The Black Film Critics Circle just awarded the blockbuster film that also stars Sylvester Stallone who reprises his iconic role of Rocky Balboa, the honored title of best picture of 2015. Lead actor Michael B. Jordan and supporting players including Tessa Thompson also walked away with prizes.
This summer’s surprise hit
Straight Outta Compton – directed by F. Gary Gray the next in line to helm the upcoming
Furious 8 – also took home top honors – including best ensemble and best original screenplay.
Netflix’s first ever feature film –
Beasts of No Nation, directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba also nabbed an award thanks to the brilliant performance of up and coming actor Abraham Attah who received the rising star prize for what the organization described as “one of the strongest and most phenomenal we have ever seen”.
Rapper Ice Cube is definitely riding high this year – it was just confirmed that N.W.A. made the list of inductees for The Rocking Roll of Fame and the biopic that depicts the group’s rise to the top was one of the top grossing films of 2015.
The rapper and actor’s cultural influence is clearly legendary which explains why he’s the obvious choice for the pioneer award that he received for showing “artistic integrity and an unerring commitment to excellence”.
Other winners include actress Bree Larson who got the best actress prize for her critically acclaimed performance in the stirringly haunting film
Room.
Mad Max: Fury Road also got recognized by garnering the best cinematography award while director George Miller won the well-deserved best director prize.
Click
here for the complete list of winners.