26th Annual Black Reel Awards

26th Black Reel Awards
26th Black Reel Awards
Date	February 16, 2026
Highlights
Most wins	Sinners (14)
Most nominations	Sinners (21)
Outstanding Film	Sinners

The 26th Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony, presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (FAAAF) and honoring the best films of 2025, took place during a virtual ceremony on February 16, 2026.^[1]

The film nominations were announced on December 18, 2025.^[2]^[3] Ryan Coogler's supernatural horror film Sinners led with a record-breaking twenty-one nominations, followed by Highest 2 Lowest with eleven, and 40 Acres and On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, both with nine each. The category for Outstanding Independent Documentary was introduced.

Sinners was the most awarded film of the ceremony history with fourteen accolades, surpassing the previous record of ten awards won by Black Panther in 2019.^[4] The film also won all three acting categories, becoming the first film to achieve it since the categories merged into gender neutral in 2024^[5]. Ludwig Göransson became first person to win Outstanding Score and Original Song in the same year on the ceremony history. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win Outstanding Cinematography.^[5]

Film nominees

Outstanding Film	Outstanding Director
Sinners – Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Ryan Coogler, producers Hedda – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, and Tessa Thompson, producers Highest 2 Lowest – Todd Black and Jason Michael Berman, producers One of Them Days – Issa Rae, Deniese Davis, Sara Rastogi, James Lopez, and Poppy Hank, producers Wicked: For Good – Marc Platt and David Stone, producers	Ryan Coogler – Sinners Nia DaCosta – Hedda Spike Lee – Highest 2 Lowest Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres
Outstanding Lead Performance	Outstanding Supporting Performance
*Michael B. Jordan – Sinners* as Elijah "Smoke" Moore / Elias "Stack" Moore** Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres as Hailey Freeman Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good as Elphaba Thropp André Holland – Love, Brooklyn as Roger Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another as Willa Ferguson / Charlene Calhoun Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine as Mark Kerr Jonathan Majors – Magazine Dreams as Killian Maddox Keke Palmer – One of Them Days as Dreux Tessa Thompson – Hedda as Hedda Gabler Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest as David King	*Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners* as Annie** Miles Caton – Sinners as Samuel "Sammie" Moore Regina Hall – One Battle After Another as Deandra / "Lady Champagne" Damson Idris – F1 as Joshua Pearce David Jonsson – The Long Walk as Peter "Pete" McVries Delroy Lindo – Sinners as Delta Slim Da'Vine Joy Randolph – Eternity as Anna A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest as Archie/Yung Felon Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another as Perfidia Beverly Hills Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest as Paul Christopher
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance	Outstanding Ensemble
*Miles Caton – Sinners* as Samuel "Sammie" Moore** Susan Chardy – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl as Shula Naya Desir-Johnson – Sarah's Oil as Sarah Rector Damson Idris – F1 as Joshua Pearce Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another as Willa Ferguson / Charlene Calhoun Jayme Lawson – Sinners as Pearline A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest as Archie/Yung Felon Abou Sangaré – Souleymane's Story as Souleymane SZA – One of Them Days as Alyssa Tyriq Withers – Him as Cameron "Cam" Cade	Sinners – Francine Maisler 40 Acres – Stephanie Gorin Highest 2 Lowest – Kim Coleman On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Isabella Odoffin One of Them Days – Nicole Abellera and Jeanne McCarthy
Outstanding Short Film	Outstanding Documentary Feature
The Devil is Busy – Geeta Gandbhir and Christalyn Hampton, directors Jules – Tiffany Abney, director Walk in the Light – Princella Smith, director	The Perfect Neighbor – Geeta Gandbhir, director Being Eddie – Angus Wall, director In Whose Name? – Nico Ballesteros, director Orwell: 2+2=5 – Raoul Peck, director Songs From the Hole – Contessa Gayles, director
Outstanding International Film	Outstanding Independent Film
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia, United Kingdom, Ireland) – Rungano Nyoni My Father's Shadow (United Kingdom) – Akinola Davies Jr. Night Call (Belgium) – Michiel Blanchart Souleymane's Story (France) – Boris Lojkine We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe (Germany) – Fred Kudjo Kuwornu	40 Acres – R.T. Thorne, director Love, Brooklyn – Rachael Holder, director Magazine Dreams – Elijah Bynum, director My Father's Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr., director On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni, director
Outstanding Screenplay	Outstanding First Screenplay
Sinners – Ryan Coogler Hedda – Nia DaCosta On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni One of Them Days – Syreeta Singleton 40 Acres – R.T. Thorne	One of Them Days – Syreeta Singleton The Knife – Nnamdi Asomugha My Father's Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni 40 Acres – R.T. Thorne
Outstanding Emerging Director	Outstanding Voice Performance
R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres Akinola Davies Jr. – My Father's Shadow Rachael Holder – Love, Brooklyn Kahlil Joseph – BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl	*Zoe Saldaña – Avatar: Fire and Ash* as Neytiri** Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2 as Kitty Kat Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2 as Dr. Fuzzby Idris Elba – Zootopia 2 as Chief Bogo Anthony Ramos – The Bad Guys 2 as Mr. Piranha
Outstanding Score	Outstanding Soundtrack
Sinners – Ludwig Göransson Freaky Tales – Raphael Saadiq Hedda – Hildur Guðnadóttir Highest 2 Lowest – Howard Drossin The Eyes of Ghana – Kris Bowers	Sinners Freaky Tales Highest 2 Lowest One of Them Days Wicked: For Good
Outstanding Original Song	Outstanding Cinematography
*"I Lied to You" from Sinners* – Miles Caton, performer; Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson, writers** "Highest 2 Lowest" from Highest 2 Lowest – Aiyana-Lee Anderson, performer; Aiyana-Lee Anderson and Nicole Daciana Anderson, writers "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)" from Sinners – Miles Caton and Alice Smith, performers; Miles Caton, Alice Smith and Ludwig Göransson, writers "Pale, Pale Moon" from Sinners – Brittany Howard, performer; Brittany Howard and Ludwig Göransson, writers "Sinners" from Sinners – Rod Wave, performer; Darius Povillunas, Kyris D'Asia, Rod Wave and Tarkan Kozluklu, writers	Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw My Father's Shadow – Jermaine Canute Bradley Edwards Him – Kira Kelly After the Hunt – Malik Hassan Sayeed Seeds – Brittany Shyne
Outstanding Editing	Outstanding Costume Design
Sinners – Michael P. Shawver The Smashing Machine – Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions – Kahlil Joseph, Luke Lynch and Paul Rogers Him – Taylor Joy Mason Seeds – Malika Zouhali-Worrall	Wicked: For Good – Paul Tazewell 40 Acres – Charlene Akuamoah On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Estelle Don Banda Sinners – Ruth E. Carter Highest 2 Lowest – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Outstanding Production Design	Outstanding Hairstyling & Makeup
Sinners – Hannah Beachler, production designer; Monique Champagne, set decorator Captain America: Brave New World – Ramsey Avery, production designer; Rosemary Brandenburg, set decorator Hedda – Cara Brower, production designer; Stella Fox, set decorator The Smashing Machine – James Chinlund, production designer; Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel and Frank Okay, set decorators Wicked: For Good – Nathan Crowley, production designer; Lee Sanders, set decorator	Sinners – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Sian Richards, and Shunika Terry My Dead Friend Zoe – Amber Aprin and Mele Egbe 40 Acres – Antonio Hines and Chancelle Mulela The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox and Mia Neal One of Them Days – Vonda K. Morris and Nikki Wright
Outstanding Independent Documentary
We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe – Fred Kudjo Kuwornu BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions – Kahlil Joseph, director The Eyes of Ghana – Ben Proudfoot, director Fatherless No More – Kayla Johnson Seeds – Brittany Shyne, director

Films with multiple nominations and awards

The following films received multiple nominations:


Nominations	Film
21	Sinners
11	Highest 2 Lowest
9	40 Acres
9	On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
8	One of Them Days
6	Hedda
5	My Father's Shadow
5	Wicked: For Good
4	One Battle After Another
4	The Smashing Machine
3	BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
	Him
	Love, Brooklyn
	Seeds
2	Magazine Dreams
	F1
	Souleymane's Story
	The Bad Guys 2
	Zootopia 2
	The Eyes of Ghana
	We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe

The following films received multiple awards:


Awards	Film
14	Sinners
2	40 Acres

References

^ "Ryan Coogler's Sinners Earns Record 21 Nominations at 26th Annual Black Reel Awards". Blex Media. December 18, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
^ Jackson, Angelique (December 18, 2025). "'Sinners' Leads Black Reel Awards Nominees". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
^ Pedersen, Erik (December 18, 2025). "'Sinners' Dominates With Record 21 Black Reel Awards Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
^ Proto, Carola (February 17, 2026). "I Peccatori trionfa ai Black Reels Award 2026: 14 premi per il film che domina le candidature agli Oscar di quest'anno". Comingsoon.it (in Italian). Retrieved February 23, 2026.
^ ^a ^b Pedersen, Erik (February 17, 2026). "'Sinners' Dominates Black Reel Awards With Record 14 Wins – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved February 23, 2026.

External links

Official website

[1] "Ryan Coogler's Sinners Earns Record 21 Nominations at 26th Annual Black Reel Awards". Blex Media. December 18, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025.

[2] Jackson, Angelique (December 18, 2025). "'Sinners' Leads Black Reel Awards Nominees". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2025.

[3] Pedersen, Erik (December 18, 2025). "'Sinners' Dominates With Record 21 Black Reel Awards Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved December 18, 2025.

[4] Proto, Carola (February 17, 2026). "I Peccatori trionfa ai Black Reels Award 2026: 14 premi per il film che domina le candidature agli Oscar di quest'anno". Comingsoon.it (in Italian). Retrieved February 23, 2026.

[:0-5] Pedersen, Erik (February 17, 2026). "'Sinners' Dominates Black Reel Awards With Record 14 Wins – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved February 23, 2026.

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Black Reel Awards
Film	Film Director Lead Performance Supporting Performance Breakthrough Performance Ensemble Screenplay Documentary International Film Independent Film Independent Documentary Cinematography Costume Design Editing Hairstyling & Makeup Original Score Original Song Original Soundtrack Production Design Voice Performance Short Film Emerging Director First Screenplay
Television	Comedy Series Drama Series Movie or Limited Series Documentary Variety, Sketch, or Talk – Series or Special Lead Performance in a Comedy Series Lead Performance in a Drama Series Lead Performance in a TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Supporting Performance in a Drama Series Supporting Performance in a TV Movie/Limited Series Guest Performance in a Comedy Series Guest Performance in a Drama Series Directing, Comedy Series Directing, Drama Series Director, TV Movie/Limited Series Writing, Comedy Series Writing, Drama Series Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series Cinematography Costume Design Editing Makeup & Hairstyling Musical Score Music Supervision Original Song Production Design
Retired	Actor Actress Supporting Actor Supporting Actress Breakthrough Performance, Male Breakthrough Performance, Female Actor, Independent Film Actress, Independent Film Actor, Drama Series Actress, Drama Series Supporting Actor, Drama Series Supporting Actress, Drama Series Guest Actor, Drama Series Guest Actress, Drama Series Actor, Comedy Series Actress, Comedy Series Supporting Actor, Comedy Series Supporting Actress, Comedy Series Guest Actor, Comedy Series Guest Actress, Comedy Series Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series Original Television Program Film Poster
Ceremonies	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026