Black Film Critics Circle Names ‘Sing Sing’ Best Film; Cynthia Erivo & Colman Domingo Among Winners – Full List

EXCLUSIVE: Sing Sing scored a leading four awards from the Black Film Critics Circle today including Best Film of 2024 and Best Actor for Colman Domingo. Wicked star Cynthia Erivo won Best Actress, and RaMell Ross took Best Director for Nickel Boys, which claimed three BFCC prizes.

Sing Sing also won for Best Ensemble, and its Clarence Maclin scored the Supporting Actor nod. The Greg Kwedar-directed film is based on the true story of John “Divine G” Whitfield (Domingo), who’s imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit but finds purpose by acting in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men.

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Nickel Boys, which follows two Black teenagers imprisoned in a harsh, Jim Crow-era Florida reform school, also took the Best Adapted Screenplay — read that script here — and Cinematography races. The Piano Lesson‘s Danielle Deadwyler was named Best Supporting Actress, and Original Screenplay went to The Butalists. See the full winners list below.

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The Wild Robot won for Best Animated Film, Daughters took the Documentary prize, and All We Imagine As Light was named Best Foreign Film.

The group gave its Pioneer Award to two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington and named his son, The Piano Lesson director Malcolm Washington, as Rising Star/Best Newcomer. It also gave a Special Mention to Space Race, the documentary about pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who broke barriers to join NASA and serve their country in space.

“The diversity and quality of Black films and Black-led stories this year highlights the rich tapestry of our culture, showcasing the true multiculturalism of our country. This progress not only reflects greater representation on screen but also paves the way for more filmmakers to share their voices.” BFCC Co-President Mike Sargent said. “It broadens the palette of audiences, cultivating a deeper appreciation for these stories and the perspectives they bring.”

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Here are the Black Film Critics Circle award winners, followed by its list of the Top 10 best movies of 2024:

Best Film
Sing Sing

Best Director
RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys

Best Actor
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked

Best Supporting Actor
Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing

Best Supporting Actress
Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson

Original Screenplay
The Brutalist

Adapted Screenplay
Nickel Boys

Cinematography
Nickel Boys

Documentary
Daughters

Animated Film
The Wild Robot

Foreign Film
All We Imagine As Light

Ensemble
Sing Sing

Pioneer Award
Denzel Washington

Rising Star/Best Newcomer
Malcolm Washington

Special Mention
Space Race

RELATED: 2024-25 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Grammys, Tonys, Guilds & More

Here are the BFCC’s Top 10 films of the year:

1. Sing Sing
2. Wicked
3. Conclave
4. The Brutalist
5. Nickel Boys
6. The Wild Robot
7. Dune: Part Two
8. The Substance
9. Exhibiting Forgiveness
10. Flow

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