History of Winners

1997 (Acapulco Black Film Festival)

  • Artistic Achievement: Halle Berry and Bill Duke
  • Best Actress: Queen Latifah - Set It Off
  • Best Actor: Ossie Davis - Get on the Bus
  • Best Director: F. Gary Gray - Set It Off

1998 (Acapulco Black Film Festival)

  • Career Achievement Awards: Debbie Allen and Morgan Freeman
  • Best Film: Soul Food and Eve's Bayou (tie)
  • Best Director: Kasi Lemmons - Eve's Bayou
  • Best Actor: Samuel L. Jackson - Eve's Bayou

1999 (Acapulco Black Film Festival)

  • Trailblazer Award: Byron Lewis
  • Career Achievement Awards: Pam Grier and Samuel L. Jackson
  • Best Film: The Negotiator
  • Best Actress: Angela Bassett - How Stella Got Her Groove Back

2000 (Acapulco Black Film Festival)

  • Trailblazer Award: Melvin Van Peebles
  • Star of the Year: Nia Long
  • Lincoln Filmmaker's Trophy: Carl Seaton

2001 (Acapulco Black Film Festival)

  • Career Achievement Award: John Singleton
  • Trailblazer Award: Suzanne de Passe
  • Rising Stars: Sanaa Lathan and Anthony Anderson

2002 (American Black Film Festival - first year under the new name after moving to Miami/South Beach)

  • Blockbuster Award for Best Feature Film - Civil Brand
  • HBO Short Film Award - Quest to Ref
  • Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy - The Riff
  • Career Achievement Award - Robert Townsend
  • Best Performance by an Actress - Monica Calhoun in Civil Brand
  • Rising Star Award - Mekhi Phifer

2003 Award Winners

  • Blockbuster Audience Award for Best Feature Film - All About You
  • HBO Short Film Award - Swallow
  • Lincoln Filmmaker Trophy - Skin Deep
  • AOL Time Warner Innovator Award - Russell Simmons
  • AOL Time Warner Rising Star Award - Gabrielle Union
  • Best Performance by an Actress - Janice Richardson in Anne B. Real
  • Best Performance by an Actor - Steve White in Skin Deep

2004 Award Winners

  • Special Tributes
    • Time Warner Innovator Award recipient - Spike Lee
    • Rising Star Award recipient - Rosario Dawson
    • Classic Cinema Hall of Fame induction presented by Turner Classic Movies was made to Lady Sings the Blues. The film's co-writer, Suzanne De Passe, accepted the honor.
    • HBO Short Film Award - Time Out
    • Blockbuster Audience Award for Best Feature Film - Co-winners: Love, Sex and Eating the Bones and Woman Thou Art Loosed
  • Hollywood Film Awards
    • Best Performance by an Actress - Sanaa Lathan for Out of Time
    • Best Performance by an Actor - Chiwetel Ejiofor for Dirty Pretty Things
    • Best Director - F. Gary Gray for The Italian Job
    • Film of the Year - The Fighting Temptations

2005 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture - On the One
  • HBO Short Film Award - Shards
  • Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature - On the One
  • The Filmmaker Trophy for Director of the Year - Mario Van Peebles
  • The Voices of Color Best Documentary Award - Bastards of the Party
  • Melvin Van Peebles Trailblazer Award - Warrington Hudlin
  • Best Performance by an Actor - Biloah Greene in On the One

2006 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture - My Brother
  • HBO Short Film Award - Pop Foul
  • Audience Award for Best U.S. Feature - Dirty Laundry
  • The “Voices of Color” Best Documentary Award - If I Die Tonight
  • Founder's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Cinema - Christopher Scott in My Brother
  • Define Lincoln Luxury Commercial Contest Winner - Award Show

2007 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture presented by Kodak - South of Pico
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary - Black to our Roots
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay presented by Allstate - Mannsfield 12
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor - Henry Simmons
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Director - Craig Ross, Jr.
  • Audience Award for Best U.S. Feature - I'm Through With White Girls
  • HBO Short Film Award - The Second Coming.
  • Allstate Beyond February “Be Reel” Contest Winner - Give Along the Way
  • Heineken Red Star Award - South of Pico

2008 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Film - The Abduction of Jesse Bookman
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor - The Abduction of Jesse Bookman
  • HBO Short Film Award - Premature
  • The Best Documentary presented by BET J - Slaying Goliath
  • Allstate Beyond February “Be Reel” Contest Winner - The Lucky Suit
  • Target Filmmaker Award for Inspiration to Dream in Color - Pip & Zastrow
  • Heineken Red Star Award - L.A. Proper

2009 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Award - The Roe Effect written & directed by Kiel Adrian Scott
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature - Mississippi Damned written & directed by Tina Mabry
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary - Len Bias directed by Kirk Fraser
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor - Tessa Thompson as Kari (adult) in Mississippi Damned
  • Allstate® Beyond February "Be Reel" Film Award - The Broken Sole written & directed by Travis Dent
  • Film Life's Star Project Winners
    • Best Actress - Khalilah Joi Dubose
    • Best Actor - Bechir Sylvain
  • ABFF Audience Award Winner - Blue written by Don Wallace and directed by Ryan Miningham

2010 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Stag & Doe
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor (male/female) - Golden Brooks for her role as Karen in The Inheritance
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Film - Legacy directed by Thomas Ikimi
  • 2010 ABFF Star Project Winners
    • Emayatzy Corinealdi
    • Stephen Hill
  • Rising Icon Award - Singer-Songwriter Chrisette Michele
  • Career Achievement Award - Oscar Nominated Producer/Director Lee Daniels

2011 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Fig, written by Alex George Pickering and directed by Ryan Coogler
  • Best Documentary - Brown Babies, directed by Regina Griffin
  • Grey Goose "Rising Icon" Award - Actress Naturi Naughton
  • The Star Project Winners
    • Sheaun McKinney
    • Tiffany D. Hobbs
  • The gmc Television Network Screenplay Competition - David Martyn Conley for Raising Izzie
  • Best Screenplay - Black Gold, directed by Jeta Amata
  • Best Actor (tie)
    • Lonyo Engele for his role as David Brown in David Is Dying
    • Persia White for her role as Trenyce in Dysfunctional Friends
  • Best Director - Stephen Lloyd Jackson for David Is Dying
  • Best Film - The Tested, directed by Russell Constanzo

2012 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Prize Best Narrative Feature - The Undershepherd produced by Russ Parr, directed by Russ Parr
  • Grand Jury Prize Best Performance by an Actor (Male or Female) TIE
    • Sheldon Shepherd Better Mus' Come
    • Malinda Williams The Undershepherd
  • Grand Jury Prize Best Director - Russ Parr - The Undershepherd
  • Grand Jury Prize Best Screenplay - Matthew Cherry - The Last Fall
  • Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary - Soul Food Junkies produced by Lisa Durden, directed by Byron Hurt
  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Cherry Waves - Carey C. Williams
  • gmc Screenplay Competition - In the Meantime - Nzinga Kadalie Kemp
  • Star Project Winners
    • Sherial McKinney
    • Robert Hunter

2013 Award Winners

  • 2013 ABFF Star Project Winners
    • Latoya Codner
    • Vladmir Versailles
  • UP (Formerly known as gmc TV) UP Faith and Family Screenplay Competition - Keronda "Kiki" McKnight for Mary Jo's Candy
  • ABFF Webisode Challenge - "Roomieloverfriends," written by Dennis Dortch and Numa Perrier, directed by Dennis Dortch
  • ABFF Comedy Wings - Comedienne Zainab Johnson
  • HBO® Short Film Competition - A Different Tree, directed by Steven Caple, Jr.
  • CNN Films Best Documentary Award - Homegoings, written by Christine Turner
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay - Things Never Said, written by Charles Murray
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor - Shanola Hampton for Things Never Said
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Director - Stephen Lloyd Jackson for Sable Fable
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature - Sable Fable, written and directed by Stephen Lloyd Jackson
  • ABFF Audience Award - Things Never Said, written and directed by Charles Murray

2014 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Muted written and produced by Brandi Ford, directed by Rachel Goldberg
  • UP TV Faith and Family Screenplay Competition - Christopher Brandt for Island in the Sun
  • ABFF Star Project Winners
    • Kimberly D. Mitchell
    • Stefan Dezil
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary - 25 to Life, directed by Mike L. Brown
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actress - Aunjanue Ellis for her performance in Una Vida
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor - Keith Robinson for his performance in Cru
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay - Cru, written by Alton Glass and Oliver W. Ottley III
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Director - Cru, written by Alton Glass and Oliver W. Ottley III, directed by Alton Glass
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature - Cru, produced by Danny Green, Courtney Triggs and Matthew Hatchette
  • Audience Award for Best Film - (tied)
    • Una Vida produced by Richie Adams, Brent Caballero, Nicolas Bazan and Nancy Green-Keyes
    • Cru, produced by Danny Green, Courtney Triggs and Matthew Hatchette
  • Webisode Challenge Winner - Close Friends, created by Ricky W. JeanFrancois and Mckinson Souverain

2015 Award Winners

  • “Best of the ABFF” Audience Award (TIE)
    • Knucklehead
    • Last Night
  • Grand Jury Prize for Best Screenplay - Last Night
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Director - The Night Before
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative - The Night Before
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Actor - Lisa Arrindell Anderson The Sin Seer
  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Stanhope
  • Best Web Original - American Koko
  • Best Documentary - Althea
  • Comedy Wings Competition Winner - Chastity Washington
  • McDonald's Lovin' Video Competition Winner - Puppy Love written and Directed by Richard T. Fields
  • Star Project
    • Female - Asha Kamali
    • Male - Rahmell Peebles
  • TV One Screenplay Competition - Deadbeat Dad Rehab written by Keronoda “Kiki” McKnight
  • Career Achievement Award - Jenifer Lewis

2016 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay - Tahir Jetter - How to Tell You're a Douchebag
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Actor - Cory Hardrict - Destined
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Director - Qasim Basir - Destined
  • Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature Film - Service to Man - produced by Aaron Greer and Seth Panitch
  • HBO® Short Film Award Winner - Flowers - written and directed Nikyatu Jusu and Yvonne M. Shirley
  • Star Project Winner - Kelcy Griffin
  • McDonald's “My Community” Video Competition Winner - Be the Seed - directed by Tyshun Wardlaw
  • TV ONE Screenplay Competition Winner - Tale of a Script - written by N'Zuri Za Austin
  • Best Web Original - 2 Self Help Books Away From Being Perfect - written and created by Kimberly Young, directed by Lopez Williams
  • The Best of Festival Audience Award - The Fix - produced by Paris Bauldwin, Kenny Lofton and Brenton Early
  • Best Documentary - Daddy Don't Go - produced by Emily Abt, Keryn Thompson, Suzette Burton, Omar Epps, Malik Yoba

2017 Award Winners

  • Grand Jury Award Best Director - Eden Marryshow - Bruce
  • Grand Jury Award Best Narrative Feature - Ambition's Debt - directed by Devin E. Haqq
  • HBO® Short Film Award - Amelia's Closet - written and directed by Halima Lucas
  • Star Project Winner - Duain Richmond
  • TV One Screenplay Competition Winner - Down for Whatever - a drama written by Tim Folsome
  • Turner TV Writing Contest Winners
    • Darrin Dortch Short Changed (Comedy)
    • Derege Harding Fulfillment (Drama)
  • Best Web Original - Brooklyn.Blue.Sky - created by Rhavynn Drummer and Dui Jarrod
  • Comedy Wings Winner - TuRae
  • NBC TV Hosting Workshop Winners
    • Andrea Laing
    • Megan Thomas

2018 Award Winners

  • Jury Award, Best Director - Storm Saulter - Sprinter
  • Jury Award, Best Screenplay - Nijla Mumin - Jinn
  • NBC Spotlight Actor Award - Zoe Renee - performance in Jinn
  • Jury Award, Best Narrative Feature - Sprinter - produced by Robert Maylor, Clarence Hammond, Jamal Watson
  • HBO® Short Film Award - Moths and Butterflies - written and directed by Alfonso Johnson
  • Jury Award, Best Documentary - Not in My Neighbourhood - directed by Kurt Orderson
  • Audience Award, Best Feature - Sprinter - produced by Robert Maylor, Clarence Hammond, Jamal Watson
  • Jury Award, Best Web Series - Keloid U.S.A. - written, produced and directed by Huriyyah Muhammadn
  • ABFF Comedy Wings - Blaq Ron
  • TV One Screenplay Competition - Connected - written by Rashim Cannad
  • Turner TV Writing Contest
    • Craig T. Williams - Allergic (Comedy)
    • Terrence L. Moore - Uptown (Drama)
  • TruTV Comedy Writers Competition - Harold Williams - What Had Happened Was
  • NBC Hosting Workshop
    • Kamie Crawford
    • Winston Marshall
  • Script to Screen Competition
    • Courtney Perdue & Baindu Saidu - African-America
    • April Blair - Curves
    • Darnell Brown - The Good Book

2019 Award Winners

  • Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature - All In - directed by Ibrahim Yilla
  • Jury Award, Best Narrative Feature - Jezebel - directed by Numa Perrier
  • Jury Award, Best Web Series - Little Apple - directed by Riley S. Wilson
  • ABFF HBO® Short Film Award - CAP - written and directed by Marshall Tyler
  • Jury Award, Best Screenplay - Strive - written by Piper Dellums and Sha-Risse Smith
  • Jury Award, Best Documentary - One Child Left Behind - by Jodi Gomes
  • Jury Award, Best Performance by a Lead Actor - Essence Atkins - in Same Difference
  • Jury Award, Best Director - Numa Perrier - Jezebel
  • ABFF Star Project Winner - Alexis Damita
  • ABFF Comedy Wings Winner - Ty Davis
  • NBC Hosting Workshop Top Performers
    • Jazmin Bailey
    • Dennis Pastrorizo
    • Jasmine Styles
    • Krystal Vega
  • WarnerMedia truTV/Comedy Competition Winning Writers - Kim and Domonic Smith-Weston
  • WarnerMedia Writing Contest Winner - TNT/Drama - Darnell Brown
  • WarnerMedia Writing Contest Winner - TBS/Comedy - Claytia Gonsalves

2020 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Competition - Dolapo Is Fine, directed by Ethosheia Hylton, screenplay by Joan Iyiola, Chibundu Onuzo
  • Jury Award - Best Director - Hisonni Johnson, Take Out Girl
  • John Singleton Director Award for Best First Feature - Solomon Onita, Jr, Tazmanian Devil
  • Jury Award - Best US Narrative Feature - Curtis, directed and written by Chris Bailey, produced by Kimberly Hwang, Chelsea Davenport and Desi Bee Richardson
  • Jury Award - Best Screenplay - Addison Henderson, G.O.D - Givers of Death
  • Jury Award - Best International Narrative Feature - The New Normal (Nigeria), directed by Teniola Olatoni, written by Tunde Babalola, produced by Sourmash Stories
  • Jury Award - Best Documentary - Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, directed by John Carluccio, written by Tracy E. Hopkins
  • Jury Award - Best Web Series - Loving in America, directed by Jason Gudasz, written by Bianca Cristovao
  • Fan Favorite Movie - Death of A Telemarketer, directed by Khaled Ridgeway, produced by Datari Turner, Meagan Good, James J. Yi

2021 Award Winners

  • HBO® Short Film Award - When the Sun Sets, written and directed by Phumi Morare
  • Jury Award - Best Director - Trees of Peace, directed by Alanna Brown
  • John Singleton Award - Best First Feature - Trees of Peace, directed by Alanna Brown
  • Jury Award - Best Narrative Feature - Trees of Peace, produced by Ron Ray, Barry Levine, Mike Bundlie, Brian Baniqued, Jeff Spiegel, Vicky Petela and Alanna Brown
  • Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature - The Neutral Ground, directed by CJ Hunt, produced by Darcy McKinnon
  • Jury Award - Best Web Series - True Story: I Feel, directed and written by Matthew Law
  • WarnerMedia Access Writers Competition - Drama - Soul City Texas, Tony Clomax
  • WarnerMedia Access Writers Competition - Comedy - Crazy in Love, Marcus Stricklin
  • ALLBLK's Shoot Your Shot Casting Call
    • Virginia Watson
    • Harrison White
  • Fan Favorite Narrative Feature, B-Boy Blues
  • Fan Favorite Documentary, 100 Years From Mississippi
  • Fan Favorite Web Series, Last Bodega in Brooklyn
  • Fan Favorite ABFF Pride, Everyday Black Matter
  • Fan Favorite World Showcase, Coffee
  • Fan Favorite New Voices, Pickney

2022 Award Winners

  • Best Narrative Feature - Our Father, the Devil - produced by Ellie Foumbi, Joseph Mastantuono; Directed by Ellie Foumbi
  • Best Director, Narrative Feature - Kali Baker-Johnson, Feel Like Ghosts
  • Best Screenplay, Narrative Feature - Feel Like Ghosts - written by Kali Baker-Johnson
  • John Singleton Award - Best First Feature - Our Father, The Devil - Directed by Ellie Foumbi
  • Best Documentary Feature - A Woman on the Outside - produced by Kiara C. Jones, Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville; Directed by Zara Katz, Lisa Riordan Seville
  • Best Web Series - Mine - directed by Randall Dottin, Luisa Dantas
  • HBO Short Film Award - Another Country - directed by Sherif Alabede
  • ALLBLK's Shoot Your Shot Casting Call - Javon Terrell
  • Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Initiative, One-Hour Drama - Deion Higginbotham - The Saints
  • Warner Bros. Discovery Writers Initiative, Half-Hour Drama - Diara Newman - Townhall

2023 Award Winners

  • Jury Award, Best Narrative Feature - Cinnamon - Written and Directed by Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr.
  • Jury Award, Best Director (TIE)
    • Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr. - Cinnamon
    • Ogo Okpue - A Song from the Dark
  • HBO® Short Film Award Showcase - Jelly - Directed by Anndi Jinelle Liggett
  • Jury Award, Best Documentary Feature - Locked Out - Directed by Kate Davis and Luchina Fisher
  • Jury Award, Best Series (Television or Web) - I Was a Soul Train Dancer - Written, Directed, and Produced by Timiza Sanyika
  • Jury Award, Best Actor - Actress Vanessa Vanderpuye - A Song from the Dark

2024 Award Winners

  • Best Narrative Feature - Peripheral - Directed by Sulayman Tahir, written by Tahir and Jordan Tortorello
  • Best Director - Coke Daniels - The Waterboyz
  • HBO® Short Film Award Showcase - Chocolate With Sprinkles - Written and Directed by Huriyyah Muhammad
  • Best Documentary Feature - Train: The Dick Night Tran Lane Story - Directed by Eric “Ptah” Herbert
  • Best Series - Unsolicited - Written by Barshea Lowery, produced by Lowery, Aysia Moore and Chazitear Martin
  • Best Actor - Vince Washington - Young King

2025 Award Winners

  • Best Narrative Feature - The Fisherman, Written and Directed by Zoey Martinson; Produced by Kofi Owusu Afriyie, Korey Jackson, and Yvonne Orji
  • John Singleton Award for Best Debut Feature - Meta Take One, Written and Directed by John Dierre and Ryan Dutter
  • Best Director - Zoey Martinson (The Fisherman)
  • Best Documentary - Black Women and Sex, Directed by Godisamang Khunou
  • Best Series - Sideline Story, Written by: Sam Buckner, III; Directed by: Deantè Gray and Sam Buckner, III; Produced by: Sam Buckner, III and Ski-ter Jones
  • HBO® Short Film Award Showcase Winner - ADO, Written by: Sam Henderson and Ryan Romine; Directed by: Sam Henderson