2014 American Black Film Festival Hollywood Awards: This Year’s Nominees, VOTE for your favorites
It’s awards season, and 2013 has been a strong year for black cinema. I’ve long followed the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), but this is the first I’ve heard of their ABFF Hollywood Awards. Black films and/or films with a strong black lead often get overlooked in mainstream awards shows, with the exception of a few “token” nominations, so it’s nice to see an awards show dedicated to honoring black film, filmmakers, and actors.
This year’s nominees for the 2014 American Black Film Festival Hollywood Awards have just been announced. The awards show will itself is a five-minute web show on February 19 with Chris Spencer, the executive producer and creator of “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” as the host. It’s up to YOU to determine the winners by casting your vote on the website abffhollywoodawards.com. Voting opens on January 15 and closes on January 22.
According to a press release: “The nominees…were selected by a jury of film critics and entertainment editors from African American media outlets around the country. For consideration, films must have had US theatrical release dates between January 1 and December 31, 2013, with a minimum two-week run in New York and Los Angeles, as well as have been directed by, written by, produced by or featuring in a leading role, a person(s) of African descent. Individuals (actors, directors, producers, and writers) must be of African descent.”
Here is a list of this year’s nominees. I’m curious to see what you think who will win each of the categories, so I have added polls where you can vote for your favorites. Make sure to take my polls as well as vote on the official website, and we’ll see how your predictions here measure against the actual winners announced on February 19.
MOVIE OF THE YEAR
“12 Years a Slave”
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Producers: by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan and Anthony Katagas
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“Fruitvale Station”
The Weinstein Company
Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker
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“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
The Weinstein Company
Producers: Pam Williams, Laura Ziskin, Lee Daniels, Buddy Patrick and Cassian Elwes
* * * * *
“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
The Weinstein Company
Producers: David M. Thompson and Anant Singh
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“The Best Man Holiday”
Universal Pictures
Producers: Sean Daniel and Malcolm D. Lee
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BEST ACTOR
Morris Chestnut – “The Best Man Holiday”
Chiwetel Ejiofor – “12 Years a Slave”
Idris Elba – “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Michael B. Jordan – “Fruitvale Station”
Forest Whitaker – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
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BEST ACTRESS
Halle Berry – “The Call”
Danai Gurira – “Mother of George”
LisaGaye Hamilton – “Go for Sisters”
Nia Long – “The Best Man Holiday”
Kerry Washington – “Peeples”
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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Cuba Gooding, Jr. – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Terrence Howard – “The Best Man Holiday”
Samuel L. Jackson – “Oldboy”
David Oyelowo – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Nicole Beharie – “42: The Jackie Robinson Story”
Naomie Harris – “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Sanaa Lathan – “The Best Man Holiday”
Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years a Slave”
Octavia Spencer – “Fruitvale Station”
Oprah Winfrey – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
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BEST DIRECTOR
Ryan Coogler – “Fruitvale Station”
Lee Daniels – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”
Antoine Fuqua – “Olympus Has Fallen”
Malcolm D. Lee – “The Best Man Holiday”
Spike Lee – “Oldboy”
Steve McQueen – “12 Years a Slave”
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BEST SCREENPLAY
“12 Years a Slave” (written by: John Ridley)
“Black Nativity” (written by: Kasi Lemmons)
“Fruitvale Station” (written by: Ryan Coogler )
“The Best Man Holiday” (written by: Malcolm D. Lee)
“The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete” (written by: Michael Starrbury)
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BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
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BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Chadwick Boseman – “42: The Jackie Robinson Story”
Skylan Brooks – “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete”
Michael B. Jordan – “Fruitvale Station”
Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years a Slave”
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ARTIST OF THE YEAR…
…for an artist (male or female) in recognition of their collective body of work for the year.
Idris Elba (appeared in: “Pacific Rim,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom“)
Kevin Hart (appeared in: “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,” “This Is The End,” “Grudge Match;” produced: “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain”)
Dwayne Johnson (starred in: “Snitch,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Pain & Gain,” “Fast & Furious 6“)
Tyler Perry (appeared in: “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas,” wrote, directed and produced: “Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor” and “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas;” produced: “Peeples“)
Forest Whitaker (appeared in: “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Black Nativity,” “Out of the Furnace;” produced: “Fruitvale Station“)
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STUDIO OF THE YEAR…
…for a motion picture studio in recognition of the distribution of quality films directed by, written by, produced by or featuring in a leading role, a person(s) of African descent.
Lionsgate/Codeblack/Summit Entertainment: ( “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas,” “Peeples,” “Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor,” “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,” “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete“)
The Weinstein Company (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Fruitvale Station,” “Scary Movie 5“)
Twentieth Century/Fox Searchlight Pictures (“12 Years a Slave,” “Baggage Claim,” “Black Nativity“)
Universal Pictures (“Fast & Furious 6,” “The Best Man Holiday,” “Riddick“)
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