The National Board of Review has announced its list of 2020 honorees, at the top of which sits Spike Lee for Best Film and Best Director for Da 5 Bloods. The late great Chadwick Boseman will be honored with the NBR Icon Award celebrating the achievements of artists who bring meaning to culture, history, and excellence of motion pictures.
NBR President Annie Schulhof released a statement saying, “The NBR is proud to honor Da 5 Bloods, Spike Lee, and the film’s incredible ensemble cast, along with all of our 2020 awardees. Lee is one of our greatest filmmakers, a bold auteur with a cinematic vision and an astute perspective on human relationships, focusing at times on that intersection between the personal and the political. Da 5 Bloods is not only a unique portrait of the experience and lingering trauma of Black Vietnam War veterans, but also a moving story of enduring friendship,a suspenseful jungle treasure hunt, and a powerful reckoning with the American dream.” “We are also honored to present the posthumous NBR Icon Award to Chadwick Boseman, an extraordinary talent who represented the best of what an actor could be no matter what the role.”
A later date to celebrate the 2020 honorees has not yet been announced. Check out the full list of Black award recipients below.
Best Film: DA 5 BLOODS
Best Director: Spike Lee, DA 5 BLOODS
Best Directorial Debut: Channing Godfrey Peoples, Miss Juneteenth
Best Animated Feature: SOUL
NBR Icon Award: Chadwick Boseman
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
NBR Spotlight Award: Radha Blank for writing, directing, producing and starring in The Forty-Year-Old Version
Best Ensemble: DA 5 BLOODS
Top Films (in alphabetical order):
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Judas and the Black Messiah
Soul
Top Independent Films:
Miss Juneteenth