AAFCA Winners 2025: Sinners Runs the Table as Tessa Thompson and Damson Idris Score Big
- Je-Ree
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
LOS ANGELES, CA — The 17th Annual AAFCA Awards have spoken, and if there was any doubt about which film owned the year, Sinners just strutted in, collected its trophies, and reminded the industry who’s boss. The African American Film Critics Association announced its latest slate of winners, and the lineup reads like a who’s who of Hollywood heavy-hitters mixed with some of the most exciting rising talent on the scene. In short: the AAFCA winners list is stacked, and the industry should be paying very, very close attention.
The ceremony takes place February 8th at The Maybourne Beverly Hills, but the celebration (and the chatter) has already begun. AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson praised this year’s honorees for pushing the art form forward translation: these films didn’t just show up; they shook the table. And honestly? He’s right.
Sinners Eats, Leaves No Crumbs
Leading the AAFCA winners this year is Warner Bros.’ Sinners, the kind of film that critics love, audiences obsess over, and awards bodies tend to hand their entire ballot to. Michael B. Jordan snagged Best Actor, cementing yet another career high point. Wunmi Mosaku locked down Best Supporting Actress, and Ludwig Göransson because the man refuses to stop winning at anything took home Best Music.
But the big flex belongs to Ryan Coogler, who secured both Best Director and Best Writing. It’s giving “creative renaissance,” and we’re here for every second of it. Sinners also scored Best Ensemble and helped launch newcomer Miles Caton straight into the spotlight as the year’s Emerging Face (Actor). This movie didn’t just win; it swept the room like it had somewhere else to be.
Tessa Thompson Reigns in Hedda
Meanwhile, Tessa Thompson, consistent queen of nuance, power, and screen presence claimed Best Actress for her work in Amazon MGM’s Hedda. The film itself earned Best Independent Feature and landed at #3 on AAFCA’s Top 10 Films list. When AAFCA voters say they’re moved, they clearly mean it.
Damson Idris Takes the Checkered Flag
In one of the most widely predicted wins of the year, Damson Idris drove away with Best Supporting Actor for his performance in F1. The film also claimed a coveted spot on the Top 10 list. Idris has been inching toward leading-man dominance for a while now, and this award feels like another story checkpoint: “Level Up Unlocked.”
Animation, Docs, Shorts — AAFCA Shows Love Across the Board
Netflix had a banner moment too, winning Best Animated Feature for KPop Demon Hunters and Best Documentary for The Perfect Neighbor. Shorts received their due with The Rebel Girls (Live Action), Hoops, Hopes & Dreams (Documentary Short), and Black Man, Black Man (Animated Short) all earning accolades. AAFCA’s affection for varied formats isn’t new, but this year's winners list made the message clear: good storytelling thrives everywhere.
AAFCA’s Top 10 Films of the Year
Because no awards cycle is complete without a list for cinephiles to argue about, here’s the official Top 10:
Sinners
One Battle After Another
Hedda
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Wicked: For Good
F1
One of Them Days
The Knife
The Smashing Machine
A balanced mix of studio bangers, prestige fare, and genre swings—exactly the kind of list that shows why AAFCA remains one of the industry’s most important critical voices.
The 2025 AAFCA winners remind Hollywood that Black critics aren’t just part of the awards conversation, they help shape it. With Sinners blazing through categories, Tessa Thompson and Damson Idris adding heavyweight performances to their résumés, and fresh talent breaking through, this year’s honorees highlight a film landscape that’s bold, innovative, and blessedly unpredictable.
More importantly, the wins signal where the culture is heading: toward stories that challenge, performances that resonate, and filmmakers willing to swing big. And if the buzz is any indication, the AAFCA Awards might just be the most accurate preview of where the rest of awards season is heading.
Want more TV and film awards coverage, recaps, and critic-approved hot takes? Keep hanging out in The TV Cave, we’ve got snacks, opinions, and absolutely no chill.