African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Honorees: ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘The Piano Lesson’ Filmmakers and Casts and More

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has announced the honorees for its 2025 Special Achievement Awards and its 16th Annual AAFCA Awards. The Special Achievement Awards takes place on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and the Annual AAFCA Awards on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

“Our honorees set a high standard of discipline, talent, and hard work that inspires others to strive for greatness,” said AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson. “In our present environment, it becomes more important than ever to acknowledge the examples that they’ve set. Their contributions reflect a level of excellence that propels our industry forward.”

The AAFCA Awards focus is to provide a grand platform to pay tribute to the remarkable careers and contributions of trailblazing individuals within the Diaspora, whose innovative spirit, creativity, and perseverance continue to elevate the cultural narrative.

The 2025 Special Achievement Awards honorees include:

• Lynn Whitfield, Legacy Award
• Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse, Next Gen Award
• Nickel Boys, Karen & Stanley Kramer Social Justice Award
• Amber Rasberry, Horizon Award

The 16th Annual AAFCA Awards honorees include:

• Nicole Avant, Beacon Award
• Malcolm Washington, Emerging Director Award
• Ray Fisher, Breakout Performance Award
• RaMell Ross, Spotlight Award

NICOLE AVANT –  BEACON AWARD

Producer and political activist, Nicole Avant, will receive the Beacon Award for producing, The Six Triple Eight, about the first all-black female battalion to serve overseas during World War II, and The Black Godfather, a documentary about the legacy of her dad, Clarence Avant–a legendary music executive, entrepreneur, and filmmaker.

MALCOLM WASHINGTON – EMERGING DIRECTOR AWARD

Malcolm Washington is being honored with The Emerging Director Award for his debut feature film, The Piano Lesson. This adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play explores the complex legacies and generational conflicts that shape American families.

RAY FISHER – BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE AWARD

Actor Ray Fisher will be honored with the Breakout Performance Award for his portrayal of Lymon in The Piano Lesson.  Fisher’s growing resume as an actor includes his role as Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe. 

RaMELL ROSS – SPOTLIGHT AWARD

Filmmaker RaMell Ross will receive the Spotlight Award for his visionary work as the director and co-screenwriter on Nickel Boys.

LYNN WHITFIELD – LEGACY AWARD

Lynn Whitfield’s legacy as an actress is built on iconic performances that span genres and generations. From Josephine Baker to Eve’s Bayou, and now, “Albany Road,” Whitfield has solidified her place as one of the most respected actresses of her generation. 

BRANDON WILSON & ETHAN HERISSE – GEN NEXT AWARD

With their roles in “Nickel Boys,” Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse demonstrate exceptional promise and creativity in their craft.

KAREN & STANLEY KRAMER SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD – “NICKEL BOYS” 

The feature film Nickel Boys will receive the Karen & Stanley Kramer Social Justice Award for spotlighting the abuse heaped upon generations of boys at the Dozier School for Boys. Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the film chronicles the journey of two young African American men as they navigate the brutal realities of racism at the notorious Florida reform school.

AMBER RASBERRY – HORIZON AWARD

Amazon MGM Studios executive Amber Rasberry will receive the Horizon Award for her outstanding contributions to elevating Black stories in film. Throughout her career, Amber has been instrumental in championing projects that center on Black narratives.

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Erik Anderson

Erik Anderson is the founder/owner and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch and has always loved all things Oscar, having watched the Academy Awards since he was in single digits; making lists, rankings and predictions throughout the show. This led him down the path to obsessing about awards. Much later, he found himself in film school and the film forums of GoldDerby, and then migrated over to the former Oscarwatch (now AwardsDaily), before breaking off to create AwardsWatch in 2013.

He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Critics Choice Association (CCA), San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.

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