African American Film Critics Association winners: 'Us,' 'Dolemite, 'Waves' and more
The African American Film Critics Association has chosen Jordan Peele’s blockbuster social thriller Us as the Best Film of 2019, also giving the film Best Director (Peele) and Best Actress to Lupita Nyong’o.
“Jordan Peele continued to raise the bar in horror specifically and film overall,” said AAFCA President/Co-Founder Gil Robertson. “With ‘Us,’ he once again upended the horror genre. His centering of a black nuclear family determined to survive in a complex storyline in a genre where black family units have historically been unseen is extraordinary. He continues to push previously set boundaries with bold storylines that bring a refreshing perspective to cinema overall and the genre specifically. The film’s $255 million global gross is yet another example that inclusive filmmaking resonates big at the box office and it also resonated critically with our members who awarded the film with our highest honors.”
Dolemite Is My Name earned wins for Eddie Murphy in Best Actor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in Best Supporting Actress. Jamie Foxx was chosen as Best Supporting Actor for Just Mercy and Waves co-stars Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Taylor Russell earned Breakout Performance and the We See You Award, respectively.
The AAFCA’s list of Top 10 Films features four directed by women, women of color specifically, a sharp contrast from the Best Director list the Golden Globes provided that was all-male and featured just one non-white contender.
“This year’s best films reflect a wide spectrum of diversity and creativity,” said Robertson. “Many of them tackle social injustice and challenge the criminal justice system in the United States specifically. AAFCA members, who put in their ballots from as far away as Australia and Jamaica, cast a wide net to recognize films made in the U.S. and beyond. Their choices truly reflect the best of cinema in 2019.”
Among their top 10 films were The Irishman, Queen & Slim and The Farwell. See the full list of winners and the group’s Top 10 below.
Best Film: “Us” (Universal Pictures)
Best Director: Jordan Peele (“Us,” Universal Pictures)
Best Actor: Eddie Murphy (“Dolemite Is My Name,” Netflix)
Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (“Us,” Universal Pictures)
Best Supporting Actor: Jamie Foxx (“Just Mercy,” Warner Bros. Pictures)
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 Pictures)
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 Pictures)
We See You Award: Taylor Russell (“Waves,” A24)
The AAFCA 2019 Top Ten Films
1. “Us” (Universal Pictures)
2. “Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix)
3. “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
4. “Clemency” (Neon)
5. “The Irishman” (Netflix)
6. “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)
7. “Waves” (A24)
8. TIE “Parasite” (Neon) and “Atlantics” (Netflix)
9. The Farewell (A24)
10. “Harriet” (Focus Features)
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), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) 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.
- 2025 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR (November) - November 22, 2024
- 2025 Oscar Predictions: SUPPORTING ACTOR (November) - November 21, 2024
- 2025 Oscars: Eligibility Lists for Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards - November 21, 2024
Interview: ‘Gladiator II’ Cinematographer John Mathieson on Reuniting with Ridley Scott and Continuing the Legacy and Lore 
Interview: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater on Creating the Songs and Score for ‘Spellbound’ and the “Perfectly” Cast Rachel Zegler 
2025 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR (November) 
Interview: John Lithgow on ‘Conclave’ Being a Career Highlight, Oscar Buzz and Comparing Director Edward Berger to David Lean [VIDEO]