‘The Woman King’ Wins Big At The 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards

The Woman King that edged out all of the competition at The Black Reel Awards this year. With six wins out of the fourteen nominations, The Woman King nabbed wins for outstanding film, outstanding director, outstanding ensemble, breakthrough actress, outstanding score and outstanding editing.

Gina Prince-Bythewood's sweeping epic that focused on the women warriors of Dahomey, narrowly overtook Marvel's superhero film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which garnered 5 Black Reel wins of its own. Going into the night, Wakanda Forever was tied with The Woman King with fourteen award nominations. With her third Black Reel Award win for Outstanding Costume Design for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , the fantastic Ruth E. Carter became the most decorated technical award winner in Black Reel history.

Actress Angela Bassett also made Black Reel history, becoming the first woman ever to win an acting and honorary award in the same year. Ms. Bassett won outstanding supporting actress for her work in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and also received the prestigious Sidney Poitier Trailblazer Award recognizing her career of acting excellence. Bassett joins Jamie Foxx, the only other person to be honored, claiming the Vanguard award and the outstanding actor award for Ray in 2005.

Independent studio A24, received 10 nominations for The Inspection and cashed in four wins, thanks to Jeremy Pope receiving two awards (outstanding actor and breakthrough Actor). Not to be outdone by the Pope, writer-director Elegance Bratton also took home two awards for outstanding independent film & first screenplay.

Presenters included: Courtney B. Vance, Ruth E. Carter, Colman Domingo, Tasha Smith, Kasi Lemmons, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Quvenzhané Wallis, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Cory Hardrict, Cassie Freeman, Cheryl Dunye, Quintessa Swindell, Saddiq Saunderson, and Jahi Winston just to name a few.

23rd Black Reel Award Winners:

OUTSTANDING FILM

The Woman King | Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Cathy Schulman & Julius Tennon, producers

OUTSTANDING ACTOR

Jeremy Pope | The Inspection

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS

Danielle Deadwyler | Till

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

Gina Prince-Bythewood | The Woman King

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR

Brian Tyree Henry | Causeway

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Angela Bassett | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

OUTSTANDING SCREENPLAY

Till | Chinonye Chukwu, Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp, writers

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Sidney | Reginald Hudlin, director

OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL FILM

Saint Omer (France) | Alice Diop

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE

The Woman King | Aisha Coley, casting director

OUTSTANDING VOICE PERFORMANCE

Zoe Saldana | Avatar: The Way of Water

OUTSTANDING SCORE

The Woman King | Terence Blanchard, composer

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG

"Lift Me Up" (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) | Rihanna (performer/writer), Ryan Coogler (writer), Ludwig Gorannson (writer),

OUTSTANDING SOUNDTRACK

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT FILM

The Inspection | Elegance Bratton, director

OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM

NORTH STAR | P.J. Palmer, director

OUTSTANDING EMERGING DIRECTOR

Nikyatu Jusu | Nanny

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR

Jeremy Pope | The Inspection

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH ACTRESS

Thuso Mbedu | The Woman King

OUTSTANDING FIRST SCREENPLAY

The Inspection | Elegance Bratton, writer

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY

NOPE | Hoyte van Hoytema, cinematographer

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Ruth E. Carter, costume designer

OUTSTANDING EDITING

The Woman King | Terilyn A. Shropshire, editor

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Hannah Beachler, production designer

Follow the 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards on Twitter and Instagram @BlackReelAwards and on Facebook at TheBlackReelAwards.