The Black Reel Awards is a two-day awards gala annually spotlighting the best African-American performances in theatrical, independent and television films. Founded in 2000 under the leadership of Tim Gordon and Sabrina McNeal and based in the Nation’s Capital, The Black Reel Awards were created to annually honor African-Americans in the medium of film.
Originally conceived as a vehicle to recognize African-American achievement in Hollywood, the awards have been expanded to include cinematic achievement on the small screen as well as the independent filmmaking community.
During its first two years (2000-2001), The Black Reel Awards were presented online on the film website, Reel Images Magazine. With the exception of one year, the awards have rotated through various sites in Washington, DC. The 10th Annual awards gala will be held February 2010.
In April 2004, The Foundation for Advancement of African-Americans in Film (The Foundation) was created to provide educational opportunities to the next generation of studio executives through its two member programs, Reel Kids and the Producer’s Institute. It is the desire of the Foundation that our programs will help train the studio executives and filmmakers that will continue to shape the images of people of color well into the 21st century.
The Black Reel Awards are annually held in February to provide an additional opportunity to spotlight African-American film achievement during the industry’s busiest and most profitable season
In the organization’s nine-year history, the Black Reel Awards have bestowed over 500 nominations and honored over 150 actors, filmmakers and films that continue to celebrate and salute the rich African-American cinematic heritage.
Special honors have been bestowed on Jamie Foxx (Vanguard Award), films City of God and Amandla: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony (Foreign Film and Foreign Documentary), and special sponsor awards for our inaugural sponsors Chartered Health, Amtrak and Integrated Urban Solutions.
With the assistance of the Foundation and its growing list of corporate partners, The Black Reel Awards continues its mission to ensure that the “reel images” of people of color continues to expand in future generations.
