written by Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter
The African American Film Critics Association has released its list of the best films of 2022, topped by The Woman King.
The Gina Prince-Bythewood film stars Viola Davis and tells the story of the Agojie all-female army of fierce warriors. The movie also stars John Boyega, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim and Thuso Mbedu. The Woman King was edited by Terilyn A. Shropshire, ACE and features Costume Design by Gersha Phillips.
The Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, took the No. 2 spot; followed by Chinonye Chuku’s Till, about how Mamie Till-Mobley turned her grief over the lynching of her 14-year-old son into activism; and the Sidney Poitier documentary Sidney.
“The best films of this year prove that diverse stories — the true and the fantastical — are not only important to the culture but are equally important to the movie-making business,” AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson said in a statement. “Black films which make an impact on our minds and hearts are also making a sizable impact at the box office. Our top film, The Woman King, bridges the gap between telling important, heartfelt stories, and providing an entertaining experience for movie-going audiences.”
Two films tied for the fifth-best movie of the year: Antoine Fuqua’s Emancipation, starring Will Smith, and Knives Out sequel Glass Onion.
The second half of the list is, in order, Inspection, Causeway, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Wendell & Wild and Devotion.
Speaking about the rest of the list Robertson said, “These true tales of black empowerment and accomplishment, such as Emancipation, Devotion and Sidney, as well as fantastical tales such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Wendell & Wild invite us to experience underappreciated pieces of history along with our own imaginings. AAFCA is proud to honor these masterpieces, along with the rest of AAFCA’s Top 10 Films of 2022, and acknowledge their indelible impact on our industry and culture.”
The AAFCA will reveal the winners of its competitive awards, honoring achievement in film in 15 categories, on Jan. 16, 2023. There will be an in-person celebration of this year’s winners on March 1 in Los Angeles.
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