African-American Film Critics Association Awards 2014
Below are the winners for the 2014 African-American film Critics Associations. Winners *Best Picture: # ''Selma'' (Winner) # ''The Imitation Game'' # ''Theory of Everything'' # ''Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)'' # '' Belle'' # ''Top Five'' # '' Unbroken'' # ''Dear White People'' # '' Get On Up'' # ''Black or White'' Special categories *Special Achievement: Donna Langley, Stephanie Allain, Franklin Leonard *Ashley Boone Award: Debra Martin Chase *Roger Ebert Award: Justin Chang See also *2014 in film The following is an overview of the events of 2014 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, festivals, and a list of films released and notable deaths. Evaluation of the year In his article highlighting the best films of ... References {{AAFCA Awards chron African-American Film Critics Association Awards 2014 film awards ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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African-American Film Critics Association
The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the world's largest group of Black film critics that gives various annual awards for excellence in film and television. It was founded in 2003 in New York City. History The association was founded in 2003 by Gil L. Robertson IV and Shawn Edwards. They met in New York City after a press junket, and were both concerned with the lack of themed stories in the film industry from the African Diaspora. In several weeks, the two of them were supported by other colleagues in their plan to create an association of black film critics. They drafted the initial outline for the association while in Los Angeles. In December 2003, the African-American Film Critics Association officially announced the start of its organization, and released its first "Top Ten List." In 2019, the association began giving awards to television shows in the spring. AAFCA also joined with the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), GALECA: The Society ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw (; born 21 April 1983) is a British actress who is known for her performances on stage and screen. In 2017 she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama. In February 2021, Mbatha-Raw was appointed a global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Mbatha-Raw started her career in theatre training at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal School of Dramatic Art. She gained acclaim for her roles as Juliet in ''Romeo and Juliet'' and Octavia in ''Anthony and Cleopatra'' in 2005 at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. She made her West End and Broadway debut portraying Ophelia in ''Hamlet'' in 2009. For her role as the titular character in Jessica Swale's 2015 play ''Nell Gwynn'' earned her a nomination for the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress. After a minor role in ''Larry Crowne'' (2011), she made her breakthrough with the B ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2014 In Film
The following is an overview of the events of 2014 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, festivals, and a list of films released and notable deaths. Evaluation of the year In his article highlighting the best films of 2014, Richard Brody of ''The New Yorker'' stated, "The great surge in American filmmaking in the past ten years is due to independent financing at all levels. The American independent cinema is right now the flower of the world, but independence isn't in itself a merit badge. Artistically, the films in question range from the majestic to the meretricious. Independent financing has set truly imaginative directors into free flight. This is a moment of extraordinary cinematic invention—of filmmakers, working at a wide range of budget levels, coming up with original and personal ideas about movies and how to make them. On the other hand, this independent surge has also created a new class of culturally respectable directors and films, an oste ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Justin Chang
Justin Choigee Chang (born January 3, 1983) is an American film critic and columnist for the ''Los Angeles Times''. He previously worked for ''Variety''. Early life Justin Chang graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004. Chang first became interested in film critique while in high school because he found it fascinating that "two or three (or 40 or 50) intelligent people could watch a film and come away with completely different reactions to it." Career Chang began his career in 2004. He works for the ''Los Angeles Times'', and is a regular contributor to the NPR programs ''FilmWeek'' and ''Fresh Air''. Previously, he was hired at ''Variety'' magazine in 2004, and became a senior film critic for the magazine in 2010 before being promoted to its chief film critic in 2013. He is the author of the book ''FilmCraft: Editing''. Chang is the chair of the National Society of Film Critics and the secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. In 2014, he receiv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Debra Martin Chase
Debra Martin Chase (born October 11, 1956) is an American motion picture and television producer. Her company, Martin Chase Productions, is affiliated with Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Television Group. It was affiliated with the Walt Disney Company from 2001 to 2016. She is the first African-American female producer to have a deal at a major studio. Background Chase was born in Great Lakes, Illinois, but moved with her family as a child to Pasadena, California. She earned her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1977 and J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1981. In an interview with ''Essence'' magazine in 1997, she told journalist Audrey Edwards, "I'm the kid who was in the movie theater every Saturday." Debra adds, "I've been a movie fanatic since I was a child, and my images of the world were shaped by what I saw on the screen. I want to do my part to see that Blacks are not only represented in film but also enhance it." About first starting out, Chase has sa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Franklin Leonard
Franklin Leonard is an American film executive best known for founding The Black List, a yearly publication featuring Hollywood's most popular unproduced screenplays. After working as a development executive for Overbrook Entertainment and Universal Pictures, Leonard is currently an adviser to BoomGen Studios and Plympton. Leonard serves on the board of directors for Young Storytellers. Career After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University in 2000 in Social Studies, Leonard began his career as the Communications Director for John Cranley's campaign for the United States House of Representatives in Ohio's first district. He went on to work as a columnist for the ''Trinidad Guardian'', an analyst for McKinsey & Company, and an assistant for Creative Artists Agency. Beginning in 2004, Leonard worked as a development executive for John Goldwyn Productions, Appian Way Productions, and Mirage Entertainment. While working at Appian Way in 2005, he came up with the conce ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stephanie Allain
Stephanie Allain (born October 30, 1959) is an American producer of independent movies in Hollywood, California. Early life Stephanie Allain was born in New Orleans to an African-American father Dr. Charles Allain, a biochemist, and a white mother Gwen Allain Miller, an educator. Her family moved near Los Angeles, California, in 1965, and Allain attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, graduating with a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Career She began her film career in 1985 at Creative Artists Agency, first as a script reader, then as a staff reader. As a story analyst, she worked for 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and finally in 1989, at Columbia Pictures. There, Allain was one of twelve readers at the studio, and one of only two African-American readers. She rose through the ranks to become Senior Vice President of Production and was influential in encouraging and developing an African-American filmmaking community in Hollywood in the 1990s. During her te ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Donna Langley
Dame Donna Langley-Shamshiri (born 1968 on the Isle of Wight, UK) is a British film executive who is Chairwoman of Universal Pictures. She was profiled in ''Variety''s "Power of Women" issue in 2014. Career Langley began her career as a production executive at New Line Cinema. In 2001, she became senior VP of production at Universal Pictures. In her time at Universal, Langley has overseen such film franchises as ''Fast & Furious'' as well as '' Despicable Me'' and the ''Bourne'' movies. Her work also includes overseeing the global specialty division, Focus Features, as well as DreamWorks Animation, acquired by Universal in 2016. Throughout her career, she has supported mentorship opportunities for women. Langley helped launch The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Film Mentorship program. She also serves as an ambassador and board member for the nonprofit Vital Voices Vital Voices Global Partnership is an American international, 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-governmental organizati ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn (born March 13, 1972), known by his stage name Common (formerly known as Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. He debuted in 1992 with the album ''Can I Borrow a Dollar?,'' and gained critical acclaim with his 1994 album ''Resurrection.'' He maintained an underground following into the late 1990s. He achieved mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. His first major-label album, '' Like Water for Chocolate'' (2000), received commercial success. In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the Erykah Badu single " Love of My Life". His 2005 album '' Be'' was also successful and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. He received his second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his 2007 album ''Finding Forever''. His best-of album, '' Thisisme Then: The Best of Common'', was released in late 2007. In 2011, he launched Think Common Entertainmen ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Everything Is Everything", and making uncredited guest appearances on Jay-Z's "Encore" and Alicia Keys's "You Don't Know My Name". He then signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music and released his debut album ''Get Lifted'' (2004), which reached the top ten on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Legend received nine nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, including nominations for the singles " So High" with Lauryn Hill and "Ordinary People", with the latter song winning for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The album also earned him awards for Best New Artist and Best R&B Album. His second studio album ''Once Again'' (2006), spawned the single "Save Room", and became his ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tessa Thompson
Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College. She appeared in productions of '' The Tempest'' and ''Romeo and Juliet'', the latter of which earned her a NAACP Theatre Award nomination. Her breakthrough came with leading roles in Tina Mabry's independent drama film ''Mississippi Damned'' (2009) and Tyler Perry's ''For Colored Girls'' (2010), an adaptation of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, the 1976 play of the same name. Thompson gained favorable notices for her early film performances in the comedy-drama ''Dear White People'' (2014), and as civil rights activist Diane Nash in Ava DuVernay's historical drama ''Selma (film), Selma'' (2014). She gained mainstream attention for her roles in franchise films, playing List of Rocky characters#Bianca Taylor, Bianca Taylor in the sport dramas ''C ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Octavia Spencer
Octavia Lenora Spencer (born May 25, 1970) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Critics' Choice Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She is one of two women of color to have received three Oscar nominations and the first black actress to receive two consecutive nominations. Spencer made her film debut in the 1996 drama '' A Time to Kill''. Following a decade of brief roles in film and television, her breakthrough came in 2011, when she played a maid in 1960s America in ''The Help'', for which she won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. For her performance in Ryan Coogler's biopic ''Fruitvale Station'' (2013), she won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress. Spencer received further Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for playing other women in 1960s America, the mathematician Dor ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |