Tyler Perry made a special trip to Los Angeles to present his friend (and the producer of his latest Netflix film, “The Six Triple Eight”) Nicole Avant with the Beacon Award at the 16th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards.
“I don’t know why I’m working like I’m still broke,” Perry joked about arriving at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel straight from the airport, then hopping back on the plane when the show was over.
But the quick roundtrip was necessary to support AAFCA’s mission of uplifting Black storytellers — “especially in this climate when there’s so many attacks on who we are, what our stories are,” Perry said — and to salute Avant, who he emphasized is “Hollywood royalty” as the daughter of the late Jacqueline Avant, a philanthropist, and Clarence Avant, the music executive known as “The Black Godfather.”
On the red carpet, Nicole Avant told Variety her parents would be proud to see her receive this specific honor. “I’m sure they are beaming down. My mom would always tell me to go out in the world and be the light. Choose which side you’re on, and then play ball,” she said. “And I haven’t been here since ‘The Black Godfather’ [documentary] in 2019, when my dad received an award.”
On stage, Avant dedicated the award to them, plus her godfather, the late Quincy Jones, as well as all the people “who have been beacons of light along my journey,” including Don Cornelius, Cicely Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Diahann Carroll and Sidney Poitier. Perry stood behind her giggling, as confirmed his point about the “Hollywood royalty” of it all and the Black cultural icons she encountered throughout her life because of that status.
“These giants just happened to be some of my parents’ very best friends, and I was fortunate enough to be fueled by them and by their grit, their grace, their gratitude, their compassion and their resilience,” Avant told packed ballroom of mostly talent, executives, creators and critics. “They each asked me, in their own way, to take their survival energy, and transmute it into a new energy, and that energy would thrive. They reminded me of their hardships and their obstacles, and they asked me to never forget them. But more importantly, they reminded me that I am the promise, and all of you are the promise.”
Avant’s speech spoke to the overall theme of the evening: encouraging those who capture the Black experience through their art — from industry veterans like “Sing Sing” star Colman Domingo and “Hard Truths” actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste to breakout filmmakers like “The Piano Lesson’s” Malcolm Washington” and “Nickel Boys’” RaMell Ross — to believe in their power.
AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson IV with Nicole Avant and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos.
Alberto Rodriguez
On the red carpet, Ross reflected on the importance of being honored by AAFCA’s critics. “This film is for us, and to elevate our history – however sad a story – and to explore Black subjectivity, which we all desire and we all notice in certain places,” he told Variety. “This is the real Academy Awards.”
“The Piano Lesson” star Danielle Deadwyler concurred. “This is the kind of ritual healing and togetherness that we need,” she said about attending this ceremony. “People who understand certain details and nuance and specificities of the art that we made. AAFCA does that. AAFCA recognize our works. And you want to be amongst yourselves sometimes. It’s critical.”
That’s welcome praise for AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson. “I’m proud that we’re in puberty — officially celebrating our sweet 16,” he joked, reflecting on the organization’s “remarkable journey.” (AAFCA was founded 22 years ago, in 2003, but the award began later.) “During that time, we’ve been able to help move the needle, so our hope is that we can continue to do so.”
As the ceremony takes place during Black History Month, it’s positioned among a slew of celebrations of Black storytellers, including the American Black Film Festival Honors, the NAACP Image Awards and more.
“Our image is a powerful one. If you consider that we are 15% of the population, but yet our influence just cuts into just about every area, every index of this country, Black folks have changed the game, have redefined, have rescripted, have transformed,” Robertson said, noting that the heads of both ABFF (Jeff and Nicole Friday) and the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Stephanie and Floyd Rance) were on the guest list. “It’s really about showing how, as Black creatives, honor and respect each other and how we’re about uplifting stories that make our community better.”
Plus, the timing of the salute couldn’t have been more needed amid the Trump administration’s targeting of DEI programs and growing concern about how that will affect content as Hollywood corporations react.
Where Perry alluded to the fraught political climate, AAFCA awards host Amber Ruffin is no stranger to sharing her take, as an Emmy nominee for “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and her own eponymous talk show. And she pulled no punches about the situation in her opening monologue.
“I have to be honest, though, things feel pretty bad right now. Between the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion; the price of eggs; and the price of Cowboy Carter tickets,” Ruffin said, as the audience roared with laughter – nearly missing the punchline: “Ticketmaster needs to be canceled, I don’t trust anything with master in the name. Can anyone give me a ride home? I no longer have money for an Uber.”
Ruffin continued: “It can be hard to celebrate when it feels like our country is taking 100 steps back. Do you remember the good old days when we could proudly say, ‘My President is Black?’ Now it’s, ‘My President is a South African Nazi oligarch with hair plugs.’ It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.”
But Ruffin said she was encouraged by the energy of AAFCA. “This group proves that no matter what they think they can take from us, we will continue to spread joy through the power of film. And our joy is our resilience. Just like the great Kendrick Lamar said, ‘Hey Drake … I hear your like ‘em young…’” she said, quoting Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” as the crowd roared with approval, again. “I’m sorry, Kendrick Lamar said, ‘We ‘gon be alright.’ We’re actually going to be more than alright.”
Ruffin – who will next headline the White House Correspondents Dinner — turned a touch more serious to wrap up the bit: “That’s the beautiful thing about Black cinema and Black art in general: we create in spite of. We boldly tell our stories in spite of. We excel in spite of. And tonight, we celebrate with each other in spite of. We’re going to leave the BS out there for right now as we uplift our artists and filmmakers and their little white DEI hires.”
Ray Fisher and Danielle Deadwyler represent “The Piano Lesson” cast, winners of the best ensemble award.
Alberto Rodriguez
The winners of the 16th Annual AAFCA Awards, selected by the organization’s more than 100 members, are:Best Actor: Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”)Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”)Best Supporting Actor: Clarence Maclin (“Sing Sing”)Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Deadwyler (“The Piano Lesson”)Best Ensemble: “The Piano Lesson”Best Original Score: “The Wild Robot” (Kris Bowers)Best Original Song: “Bricks,” from “Exhibiting Forgiveness” (Andra Day, Cassandra Batie & Jherek Bischoff)Best Screenplay: “Sing Sing” (Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar)Best Director: “RaMell Ross” (Nickel Boys)Best Documentary: *TIE* “Daughters” (Netflix), “Dahomey” (Mubi)Best Animated Feature: “The Wild Robot”Best International Film: “Emilia Pérez”Best Independent Feature: “She Taught Love”Best Picture: “Nickel Boys”
AAFCA’s top 10 films of the year are (in descending order): “Nickel Boys,” “Sing Sing,” “The Piano Lesson,” “Gladiator II,” “Wicked,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Albany Road,” “The Fire Inside,” “Exhibiting Forgiveness” and “Dahomey.”
In addition to Avant, special honors went to Malcolm Washington (who earned the Emerging Director award for “The Piano Lesson”), Ray Fisher (the Breakout Performance awardee, also for “The Piano Lesson”), “Wicked” costume designer Paul Tazewell (honored with the Innovator Award) and Ross (the Spotlight Award).
Scroll for more highlights from the awards ceremony:
Clarence Maclin accepts the best supporting actor award for “Sing Sing”.
Alberto Rodriguez
Members of the Pasadena Fire Department attend the AAFCA Awards.
Alberto Rodriguez
