The 25th Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony, presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) and honoring the best films of 2024, took place on February 17, 2025. The film nominations were announced on December 19, 2024, with the ceremony streamed live on their website.
The historical drama film Nickel Boys led with the most nominations at thirteen, followed closely by The Piano Lesson with twelve. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor notably received two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Performance for her performances in Exhibiting Forgiveness and Nickel Boys. Zendaya also received dual recognition, both as an actor and producer of Challengers.
The nominations for the 9th Annual Black Reel Awards for Television were announced on June 18, 2025. The Netflix romantic teen drama series Forever led nominations with a total of 12, followed closely by the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary with 11. The winners were announced online on August 18, 2025.
Film nominees
Outstanding Film Outstanding Director Nickel Boys – Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and David Levin, producers Challengers – Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O'Connor, Amy Pascal and Zendaya, producers Exhibiting Forgiveness – Stephanie Allain, Derek Cianfrance, Sean Cotton, Titus Kaphar and Jamie Patricof, producers The Piano Lesson – Todd Black and Denzel Washington, producers Sing Sing – Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar and Monique Walton, producers RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys Titus Kaphar – Exhibiting Forgiveness Zoë Kravitz – Blink Twice Steve McQueen – Blitz Malcolm Washington – The Piano Lesson Outstanding Lead Performance Outstanding Supporting Performance Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths as Pansy Deacon Naomi Ackie – Blink Twice as Frida Ryan Destiny – The Fire Inside as Claressa Shields Colman Domingo – Sing Sing as John "Divine G" Whitfield Cynthia Erivo – Wicked as Elphaba Thropp André Holland – Exhibiting Forgiveness as Tarrell Regina King – Shirley as Shirley Chisholm John David Washington – The Piano Lesson as Boy Willie Kerry Washington – The Six Triple Eight as Charity Adams Zendaya – Challengers as Tashi Duncan Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson as Berniece Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Exhibiting Forgiveness as Joyce Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Nickel Boys as Hattie Brian Tyree Henry – The Fire Inside as Jason Crutchfield Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing as himself Lashana Lynch – Bob Marley: One Love as Rita Marley Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro Jurnee Smollett – We Grown Now as Dolores Denzel Washington – Gladiator II as Macrinus Brandon Wilson – Nickel Boys as Turner Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Outstanding Ensemble Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing as himself Naomi Ackie – Blink Twice as Frida Ryan Destiny – The Fire Inside as Claressa Shields Ray Fisher – The Piano Lesson as Lymon Elliott Heffernan – Blitz as George Hanway Ethan Herisse – Nickel Boys as Elwood Blake Cameron James – We Grown Now as Malik Jharrel Jerome – Unstoppable as Anthony Robles Lamorne Morris – Saturday Night as Garrett Morris Brandon Wilson – Nickel Boys as Turner The Piano Lesson – Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu, casting directors Exhibiting Forgiveness – Kim Coleman, casting director Hard Truths – Nina Gold, casting director Nickel Boys – Victoria Thomas, casting director Sing Sing – Greg Kwedar, casting director Outstanding Short Film Outstanding Documentary Feature Chocolate with Sprinkles – Huriyyah Muhammad, director Mosiah – Jirard, director On a Sunday at Eleven – Alicia K. Harris, director Self – Searit Kahsay Huluf, director Will I See You Again? – Michael Perez-Lindsey, director | valign="top"| Luther: Never Too Much – Dawn Porter, director Dahomey – Mati Diop, director Daughters – Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, directors Piece by Piece – Morgan Neville, director Seeking Mavis Beacon – Jazmin Renée Jones, director |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding International Film ! width="50%"| Outstanding Independent Film |- | valign="top"| Hard Truths (United Kingdom) – Mike Leigh, director Bird (United Kingdom) – Andrea Arnold, director Emilia Pérez (France) – Jacques Audiard, director Old Righteous Blues (South Africa) – Muneera Sallies, director Nine (South Africa) – Erica Joy, director | valign="top"| We Grown Now – Minhal Baig, director Albany Road – Christine Swanson, director Blink Twice – Zoë Kravitz, director Hard Truths – Mike Leigh, director I Saw the TV Glow – Jane Schoenbrun, director |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Screenplay ! width="50%"| Outstanding First Screenplay |- | valign="top"| Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes Blitz – Steve McQueen Exhibiting Forgiveness – Titus Kaphar The Fire Inside – Barry Jenkins The Piano Lesson – Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams | valign="top"| Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross Blink Twice – Zoë Kravitz Exhibiting Forgiveness – Titus Kaphar Parallel – Aldis Hodge and Edwin Hodge The Piano Lesson – Malcolm Washington |- ! width="50%"| Outstanding Emerging Director ! width="50%"| Outstanding Voice Performance |- | valign="top"| RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys Titus Kaphar – Exhibiting Forgiveness Zoë Kravitz – Blink Twice Angela Patton – Daughters Malcolm Washington – The Piano Lesson Lupita Nyong'o – The Wild Robot as Roz Ayo Edebiri – Inside Out 2 as Envy Brian Tyree Henry – Transformers One as D-16 / Megatron Dwayne Johnson – Moana 2 as Maui Aaron Pierre – Mufasa: The Lion King as Mufasa Outstanding Score Outstanding Soundtrack The Wild Robot – Kris Bowers Blink Twice – Chanda Dancy Bob Marley: One Love – Kris Bowers The Fire Inside – Tamar-kali Saturday Night – Jon Batiste | valign="top"| Wicked Bob Marley: One Love Mufasa: The Lion King Piece by Piece The Wild Robot Outstanding Original Song Outstanding Cinematography "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight – H.E.R., performer; Diane Warren, writer "Bricks" from Exhibiting Forgiveness – Andra Day, performer; Andra Day and Jherek Bischoff, writers "El Mal" from Emilia Pérez – Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Camille, performers; Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard, writers "Like a Bird" from Sing Sing – Adrian Quesada and Abraham Alexander, performers; Adrian Quesada, Abraham Alexander and Brandon Marcel, writers "Piece by Piece" from Piece by Piece – Pharrell Williams and Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers, performers; Pharrell Williams, writer Nickel Boys – Jomo Fray Ernest Cole: Lost and Found – Wolfgang Held and Moses Tau Luther: Never Too Much – Bryan Gentry Rez Ball – Kira Kelly Suncoast – Bruce Francis Cole Outstanding Editing Outstanding Costume Design We Grown Now – Stephanie Filo Daughters – Adelina Bichis and Troy Josiah Lewis Hard Truths – Tania Reddin Seeking Mavis Beacon – Yeelen Nelson Cohen, Jon Fine and Jazmin Renée Jones Twisters – Terilyn A. Shropshire Wicked – Paul Tazewell The Book of Clarence – Antoinette Messam The Piano Lesson – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck Shirley – Megan Coates We Grown Now – Courtney Wheeler Outstanding Production Design Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup The Piano Lesson – David J. Bomba, Chardae Adams and Patrick Cassidy Nickel Boys – Nora Mendis, Elizabeth Herberg and Monique Champagne Nine – Gilbert Ekow Ampah and Edmund Johnson The Piano Lesson – Andrea 'Mona' Bowman and Para Shardé Malden Bob Marley: One Love – Nadia Stacey and Carla Farmer The Book of Clarence – Matiki Anoff, Nakoya Yancey and Wayne Jolla Jr. Nickel Boys – Iganica Soto-Aguilar and Shandrea Williams Shirley – Nakoya Yancey and Debi Young
Films with multiple nominations and awards
The following films received multiple nominations:
+ Nominations Film 13 Nickel Boys 12 The Piano Lesson 9 Exhibiting Forgiveness 7 Blink Twice 6 Sing Sing 5 The Fire Inside Hard Truths We Grown Now 4 Bob Marley: One Love 3 Blitz Daughters Emilia Pérez Piece by Piece Shirley Wicked The Wild Robot 2 The Book of Clarence Challengers Luther: Never Too Much Mufasa: The Lion King Nine Saturday Night Seeking Mavis Beacon The Six Triple Eight
The following films received multiple awards:
+ Nominations Film 6 Nickel Boys 4 The Piano Lesson 2 Hard Truths We Grown Now Wicked The Wild Robot
Television winners and nominees Comedy Outstanding Comedy Series Abbott Elementary – Quinta Brunson, showrunner (ABC) The Bear – Christopher Storer, showrunner (FX) Harlem – Tracy Oliver, showrunner (Prime Video) The Residence – Paul William Davies, showrunner (Netflix) Survival of the Thickest – Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, showrunner (Netflix) Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary as Janine Teagues (ABC) Uzo Aduba – The Residence as Cordelia Cupp (Netflix) Michelle Buteau – Survival of the Thickest as Mavis Beaumont (Netflix) Ayo Edebiri – The Bear as Sydney Adamu (FX) Meagan Good – Harlem as Camille Parks (Prime Video) Delroy Lindo – UnPrisoned as Edwin Alexander (Hulu) Simone Missick – Government Cheese as Astoria Chambers (Apple TV+) David Oyelowo – Government Cheese as Hampton Chambers (Apple TV+) Natasha Rothwell – How to Die Alone as Melissa (Hulu) Kerry Washington – UnPrisoned as Paige Alexander (Hulu) Janelle James – Abbott Elementary as Ava Coleman (ABC) Tone Bell – Survival of the Thickest as Khalil Holland (Netflix) Lionel Boyce – The Bear as Marcus Brooks (FX) William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary as Mr. Johnson (ABC) Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons as Danny (Netflix) Danielle Pinnock – Ghosts as Alberta Haynes (CBS) Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary as Barbara Howard (ABC) Susan Kelechi Watson – The Residence as Jasmine Haney (Netflix) Jessica Williams – Shrinking as Gaby (Apple TV+) Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary as Gregory Eddie (ABC) Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series Cynthia Erivo – Poker Face as the Kazinsky sisters (Peacock) Garcelle Beauvais – Survival of the Thickest as Natasha Karina (Netflix) Giancarlo Esposito – Poker Face as Fred Finch (Peacock) Orlando Jones – Abbott Elementary as Martin Eddie (ABC) Zoë Kravitz – The Studio as herself (Apple TV+) Da'Vine Joy Randolph – Only Murders in the Building as Donna Williams (Hulu) Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live as Kamala Harris (NBC) Cree Summer – Abbott Elementary as Rosalyn Inez (ABC) Robert Townsend – The Bear as Emmanuel Adamu (FX) Damon Wayans Jr. – Shrinking as Derrick #2 (Apple TV+) Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series The Bear ("Napkins") – directed by Ayo Edebiri (FX) Abbott Elementary ("The Science Fair") – directed by Tyler James Williams (ABC) The Four Seasons ("Ultimate Frisbee") – directed by Colman Domingo (Netflix) Shrinking ("In a Lonely Place") – directed by Randall Winston (Apple TV+) Survival of the Thickest ("Mind Ya Business, Bitch!") – directed by Tasha Smith (Netflix) Abbott Elementary ("Audit") – written by Ava Coleman (ABC) Abbott Elementary ("Karaoke") – written by Brittani Nichols (ABC) Hacks ("Cover Girls") – written by Samantha Riley (HBO Max) Shrinking ("Changing Patterns") – written by Ashley Nicole Black (Apple TV+) Survival of the Thickest ("It's Not A Mo'Ment, It's A Movement, Bitch!") – written by Michelle Buteau (Netflix)
Drama Outstanding Drama Series Paradise – Dan Fogelman, showrunner (Hulu) Cross – Ben Watkins, showrunner (Prime Video) Forever – Mara Brock Akil, showrunner (Netflix) Godfather of Harlem – Chris Brancato, showrunner (MGM+) Reasonable Doubt – Raamla Mohamed, showrunner (Hulu) Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama Series Sterling K. Brown – Paradise as Xavier Collins (Hulu) Jacob Anderson – Interview with the Vampire as Louis de Pointe du Lac (AMC) Michael Cooper Jr. – Forever as Justin Edwards (Netflix) Emayatzy Corinealdi – Reasonable Doubt as Jax Stewart (Hulu)