AFI Awards: ‘Da 5 Bloods,’ ‘Minari,’ ‘Soul’ Among Picks for Best Films of 2020
On the TV side, the American Film Institute recognized ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘The Good Lord Bird,’ ‘Lovecraft Country,’ ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ and ‘Ted Lasso,’ among other titles.
The American Film Institute has picked its 2020 award winners for the 10 best movies and TV shows of the year. The titles, presented in alphabetical order, are works AFI’s juries have determined advance the art of the moving image, enhance the cultural heritage of America’s art form, inspire audiences and artists, and make a mark on American society.
In addition to the 20 honorees, AFI is giving a special award to Hamilton, the filmed version of which debuted on Disney+ this summer, reviving interest in the hit Broadway musical as fans could watch the production from their homes.
AFI’s top films are Da 5 Bloods, Judas and the Black Messiah, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Mank, Minari, Nomadland, One Night in Miami, Soul, Sound of Metal and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
AFI’s top TV programs of the year are Better Call Saul, Bridgerton, The Crown, The Good Lord Bird, Lovecraft Country, The Mandalorian, Mrs. America, The Queen’s Gambit, Ted Lasso and Unorthodox.
This year’s juries were chaired by AFI board of directors member Jeanine Basinger (chair emerita and founder of the film studies department at Wesleyan University) and AFI board of trustees vice chair Richard Frank (former Disney TV chair, Walt Disney Studios president, and president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences). Other jury members included Debbie Allen, Cynthia Erivo, Rian Johnson, David Mandel, Marlee Matlin, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Wes Studi and Lulu Wang; authors and scholars representing prestigious universities with recognized motion picture arts and TV programs; film historians Mark Harris, Molly Haskell and Leonard Maltin; the AFI Board of Trustees; and film and TV critics from media outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, TV Guide and The Washington Post.
AFI also announced that sponsor Audi, to commemorate each of the AFI Awards recipients, has created a $250,000 initiative providing scholarships in the name of the honorees to women and BIPOC fellows at the AFI Conservatory.
“For 20 years, AFI Awards has been a moment to gather artists in one room with a singular goal — to create community over competition,” AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale said in a statement. “This year we cannot gather but will instead celebrate each honoree by creating exclusive content to be shared with a global audience through AFI Movie Club, shining a proper light on excellence.”
AFI’s global Movie Club program will showcase the award winners beginning in February.
The 2020 AFI Awards honorees will be recognized Feb. 26 with a virtual event that will stream on AFI’s YouTube channel and on AFI.com.
The full list of the 2020 Awards winners follows.
AFI Movies of the Year
Da 5 Bloods
Judas and the Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Soul
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
AFI Television Programs of the Year
Better Call Saul
Bridgerton
The Crown
The Good Lord Bird
Lovecraft Country
The Mandalorian
Mrs. America
The Queen’s Gambit
Ted Lasso
Unorthodox
AFI Special Award
Hamilton