ABFF Honors Celebrate the Creative Team Behind Sinners
Black PR Wire) LOS ANGELES, CA – The 8th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors announced recently the honorees of its annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in the motion picture and television industry. Presented by NICE CROWD, the 2026 ABFF Honors will take place on Monday, February 16 at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, hosted by New York Times best-selling author and award–winning comedian KevOnStage. The intimate, non-televised dinner will bring together ABFF honorees and festival partners.
This year, the ABFF Honors will pay special tribute to the creative team behind the motion picture Sinners — the extraordinary cinematic achievement from acclaimed filmmakers Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, starring Michael B. Jordan. The film’s visionary team also includes Cinematographer Autumn Durald, Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter, and Production Designer Hannah Beachler.
Additionally, the evening will honor powerhouse talent Jennifer Hudson, host of The Jennifer Hudson Show with the Renaissance Award, trailblazing director and executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield with the Evolution Award, and critically acclaimed actor Damson Idris with the Horizon Award.
The 2026 ABFF Honors recipients are:
- Special Tribute to the Creative Team of Sinners – This year’s tribute honors the visionary filmmaking team behind Sinners, led by writer, producer, and director Ryan Coogler, whose bold storytelling continues to shape the landscape of American cinema, alongside producers Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. This creative collective has crafted a work that captures both the power and poetry of the Black experience, marking another landmark in contemporary film.
- Renaissance Award – Jennifer Hudson – is an EGOT-winning artist and entertainment icon whose acclaimed talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, has earned multiple Emmy, NAACP, and GLAAD honors. Last year, she released her first holiday album, The Gift of Love, featuring world-class collaborations on both classics and original songs. The ABFF Honors Renaissance Award is presented to a trendsetting content creator whose exemplary work contributes to changing perceptions of people of color in the entertainment industry.
- Evolution Award – Emmy-nominated director and executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield is a trailblazer behind acclaimed series including HBO’s Task and The Gilded Age. She made history as the first Black woman nominated for an Emmy for Best Director in a Drama Series for Winning Time for which she also executive produced and continues to inspire through her groundbreaking work in film and television. The ABFF Honors Evolution Award pays tribute to an exceptional talent whose creative journey reflects remarkable growth, having achieved success across multiple art forms, while expanding opportunities for others.
- Horizon Award – British-Nigerian actor Damson Idris, best known for his career-defining lead role in FX’s Snowfall, stars opposite Brad Pitt in Apple’s blockbuster F1 and will next portray Miles Davis in Miles & Juliette. The ABFF Honors Horizon Award honors a formidable force in film and television, recognizing their recent achievements and future promise.
“This year’s honorees each represent the spirit of what ABFF stands for — creativity, excellence, and purpose,” said NICE CROWD CEO and President Jeff Friday and Nicole Friday. “Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian have redefined the power of collaboration and vision with Sinners, creating something that speaks to our shared humanity while pushing the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. Jennifer Hudson continues to inspire with her extraordinary talent and authenticity; Salli Richardson-Whitfield has evolved into one of the most dynamic directors and executive producers working in television today; and Damson Idris embodies the brilliance and promise of a new generation. We’re honored to celebrate each of them — artists who remind us why we tell stories: to inspire, to uplift, and to move the culture forward.”
From filmmaker Ryan Coogler, Sinners is a genre-bending and multi-layered exploration of Black culture and the Blues music that is unique to it through the lens of a Southern Gothic epic. Set in 1932 Mississippi, Michael B. Jordan stars as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who, after chasing success in the North, return to Clarksdale, MS to open a juke joint and revive the soul and spirit of their hometown. As music and dance meld in celebration of artistry, culture and history, an evil descends, threatening to devour the fabric and heart of the community – and all that Smoke and Stack have worked to achieve. Uniquely shot on both Ultra Panavision 70 and IMAX, Sinners is a singular and emotionally resonant tale of cultural change that resonates still today.
Warner Bros. Pictures released Sinners theatrically in the United States on April 18, 2025 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Written, directed and produced by Ryan Coogler, the film is also produced by Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian under their production banner Proximity Media. The film features an original score by two-time Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson; cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw; costume design by two-time Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter; production design by Oscar winner Hannah Beachler; and casting by Francine Maisler.
Jennifer Hudson is a Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and Emmy winning artist and entertainment icon. Hudson’s nationally syndicated talk show, “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” is the recipient of thirteen Daytime Emmy Award nominations and two People’s Choice Awards nominations. The show, which continually features an impressive lineup of guests, earned her the AAFCA We See You Award, GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award, and multiple NAACP Image Awards for Best Talk Show Host and Outstanding Talk Series. Last October, Hudson released her highly anticipated first holiday album, The Gift of Love, which features genre-defying, world-class collaborations on classics and original songs.
Emmy-nominated director and executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield is one of the most accomplished and trailblazing filmmakers working in television today. She recently directed and executive produced HBO’s Task, created by Brad Ingelsby and starring Mark Ruffalo, and has been a driving creative force behind Julian Fellowes’ acclaimed series The Gilded Age, where she has directed and executive produced all three seasons. In 2024, she made history as the first Black woman nominated for an Emmy for Best Director in a Drama Series for HBO’s Winning Time, earning additional recognition as an executive producer nominee for The Gilded Age. A former leading actress turned celebrated filmmaker, Richardson-Whitfield’s directing credits span Wheel of Time, American Gods, Scandal, and Queen Sugar. A Chicago native now based in Los Angeles, she continues to inspire and break barriers both behind and in front of the camera.
Damson Idris is a British-Nigerian actor whose commanding performances and magnetic presence have established him as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic leading men. Following his breakout role in FX’s Snowfall, Idris stars in Apple’s record-breaking blockbuster F1 opposite Brad Pitt, and will next appear in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Children of Blood and Bone for Paramount and as Miles Davis in Miles & Juliette, continuing to showcase his remarkable range and depth on screen.
