Nicole Avant, Malcolm Washington Set to be Honored

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has revealed the honorees for the 16th annual AAFCA Awards as well as the honorees for its 2025 Special Achievement Awards.

Nicole Avant, Malcolm Washington, Ray Fisher and RaMell Ross are set to be honored at the AAFCA Awards on Feb. 19, 2025, which will be held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

Avant, a producer, former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas and the wife of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, will receive the Beacon Award for producing Tyler Perry’s upcoming Netflix historical drama series The Six Triple Eight and the documentary The Black Godfather, about her late father Clarence Avant, the legendary music executive.

Washington, a filmmaker who made his feature debut with an adaptation of August Wilson Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson, will receive the AAFCA’s Emerging Director Award. The Piano Lesson, which stars John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher and Danielle Deadwyler, debuted on Netflix on Nov. 22 to widespread critical acclaim.

Fisher will be honored with the Breakout Performance Award for his role as Lymon in The Piano Lesson.

Ross will receive the AAFCA’s Spotlight Award in honor for his film Nickel Boys, which he directed and co-wrote the screenplay. The film, an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel, has been a huge critical hit and has been praised for its innovative use of first-person POV.

The AAFCA’s 2025 Special Achievement Awards take place on Feb. 2, 2025 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The organization will honor Lynn Whitfield; Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse; Nickel Boys and Amber Rasberry.

Whitfield, a veteran Emmy-winning actress, will receive the Legacy Award to honor her long and storied career that has included iconic turns in Josephine Baker, Eve’s Bayou and Albany Road. Nickel Boys stars Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse will receive the AAFCA’s Gen Next Award for up-and-coming talents and the film will receive the Karen & Stanley Kramer Social Justice Award for spotlighting the abuse heaped upon generations of boys at the Dozier School for Boys. Rasberry, an Amazon MGM Studios executive, will receive the Horizon Award for her outstanding contributions to elevating Black stories in film.