2018 American Black Film Festival Honors overcome with âBlack Pantherâ fever
Despite the movie being ineligible for this yearâs awards, âBlack Pantherâ fever took over the American Black Film Festival Honors on Sunday night.
At the Beverly Hilton Hotel, host Cedric the Entertainer was introduced as âactor, comedian and original king of Wakanda.â But he reintroduced himself shortly after taking the mic.
âI am your host, Chadwick Boseman,â he said, referring to the âBlack Pantherâ star. He took a moment to celebrate the filmâs success (including more than $700 million in global grosses) and to poke fun at moviegoers who dressed up in âanything left over from Kwanzaa.â
âIt looked like the Nigerian Oscars up in there,â he said to huge laughs from the audience.
Director Ava DuVernay was presented with the industry visionary award, the first of the night. âThe Chiâ showrunner Lena Waithe, whoâd worked with the director on her first narrative film, âI Will Follow,â introduced the award with a story about being a broke production assistant.
âWhen you show up to an Ava DuVernay set, youâre not saying, âShow me the money,ââ Waithe said. âYouâre saying, âShow me inspiration. Show me leadership. Show me what it means to act like royalty is in our DNA.â And sheâs shown us that ever since.â
Waithe beseeched the audience members to support DuVernayâs upcoming âA Wrinkle in Timeâ next month the same way they supported âBlack Panther.â
In her acceptance speech, DuVernay touched on the importance of black film festivals like ABFF and how, despite being overlooked by mainstream media, these festivals have long served as breeding grounds for emerging talent like herself, âBlack Pantherâ director Ryan Coogler and âMudboundâ director Dee Rees.
âWhen Sundance ignores us, when Tribeca ignores us, when South by Southwest ignores us, our black film festivals are there,â she said.
She then gave a special shout out to fellow honoree, actor Omari Hardwick, who she cast in âI Will Followâ but couldnât afford to pay.
âLiterally, Sally Richardson and Omari Hardwick gave me money to pay for craft services because I couldnât even feed the crew,â she said. âThank you.â She also revealed that she named the lead character on her OWN drama âQueen Sugarâ after Hardwickâs daughter, Nova.
Despite having what some might consider a competing film, DuVernay also rooted for the continued success of âBlack Panther.â
âThis game of the big blockbuster picture is difficult,â she said. âI salute Ryan Coogler and âBlack Pantherâ and Angela [Bassett] and Ruth Carter and everyone involved with that. I say we continue to lift them up; I want them to make literally a billion dollars.
âAnd I was telling someone today, âYou know, âWrinkle in Timeâ is coming up soon, but this is the thing. This is like making an album the year that âThrillerâ came out,ââ she continued. âBut you know what else came out the year of Michael Jacksonâs âThriller?â Prince made â1999.â Thereâs room for all of us.â
âGoodnight everybody, that was our show,â Cedric said after DuVernayâs rousing remarks. He then jokingly told the other honorees that theyâd get less time onstage because of her nine-minute long speech.
Comedian and âGet Outâ star Lil Rel Howery presented the outstanding comedic television series award, which was a tie between ABCâs âblack-ishâ and HBOâs âInsecure.â Tracee Ellis Ross and Deon Cole accepted the award on behalf of âblack-ish.â
âWe as black women are always the leads in our lives,â said Ross. âBut itâs really wonderful to be in that position on television and to bring the joy of a black woman and not just the surviving of a black woman to the screen. And to see that we can be all without that being whatâs interesting. Itâs not interesting that Iâm a wife or that Iâm a mother or that Iâm a doctor; itâs that I am all of those things.â
Armie Hammer presented the distinguished ABFF alumni award to his âSorry to Bother Youâ co-star Hardwick. The âPowerâ star hadnât prepared an acceptance speech but had emailed himself a list of people in the room to thank, including âEveryone in âBlack Panther.ââ
The outstanding dramatic television series award went to the cast of âQueen Sugar.â Actress and comedian Regina Hall, who hosted the ABFF show last year, presented the rising star award to her âGirls Tripâ co-star Tiffany Haddish.
Snoop Dogg presented the classic TV tribute statue to the cast of âMartin,â which was accepted by stars Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Tichina Arnold and Carl Anthony Payne II.
âI know yaâll want to know about the hashtag reboot, but for us, the most important thing is the hashtag reconnection,â said Campbell-Martin.
âSpeaking of reconnection, the reason that that is so important is that life is so short,â said Payne, a nod to his late co-star Thomas Ford. âWho in here tonight is going tell our stories? Whoâs going to tell Trayvon [Martin]âs story?â
âAvaâs going to do it!â shouted Arnold to audience laughter.
Billy Dee Williams, best known for portraying Lando Calrissian in the âStar Warsâ franchise, received the Hollywood legacy award. A montage of his prolific film career included a special recorded message from his âStar Warsâ co-star Harrison Ford.
âI just wanted to say how much working with you was a pleasure, a revelation,â Ford said. âYouâre a pretty package, my man, beautiful. And it was a great pleasure getting to know you, seeing you over the years. I miss seeing you more often. Youâre a great man; you deserve this.â
âThanks,â Williams said while accepting the award. His voice broke as he fought back tears. âI just want to thank you for honoring me with this most meaningful award. Thank you so much.â
âYaâll went and made Lando cry,â director Jordan Peele said afterward, while accepting the movie of the year award for his Oscar-nominated blockbuster, âGet Out.â âHow you make Lando cry? That just broke my 7-year-old heart. That was messed up.â
follow me on twitter @sonaiyak
It's a date
Get our L.A. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.