The Black Reel Awards have announced their nominees for the 26th annual ceremony, celebrating outstanding achievements by Black creatives in film and television.
This year’s slate reflects the diversity, innovation, and artistic excellence of the Black filmmaking community, spanning genres from horror and musical to drama and international cinema. Leading the pack is Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which earned a record-breaking 21 nominations and continues to cement the director’s reputation as a trailblazer. Other top contenders include Highest 2 Lowest (11 nominations), 40 Acres (9), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (9), One of Them Days (8), and Hedda (6).
Founded in 2000, the Black Reel Awards, also known as The Bolts, honor excellence both in front of and behind the camera, highlighting the stories, performances, and technical achievements that shape the landscape of Black cinema. Winners will be revealed during a virtual ceremony on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Outstanding Film (Producers)
- Hedda – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, Tessa Thompson
- Highest 2 Lowest – Todd Black & Jason Michael Berman
- One of Them Days – Issa Rae, Deniese Davis, Sara Rastogi, James Lopez, Poppy Hank
- Sinners – Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ryan Coogler
- Wicked: For Good – Marc Platt & David Stone
Outstanding Director
- 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
- Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
- André Holland – Love, Brooklyn
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
- Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
- Jonathan Majors – Magazine Dreams
- Keke Palmer – One of Them Days
- Tessa Thompson – Hedda
- Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest
Outstanding Supporting Performance
- Miles Canton – Sinners
- Regina Hall – One Battle After Another
- Damson Idris – F1
- David Jonsson – The Long Walk
- Delroy Lindo – Sinners
- Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph – Eternity
- A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
- Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest
Outstanding Screenplay
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
- Nia DaCosta – Hedda
- Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Syreeta Singleton – One of Them Days
- R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres
Outstanding Documentary (Director)
- Being Eddie – Angus Wall
- In Whose Name? – Nico Ballesteros
- Orwell: 2+2=5 – Raoul Peck
- Songs From the Hole – Contessa Gayles
- The Perfect Neighbor – Geeta Gandbhir
Outstanding Ensemble (Casting Director)
- 40 Acres – Stephanie Gorin
- Highest 2 Lowest – Kim Coleman
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Isabella Odoffin
- One of Them Days – Nicole Abellera & Jeanne McCarthy
- Sinners – Francine Maisler
Outstanding International Film (Director)
- My Father’s Shadow – UK
- Night Call – Belgium
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Zambia, UK, Ireland
- Souleymane’s Story – France
- We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe – Germany
Outstanding Voice Performance
- Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2
- Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2
- Idris Elba – Zootopia 2
- Anthony Ramos – The Bad Guys 2
- Zoe Saldaña – Avatar: Fire and Ash
Outstanding Score
- Freaky Tales – Raphael Saadiq
- Hedda – Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Highest 2 Lowest – Howard Drossin
- Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
- The Eyes of Ghana – Kris Bowers
Outstanding Original Song
- “Highest 2 Lowest” – Highest 2 Lowest – Aiyana-Lee Anderson, writers: Aiyana-Lee Anderson & Nicole Daciana Anderson
- “I Lied to You” – Sinners – Miles Canton; writers: Raphael Saadiq & Ludwig Göransson
- “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” – Sinners – Miles Canton & Alice Smith; writers: Miles Canton, Alice Smith & Ludwig Göransson
- “Pale, Pale Moon” – Sinners – Brittany Howard; writers: Brittany Howard & Ludwig Göransson
- “Sinners” – Sinners – Rod Wave; writers: Darius Povillunas, Kyris D’Asia, Rod Wave & Tarkan Kozluklu
Outstanding Soundtrack
- Freaky Tales
- Highest 2 Lowest
- One of Them Days
- Sinners
- Wicked: For Good
Outstanding Independent Film (Director)
- 40 Acres – R.T. Thorne
- Love, Brooklyn – Rachael Holder
- Magazine Dreams – Elijah Bynum
- My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr.
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Rungano Nyoni
Outstanding Independent Documentary (Director)
- BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions – Kahlil Joseph
- The Eyes of Ghana – Ben Proudfoot
- Fatherless No More – Kayla Johnson
- Seeds – Brittany Shyne
- We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe – Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
Outstanding Short Film (Director)
- The Devil is Busy – Geeta Gandbhir & Christalyn Hampton
- JULES – Tiffany Abney
- Walk in the Light – Princella Smith
Outstanding Emerging Director
- Akinola Davies Jr. – My Father’s Shadow
- Rachael Holder – Love, Brooklyn
- Kahlil Joseph – BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
- Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance
- Miles Canton – Sinners
- Susan Chardy – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Naya Desir-Johnson – Sarah’s Oil
- Damson Idris – F1
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
- Jayme Lawson – Sinners
- A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest
- Abou Sangaré – Souleymane’s Story
- SZA – One of Them Days
- Tyriq Withers – HIM
Outstanding First Screenplay
- Nnamdi Asmougha – The Knife
- Akinola Davies Jr. & Wale Davies – My Father’s Shadow
- Rungano Nyoni – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Syreeta Singleton – One of Them Days
- R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres
Outstanding Cinematography
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners
- Jermaine Canute Bradley Edwards – My Father’s Shadow
- Kira Kelly – HIM
- Malik Hassan Sayeed – After the Hunt
- Brittany Shyne – Seeds
Outstanding Costume Design
- Charlene Akuamoah – 40 Acres
- Estelle Don Banda – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Ruth E. Carter – Sinners
- Francine Jamison-Tanchuck – Highest 2 Lowest
- Paul Tazewell – Wicked: For Good
Outstanding Editing
- Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie – The Smashing Machine
- Kahli Joseph, Luke Lynch & Paul Rogers – BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
- Taylor Joy Mason – HIM
- Michael P. Shawver – Sinners
- Malika Zouhali-Worrall – Seeds
Outstanding Hair & Makeup
- Amber Aprin & Mele Egbe – My Dead Friend Zoe
- Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Sian Richards & Shunika Terry – Sinners
- Antonio Hines & Chancelle Mulela – 40 Acres
- Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox & Mia Neal – The Smashing Machine
- Vonda K. Morris & Nikki Wright – One of Them Days
Outstanding Production Design
- Ramsey Avery & Rosemary Brandenburg – Captain America: Brave New World
- Hannah Beachler & Monique Champagne – Sinners
- Cara Brower & Stella Fox – Hedda
- James Chinlund, Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel & Frank Okay – The Smashing Machine
- Nathan Crowley & Lee Sanders – Wicked: For Good