by Clayton Davis, Awards Circuit

Read the press release down below announcing the 20th annual Black Reel Awards nominations. The Universal Pictures’ drama “Queen & Slim” led the field with 14 nominations while Jordan Peele’s “Us” nabbed 11 mentions.

Check out the full list of nominees below:

Washington, DC — December 11, 2019 — The gripping story of a couple on the run from the law following a traffic stop gone wrong, Queen and Slim, received 14 nominations and in the process became the third film in Black Reel Awards history to be so honored.

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, Outstanding Production Design, 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 20^th 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.

20^TH ANNUAL BLACK REEL AWARDS NOMINEES

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

Dolemite is My Name  Production Designer: Clay Griffith

Clemency   Director of Photography: Eric Branco

Clemency   Editor: Phyllis Housen

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