film and television community.

Full list of winners of AAFCA 2019 awards

Best Film: Us (Universal)

Best Director: Jordan Peele (Us, Universal)

Best Actor: Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name, Netflix)

Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (Us, Universal)

Best Supporting Actor: Jamie Foxx (Just Mercy, Warner Bros.)

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name, Netflix)

Best Breakout Performance: Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (Waves, A24)

Best Animated Film: Abominable (Universal)

Best Documentary: The Black Godfather (Netflix)

Best Foreign Film: Parasite (Neon)

Best Independent Film: The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)

Best Screenplay Presented with The Black List: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite (Neon)

Impact Award: Queen & Slim (Universal)

We See You Award: Taylor Russell (Waves, A24)

AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (AAFCA) ANNOUNCES THE FIRST ANNUAL AAFCA TV HONORS

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the creation of the AAFCA TV HONORS, an annual awards fete celebrating outstanding achievement in television.  The first annual event will take place as a luncheon on August 11th at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey and will hand out honors in seven categories, as determined by AAFCA’s awards committee including:

Drama of the Year

A drama series, limited series, documentary series, television movie or otherwise that stands out for its quality and cultural significance

Comedy of the Year

A comedy series, limited series, television movie or special that stands out for its quality and cultural significance

Discovery of the Year

This award may be given to an actor, creator or project that stands out as a groundbreaker or gamechanger in the television landscape

Actor of the Year

An actor whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary

Actress of the Year

An actress whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary

Icon Award

Recognizes a veteran of television who has forged a path in greatness

Inclusion Award

Recognizes a network or production entity that demonstrates a powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion

Recipients of the honors will be announced on June 6 via press release and on AAFCA’s website.

The AAFCA TV Honors joins the organization’s existing awards events that take place in the first quarter of each year — the AAFCA Special Achievement Luncheon which honors extraordinary individuals working in both film and television who represent the best of the entertainment industry including journalists, executives, storytellers and performers and the AAFCA Awards, now in its tenth year, which recognizes outstanding achievement in film.  Dates for both of these events will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We’re excited to expand on our established tradition of celebrating excellence across the Hollywood landscape,” stated AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson, “It’s a thrilling time for television in terms of quality and influence, especially as networks take huge strides forward in reflecting diversity and inclusion in their programming.  This new wave of innovative, thought-provoking storytelling is inspiring and deserving of celebration.”

ABOUT AAFCA

Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora. The organization’s primary mission is to cultivate understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contributions of African descended talent to cinematic and television culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined breakthroughs of future generations.  AAFCA members are a geographically diverse cross-section of journalists, covering all genres of the cinematic arts, while representing multiple mediums – including print, TV, radio broadcast and online. Collectively, they reach a worldwide audience in excess of 100 million. As a non-profit organization, AAFCA is committed to numerous educational and philanthropic efforts, particularly those that foster and celebrate diversity and inclusion. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.

African American Film Critics Relaunch AAFCA Seal Of Approval

The African American Film Critics Association has relaunched the AAFCA Seal of Approval program for film marketers and distributors.

Titles that earn the AAFCA Seal of Approval must meet quality standards, including cultural/historical relevance, and are evaluated by a special panel of AAFCA members, film journalists and academics.

[SOURCE]