African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards 2025: Complete list of winners explored

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African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards winners explored (Image via Getty)

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) officially released its complete list of winners for its 17th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards. This year's top performer was Sinners, the Warner Bros. horror-musical that has arguably become one of the most talked-about projects of the awards season.

The film dominated the African American Film Critics Association Awards 2025 announcement with eight wins across multiple categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Director. Alongside Sinners, other notable films such as Hedda, One Battle After Another, F1, The Perfect Neighbor, and KPop Demon Hunters also bagged important recognitions.

The African American Film Critics Association Awards will officially honor winners on February 8, 2026, at The Maybourne Beverly Hills. The African American Film Critics Association has more than 100 members across print, radio, online, and broadcast journalism.

The African American Film Critics Association was established by Gil L. Robertson IV, Daryle Lockhart, Kathy Williamson, and Kevin “Chill” Heard. Robertson, who serves as president, is a journalist and award-nominated author. Heard is also a co-founder. He is known for his work with "My Cool Solutions Inc." and leadership within NABJ's Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists.

The organization took to its official Instagram page to announce the 2025 winners, captioning:

"The moment has arrived! The 17th Annual AAFCA Awards winners have been revealed, and we’re celebrating the standout storytellers and cinematic brilliance that made an impact this year. From bold performances to visionary filmmaking, this year reinforces the power of movies to move us, challenge us, and reflect the world we live in. All eyes now turn to February 8th at The Maybourne Beverly Hills, where these achievements will be honored in style. Stay tuned. More excitement is on the way."

A description of the organization on its official website reads:

"The African American Film Critics Association actively reviews and spotlights cinema at-large, with a particular emphasis on film and TV highlighting the Black experience, especially that produced, written and/or directed by persons from the African Diaspora. Members are also engaged in AAFCA’s advocacy work, which includes programming for students interested in film criticism and journalism in addition to general community outreach."

It continues:

"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. Effective January 1, 2010, final tabulations for all AAFCA Award categories are handled by Beverly Hills accountant W. Steven Temple."

Complete list of winners at the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Awards 2025 by category

Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Best Actress: Tessa Thompson, Hedda

Best Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

Best Supporting Actor: Damson Idris, F1

Best Documentary: The Perfect Neighbor

Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters

Best Director: Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Best Writing: Ryan Coogler, Sinners

Emerging Face Actor: Miles Caton, Sinners

Emerging Face Actress: Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another

Best Independent Feature: Hedda

Best Ensemble: Sinners

Best Live Action Short: The Rebel Girls

Best Documentary Short: Hoops, Hopes & Dreams

Best Animated Short: Black Man, Black Man

Best Music: Ludwig Göransson, Sinners

AAFCA'S TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR

  • Sinners (Warner Bros.)
  • One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
  • Hedda (Amazon MGM)
  • Frankenstein (Netflix)
  • Hamnet (Focus Features)
  • Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
  • F1 (Apple and Warner Bros.)
  • One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
  • The Knife (Relativity Media)
  • The Smashing Machine (A24)

Congratulations to all the winners at the AAFCA Awards 2025!


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Edited by Gourab Kundu