Director Melina Matsoukas’ piercing examination of race and justice tied both Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, scoring multiple nominations. They included Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Actor (Daniel Kaluuya), Outstanding Actress and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female (Jodie Turner-Smith), Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted) and Outstanding First Screenplay for Lena Waithe, as well as Outstanding Director and Outstanding Emerging Director for Matsoukas.

In addition, the film received multiple nominations in the Outstanding Song category, for Collide (Tiana Major9 & EARTH GANGO) and Guarding the Gates (Lauryn Hill), Outstanding Score and nods in every technical category, Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Production Design.

Director Jordan Peele’s follow-up to his Black Reel Award winning film, Get Out, Us thrilled voters as well on the way to 12 nominations. Led by its visionary director, who garnered a record-tying four nominations including Outstanding Director, Outstanding Screenplay, Original or Adapted, and Outstanding Motion Picture. Peele also was recognized for Outstanding Voice Performer for Toy Story 4. Us also secured an Outstanding Motion Picture nomination as well as Outstanding Actress for Black Reel Award winner Lupita Nyong’o, Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female for newcomer Shahadi Wright Joseph, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Score, Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Costume Design, and Outstanding Production Design.

The story of underground cult comedian Rudy Ray Moore, Dolemite Is My Name also scored double-digit nominations with 11. Led by Outstanding Actor nominee Eddie Murphy, the film received multiple nominations for its talented cast including Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female for newcomer Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Black Reel Award winner Wesley Snipes, Outstanding Breakthrough Actor, Male for Titus Burgess. The film also garnered noms for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Score, as well as Outstanding Costume Design for last year’s winner, Ruth E. Carter.

“I’m extremely thrilled with the choices that our Voting Academy made this year,” said Black Reel Awards founder and President, Tim Gordon. ”As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, it is both humbling to reminisce about the journey, yet refreshing to see and experience so much new talent that graced the screen for the first time.”

Other highlights include Waves receiving nine nominations followed by the indie darling, The Last Black Man in San Francisco that scored eight nominations. Seven nominations went to the prison drama, Clemency, while both Harriet and Luce each took home six nods. In addition, three directors each received four nominations, Chinoye Chukwu, Julius Onah, and Peele.

The 20th Annual Black Reel Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, February 6, 2020, live streamed on BlogTalkRadio.

20TH ANNUAL BLACK REEL AWARDS NOMINEES
(Digital Nomination Copy)

Outstanding Motion Picture

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (Netflix)
Eddie Murphy, John Fox & John Davis

JUST MERCY (Warner Bros.)
Asher Goldstein & Gil Netter

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Pamela Addy, Andrew Coles, James Frey, Michelle Knudsen, Melina Matsoukas, Lena Waithe & Brad Weston

US (Universal Pictures)
Jordan Peele, Jason Blum, Ian Cooper & Sean McKittrick

WAVES (A24)
Trey Edward Schultz, Kevin Turen & James Wilson

Outstanding Actor

JIMMIE FAILS
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)

KELVIN HARRISON JR.
Luce (Neon)

KELVIN HARRISON JR.
Waves (A24)

DANIEL KALUUYA
Queen & Slim (Universal Pictures)

EDDIE MURPHY
Dolemite is My Name (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress

CYNTHIA ERIVO
Harriet (Focus Features)

GUGU MBATHA-RAW
Fast Color (Lionsgate/Codeblack)

LUPITA NYONG’O
Us (Universal Pictures)

JODIE TURNER-SMITH
Queen & Slim (Universal Pictures)

ALFRE WOODARD
Clemency (Neon)

Outstanding Director

MATI DIOP
Atlantics (Netflix)

KASI LEMMONS
Harriet (Focus Features)

MELINA MATSOUKAS
Queen & Slim (Universal Pictures)

JULIUS ONAH
Luce (Neon)

JORDAN PEELE
Us (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor

STERLING K. BROWN
Waves (A24)

ALDIS HODGE
Clemency (Neon)

JAMIE FOXX
Just Mercy (Warner Bros.)

JONATHAN MAJORS
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)

WESLEY SNIPES
Dolemite is My Name (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress

SHAHADI WRIGHT JOSEPH
Us (Universal Pictures)

JANELLE MONAE
Harriet (Focus Features)

DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH
Dolemite is My Name (Netflix)

TAYLOR RUSSELL
Waves (A24)

OCTAVIA SPENCER
Luce (Neon)

Outstanding Screenplay

CLEMENCY (Neon)
Chinonye Chukwu

LES MISERABLES (Amazon Studios)
Ladj Ly, Giordano Gederlini & Alexis Manenti

LUCE (Neon)
J.C. Lee & Julius Onah

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Lena Waithe

US (Universal Pictures)
Jordan Peele

Outstanding Documentary Feature

THE APOLLO (HBO Documentary)
Roger Ross Williams, director

THE BLACK GODFATHER (Netflix)
Reginald Hudlin, director

KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE (Netflix)
Rachel Lears, director

MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL (Abramorama)
Stanley Nelson, director

TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM (Magnolia Pictures)
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, director

Outstanding International Film

ATLANTICS (Netflix)
Senegal

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND (Netflix)
United Kingdom

FARMING (Momentum Pictures)
United Kingdom

IN FABRIC (A24)
United Kingdom

LES MISERABLES (Amazon Studios)
France

Outstanding Ensemble

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (Netflix)
Lindsay Graham & Mary Vernieu, casting directors

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (A24)
Julia Kim, casting director

JUST MERCY (Warner Bros.)
Carmen Cuba, casting director

US (Universal Pictures)
Terri Taylor, casting director

WAVES (A24)
Avy Kaufman, casting director

Outstanding Voice Performance

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR (Scar)
The Lion King (Disney)

DONALD GLOVER (Simba)
The Lion King (Disney)

JAMES EARL JONES (Mufasa)
The Lion King (Disney)

KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY (Ducky)
Toy Story 4 (Disney)

JORDAN PEELE (Bunny)
Toy Story 4 (Disney)

Outstanding Score

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (Netflix)
Scott Bomar

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (A24)
Emile Mosseri

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Devonte Hynes

US (Universal Pictures)
Michael Abels

WAVES (A24)
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Outstanding Original Song

“COLLIDE” (QUEEN & SLIM)
Tiana Major9 & EARTH GANG, performers

“DON’T TURN BACK” (THE APOLLO)
Robert Glasper & Ledisi, performers

“GUARDING THE GATES” (QUEEN & SLIM)
Lauryn Hill, performer

“IT’S NOT OVER” (BRIAN BANKS)
Gizzle & Sam Fisher, performers

“SPIRIT” (THE LION KING)
Beyonce Knowles-Carter, performer

Outstanding Independent Feature – Awarded to the Director & Producers

BURNING CANE (ARRAY)
Phillip Youmans, director
Ojo Akinlana, Wendell Pierce, Mose Mayer, Isaac Webb, Cassandra Youmans Jakob Johnson & Karen Kaia Livers, producers

CLEMENCY (Neon)
Chinonye Chukwu, director
Timur Bekbosunov, Julian Cautherley, Bronwyn Cornelius & Peter Wong, producers

GUAVA ISLAND (Amazon Studios)
Hiro Murai, director
Donald Glover, Carmen Cuba, Jennifer Roth & Fam Udeorji, producers

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (A24)
Joe Talbot, director/producer
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Christina Oh & Khaliah Neal, producers

LUCE (Neon)
Julius Onah, director/producer
John Baker & Andrew Yang, producers

Outstanding Short Film

AMERICA
Garrett Bradley, director

HAIR LOVE (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Matthew A. Cherry, director

IT’S NOT ABOUT JIMMY KEENE
Caleb Jaffe, director

SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT
Nikyatu Jusu, director

ZAHRA AND THE OIL MAN
Yucef Mayes, director

Outstanding Independent Documentary

16 BARS
Sam Bathrick, director

NO LYE: AN AMERICAN BEAUTY STORY
Bayer Mack, director

THE REMIX: HIP HOP X FASHION
Lisa Cortes & Farah Khalid, director

Outstanding Emerging Director

CHINONYE CHUKWU
Clemency (Neon)

NIA DACOSTA
Little Woods (Neon)

MATI DIOP
Atlantics (Netflix)

MELINA MATSOUKAS
Queen & Slim (Universal)

JULIUS ONAH
Luce (Neon)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male

TITUSS BURGESS
Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix)

JIMMIE FAILS
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)

KELVIN HARRISON JR.
Waves (A24)

ALDIS HODGE
Clemency (Neon)

JONATHAN MAJORS
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female

MAME BINETA SANE
Atlantics (Netflix)

SHAHADI WRIGHT JOSEPH
Us (Universal Pictures)

DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH
Dolemite is My Name (Netflix)

TAYLOR RUSSELL
Waves (A24)

JODIE TURNER-SMITH
Queen & Slim (Universal)

Outstanding First Screenplay

ATLANTICS (Netflix)
Mati Diop & Olivier Demangel

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND (Netflix)
Chiwetel Ejiofor

BURNING CANE (ARRAY)
Phillip Youmans

CLEMENCY (Neon)
Chinoye Chukwu

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Lena Waithe

Outstanding Cinematography

HARRIET (Focus Features)
John Toll

THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (A24)
Adam Newport-Berra

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Tad Radcliffe

US (Universal Pictures)
Mike Gioulakis

WAVES (A24)
Drew Daniels

Outstanding Costume Design

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (Netflix)
Ruth E. Carter

HARRIET (Focus Features)
Paul Tazewell

HUSTLERS (STX Entertainment)
Mitchell Travers

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Shiona Turini

US (Universal Pictures)
Kym Barrett

Outstanding Production Design

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (Netflix)
Clay A. Griffith

HARRIET (Focus Features)
Warren Alan Young

THE LION KING (Disney)
James Chinlund

QUEEN & SLIM (Universal Pictures)
Karen Murphy

US (Universal Pictures)
Ruth De Jong

Nominations Per Film

14 nominations
Queen & Slim

11 nominations
Us

10 nominations
Dolemite is My Name

9 nominations
Waves

8 nominations
The Last Black Man in San Francisco

7 nominations
Clemency

6 nominations
Harriet
Luce

5 nominations
Atlantics
The Lion King

3 nominations
Just Mercy

2 nominations
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Burning Cane
Les Miserables
Toy Story 4

1 nomination
16 Bars
America
The Black Godfather
Brian Banks
Guava Island
Farming
Fast Color
Hair Love
Hustlers
In Fabric
It’s Not About Jimmy Keene
Knock Down the House
Little Woods
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
No Lye: An American Beauty Story
The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion
Suicide by the Sunlight
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Zahra and the Oil Man