The 21st Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony, presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) and honoring the best films of 2020, took place on April 11, 2021. During the ceremony, FAAAF presented the Black Reel Awards in 23 categories. The film nominations were announced on February 18, 2021, and led by One Night in Miami... with 15 nominations.
Amazon Studios' 'One Night in Miami...' was the big winner, winning 5 wins including Outstanding Director for Regina King, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Original Song for "Speak Now". King became the third woman behind Gina Prince-Bythewood & Ava DuVernay to win Outstanding Director. Judas and the Black Messiah took home 3 prizes including Outstanding Film, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya & Outstanding Supporting Actress for Dominique Fishback. The producing team of Ryan Coogler, Shaka King and Charles D. King became the first all-Black producing team to win Outstanding Film in Black Reel Award history. In addition, Kaluuya joined Lupita Nyong'o as only the second person and first male to win the Black Reel Award "Triple-Crown" for Lead, Supporting and Breakthrough categories.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 2 wins were historic as Chadwick Boseman win for Outstanding Actor became the first posthumously winner, while Viola Davis win for Outstanding Actress tied her for the most wins in that category with 2. Other big winners included The Forty-Year-Old Version, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey & Soul
The 5th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television was presented on August 11, 2021. The nominations were announced on June 17, 2021.
Film winners and nominees Outstanding Film Outstanding DirectorJudas and the Black Messiah – Charles D. King, Ryan Coogler, and Shaka KingDa 5 Bloods – Jon Kilik, Spike Lee, Beatriz Levin, and Lloyd Levin Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – Denzel Washington, Todd Black, and Dany Wolf One Night in Miami... – Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder, and Jody Klein Soul – Dana Murray | valign="top" |Regina King – One Night in Miami... Radha Blank – The 40-Year-Old Version Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah Spike Lee – Da 5 Bloods Channing Godfrey Peoples – Miss Juneteenth Outstanding Actor Outstanding ActressChadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Levee Green Kingsley Ben-Adir – One Night in Miami... as Malcolm X Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods as Paul Rob Morgan – Bull as Abe Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah as William "Bill" O'NealViola Davis – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Ma Rainey Nicole Beharie – Miss Juneteenth as Turquoise Jones Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday as Billie Holiday Tessa Thompson – Sylvie's Love as Sylvie Parker Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie as Marie Jones Outstanding Supporting Actor Outstanding Supporting ActressDaniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah as Fred Hampton Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods as "Stormin'" Norman Earl Holloway Colman Domingo – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Cutler Aldis Hodge – One Night in Miami... as Jim Brown Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night in Miami... as Sam CookeDominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah as Deborah Johnson Alexis Chikaeze – Miss Juneteenth as Kai Jones KiKi Layne – The Old Guard as Nile Freeman Tracee Ellis Ross – The High Note as Grace Davis Gabourey Sidibe – Antebellum as Dawn Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, FemaleKingsley Ben-Adir – One Night in Miami... as Malcolm X Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – The Trial of the Chicago 7 as Bobby Seale Dusan Brown – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Sylvester Eli Goree – One Night in Miami... as Cassius Clay Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine – Farewell Amor as WalterAndra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday as Billie Holiday Radha Blank – The 40-Year-Old Version as Radha Alexis Chikaeze – Miss Juneteenth as Kai Jones Dominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah as Deborah Johnson Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie as Marie Jones Outstanding Ensemble Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or OriginalOne Night in Miami... – Kimberly HardinDa 5 Bloods – Kim Coleman Judas and the Black Messiah – Alexa L. Fogel Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – Avy Kaufman Miss Juneteenth – Tisha Blood, Chelsea Ellis Bloch, and Matthew West Taylor | valign="top"|The 40-Year-Old Version – Radha BlankJudas and the Black Messiah – Will Berson and Shaka King Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – Ruben Santiago-Hudson One Night in Miami... – Kemp Powers Soul – Pete Docter, Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Documentary Feature ! width="50%"| Outstanding Independent Film |- | valign="top"|Time – Garrett BradleyAll In: The Fight for Democracy – Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés John Lewis: Good Trouble – Dawn Porter MLK/FBI – Sam Pollard The Way I See It – Dawn Porter | valign="top"|The 40-Year-Old Version – Radha BlankAmerican Skin – Nate Parker Farewell Amor – Ekwa Msangi Miss Juneteenth – Channing Godfrey Peoples Sylvie's Love – Eugene Ashe |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Short Film ! width="50%"| Outstanding Independent Documentary |- | valign="top"|Canvas – Frank E. Abney IIIBrother – Ya'ke Smith The Cypher – Letia Solomon Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad – Camrus Johnson The Pandemic Chronicles – Ya'ke Smith | valign="top"|Mr. Soul! – Melissa HaizlipThe Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show – Yoruba Richen With Drawn Arms – Glenn Kaino and Afshin Shahidi |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Foreign-Language Film ! width="50%"| Outstanding Voice Performance |- | valign="top"|Night of the Kings (Senegal) – Philippe LacôteHis House (United Kingdom) – Remi Weekes The Life Ahead (Italy) – Edoardo Ponti | valign="top"|Jamie Foxx – Soul as Joe GardnerAngela Bassett – Soul as Dorothea Williams Phylicia Rashad – Soul as Libba Gardner Maya Rudolph – The Willoughbys as Linda a.k.a. The Nanny Octavia Spencer – Onward as "Corey" The Manticore |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Emerging Director ! width="50%"| Outstanding First Screenplay |- | valign="top"|Regina King – One Night in Miami... Eugene Ashe – Sylvie's Love Radha Blank – The 40-Year-Old Version Shaka King – Judas and the Black Messiah Channing Godfrey Peoples – Miss JuneteenthRadha Blank – The 40-Year-Old Version Ruben Santiago-Hudson – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Channing Godfrey Peoples – Miss Juneteenth Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami... Eugene Ashe – Sylvie's Love Outstanding Original Song Outstanding Score"Speak Now" (One Night in Miami...) – Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth, writers; Leslie Odom Jr., performer "Fight for You" (Judas and the Black Messiah) – Gabriella Wilson, Dernst Emile II, and Tiara Thomas, writers; H.E.R., performer "Make It Work" (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey) – John Stephens, writer; Anika Noni Rose and Forest Whitaker, performers "Poverty Porn" (The 40-Year-Old Version) – Radha Blank, writer; RadhaMUSprime, performer "Tigress & Tweed" (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) – Andra Day and Raphael Saadiq, writers; Andra Day, performerSoul – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste The 40-Year-Old Version – Guy C. Routte Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – John Debney The Photograph – Robert Glasper Sylvie's Love – Fabrice Lecomte Outstanding Cinematography Outstanding Costume DesignMalcolm & Marie – Marcell Rev Da 5 Bloods – Newton Thomas Sigel Judas and the Black Messiah – Sean Bobbitt One Night in Miami... – Tami Reiker Tenet – Hoyte van HoytemaJingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Michael Wilkinson Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – Ann Roth One Night in Miami... – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck Sylvie's Love – Phoenix Mellow The United States vs. Billie Holiday – Paolo Nieddu Outstanding Production Design Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Gavin Bocquet Judas and the Black Messiah – Sam Lisenco Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – Mark Ricker One Night in Miami... – Barry Robison Tenet – Nathan Crowley
Films with multiple nominations and awards Film Wins NominationsDa 5 Bloods 0 6Farewell Amor 02The 40-Year-Old Version38Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey24Judas and the Black Messiah312Ma Rainey's Black Bottom210Malcolm & Marie13Miss Juneteenth08One Night in Miami...515Soul26Sylvie's Love06Tenet02The United States vs. Billie Holiday14
Television winners and nominees Comedy Outstanding Comedy Series A Black Lady Sketch Show – Robin Thede, showrunner (HBO) black-ish – Courtney Lily, showrunner (ABC) That Damn Michael Che – Michael Che, showrunner (HBO Max) grown-ish – Julie Bean, showrunner (Freeform) Run the World – Yvette Lee Bowser, showrunner (Starz) Outstanding Actor, Comedy Series Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson Sr. on black-ish (ABC) Asante Blackk as Corey on Social Distance (Netflix) Michael Che as various characters on That Damn Michael Che (HBO Max) Trevor Jackson as Aaron Jackson on grown-ish (Freeform) Lamorne Morris as Keef on Woke (Hulu) Robin Thede as various characters on A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) Renee Elise Goldsberry as Wickie on Girls5eva (Peacock) Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson on black-ish (ABC) Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson on grown-ish (Freeform) Bresha Webb as Renee Ross on Run the World (Starz) Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy Series Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy Series Kenan Thompson as various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy on black-ish (ABC) David Alan Grier as Pops Dixon on Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! (Netflix) Laurence Fishburne as Earl "Pops" Johnson on black-ish (ABC) Justice Smith as Chester on Genera+ion (HBO Max) Gabrielle Dennis as various characters on A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) Naomi Ackie as Alicia on Master of None (Netflix) Ashley Nicole Black as various characters on A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO) Jenifer Lewis as Ruby Johnson on black-ish (ABC) Wanda Sykes as Lucretia Turner on The Upshaws (Netflix) Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy Series Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series Dave Chappelle as Host on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Samuel L. Jackson as Himself on Staged (BBC One) Daniel Kaluuya as Host on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Regé-Jean Page as Host on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Marcus Scribner as Andre "Junior" Johnson on grown-ish (Freeform) Erika Alexander as Barb on Run the World (Starz) Regina King as Host on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Debbi Morgan as Debbi on Bigger (BET+) Maya Rudolph as Host on Saturday Night Live (NBC) Vanessa Williams as Nance Trace on Girls5eva (Peacock) Outstanding Directing, Comedy Series Outstanding Writing, Comedy Series Woke ("Black People for Rent") – Directed by Maurice Marable (Hulu) A Black Lady Sketch Show ("But the Tilapias Are Fine Though, Right?") – Directed by Lacey Duke and Brittany Scott Smith (HBO) black-ish ("My Dinner With Andre Junior") – Directed by Princess Monique (ABC) black-ish ("Our Wedding Dre") – Directed by Eric Dean Seaton (ABC) Girls5eva ("Separ8 Ways") – Directed by Chioke Nassor (Peacock) Woke ("Black People for Rent") – Written by Rochee Jeffrey (Hulu) A Black Lady Sketch Show ("But the Tilapias Are Fine Though, Right?") – Written by Lauren Ashley Smith, Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Akilah Green, Shenovia Large, Rae Sanni, Kristin Layne Tucker, Holly Walker, Kindsey Young and Charla Lauriston (HBO) Girls5eva ("Carma") – Written by Anna Drezen and Azie Dungey (Peacock) black-ish ("Missions & Ambitions") – Written by Isaiah Lester and Melanie Boysaw (ABC) That Damn Michael Che ("Policin") – Written by Michael Che, Gary Richardson, Rosebud Baker, Reggie Conquest, Godfrey Danchimah Jr., Calise Hawkins, Kevin Iso, Sam Jay, Matt Richards, Cipha Sounds and Wil Sylvince (HBO Max)
Drama Outstanding Drama Series Lovecraft Country – Misha Green, showrunner (HBO) The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – Malcolm Spellman, showrunner (Disney+) Lupin – George Kay, showrunner (Netflix) Queen Sugar – Anthony Sparks, showrunner (OWN)