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Akeelah & the Bee Named Outstanding Motion Picture of the Year at Film Life�s 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS � A Celebration of Black Cinema: Past, Present & Future
Presley ChweneyagaeTakes Prize for Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role,
While Keke Palmer Wins for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role
TNT Set to Telecast 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 10 p.m.
Complete List of Nominees and Winners Attached
Akeelah & the Bee was named Outstanding Motion Picture of the Year during Film Life�s 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS � A Celebration of Black Cinema: Past, Present & Future. The movie took a total of 4 awards during the ceremony, which taped tonight at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles for telecast on TNT Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). Other top winners include Prseley Chweneyagae, who was honored as Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Tsotsi, and Keke Palmer, honored as Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Akeelah & the Bee.
Tyler Perry (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, House of Payne) hosted the gala awards show that recognizes creative achievement by persons of African descent in feature-length motion pictures, both in front of and behind the camera, and honors outstanding films portraying the Black experience. Film Life�s 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS are executive-produced by Jeff Friday, CEO of Film Life, Inc., and Suzanne de Passe, CEO of de Passe Entertainment. Returning for the second year are Suzanne Coston serving as producer, Ron De Moraes directing and Ruth Adkins Robinson segment producer and writer.
The 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS also honored Laurence Fishburne as Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Akeelah & the Bee and Angela Bassett as Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in Akeelah & the Bee. Spike Lee was awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Directing for his work on Inside Man and Kriss Turner took the prize for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for the movie Something New.
In addition to the competitive awards, several honorary awards were given. Oprah Winfrey presented the Distinguished Career Achievement Award to acclaimed actress Cicely Tyson, recognizing a career that includes such projects as The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Roots and Madea�s Family Reunion, as well as Sounder, for which she earned an Oscar� nomination. Kimberly Elise, Keke Palmer and Lynn Whitfield also paid tribute to Tyson.
Ruby Dee presented the Ossie Davis Humanitarian Award to Spike Lee, for his work bringing to light the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina through his HBO documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.
Angela Bassett and Cuba Gooding, Jr., the honoree�s co-stars in ground-breaking films What�s Love Got To Do With It? and Boyz n the Hood, presented Laurence Fishburne with Excellence in Arts Award.
Sidney J. Furie�s 1972 movie biography of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday became the second film inducted into the Black Movie Awards Classic Cinema Hall of Fame. Billy Dee Williams, who co-starred with Diana Ross in the film, was on-hand for the induction.
Nominees for and recipients of the 2006 BLACK MOVIE AWARDS were chosen by a prominent committee of film critics, entertainment editors and prestigious members of the artistic community. This year�s eligible films were released in the U.S. between Aug. 1, 2005, and July 31, 2006.
Jeff Friday, creator of the BLACK MOVIE AWARDS and the American Black Film Festival (www.blackmovieawards.com), has made a name in the film industry by providing opportunities for independent Black filmmakers to showcase their work to an ever-broadening audience through the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Since its inception, the ABFF has explored, rewarded and redefined artistic excellence in international Black cinema. It has grown to be recognized as the #1 film market for Black and urban content. In addition to its film showcases, the ABFF is committed to nurturing artists in a variety of disciplines and offers educational workshops and seminars for actors, filmmakers and writers throughout the week.
The ABFF, founded in 1997, is a property of Film Life, Inc., a New York-based marketing, media and production company. Its mission is to spearhead the global distribution of quality Black films and be the leading American brand producing Black movies and related entertainment content.
Back for the second year, Oscar� nominee Suzanne de Passe again serves as executive producer and writer. Her long list of award-winning, high-profile shows and specials includes the Emmy�-winning Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever and Motown Returns to the Apollo. Additionally, she executive-produced The Essence Awards in 2002 and 2003, as well as the annual NAACP Image Awards over a three-year period, concluding in 2003. She has also executive-produced such memorable television miniseries as Lonesome Dove, The Jacksons: An American Dream, Buffalo Girls, Small Sacrifices and The Temptations. Her Academy Award� nomination came for co-writing the screenplay for Lady Sings the Blues.
Turner Network Television (TNT), a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television�s destination for drama and one of cable�s top-rated networks. It offers original movies and series, including the blockbuster detective series The Closer, starring Emmy�, Golden Globe� and Screen Actors Guild Awards� nominee Kyra Sedgwick, and this summer�s four-week television event Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, Charmed and Judging Amy; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.
A complete list of nominations and winners (in bold) is attached.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Presley Chweneyagae (as Tsotsi) � Tsotsi Miramax Films
Chiwetel Ejiofor (as Lola ) � Kinky Boots Miramax Films
Tyrese Gibson (as O2) � Waist Deep Rogue Pictures (Focus)
Cuba Gooding, Jr. (as Mikey) � Shadowboxer Freestyle Releasing
Denzel Washington (as Keith Frazier) � Inside Man Universal Pictures
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mos Def (as Eddie Bunker) � 16 Blocks Warner Bros. Pictures
Laurence Fishburne (as Dr. Larabee) � Akeelah & the Bee Lionsgate
Jamie Foxx (as Staff Sgt. Sykes) � Jarhead Universal Pictures
Hubert Kound� (as Arnold Bluhm) � The Constant Gardener Focus Features
Jeffrey Wright (as Bennett Holiday) � Syriana Warner Bros. Pictures
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Halle Berry (as Ororo Munro/Storm) � X-Men: The Last Stand 20th Century Fox
Meagan Good (as Coco) � Waist Deep Rogue Pictures (Focus)
Sanaa Lathan (as Kenya McQueen) � Something New Focus Features
Queen Latifah (as Georgia Byrd) � Last Holiday Paramount/Universal
Keke Palmer (as Akeelah) � Akeelah & the Bee Lionsgate
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Angela Bassett (as Tanya Anderson) � Akeelah & the Bee Lionsgate
Rosario Dawson (as Mimi Marquez) � Rent Sony Pictures
Lauren London (as New New) � ATL Warner Bros. Pictures
Lynn Whitfield (as Victoria) � Madea�s Family Reunion Lionsgate
Alfre Woodard (as Joyce McQueen) � Something New Focus Features
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENWRITING
Tina Gordon Chism � ATL Warner Bros. Pictures
Rob Hardy � The Gospel Screen Gems
Tyler Perry � Madea�s Family Reunion Lionsgate
Kriss Turner � Something New Focus Features
Norman Vance, Jr. � Roll Bounce Fox Searchlight Pictures
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Vondie Curtis-Hall � Waist Deep Rogue Pictures (Focus)
Malcolm D. Lee � Roll Bounce Fox Searchlight Pictures
Spike Lee � Inside Man Universal Pictures
Chris Robinson � ATL Warner Bros. Pictures
John Singleton � Four Brothers Paramount Pictures
OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE
Akeelah & the Bee (Producers: Laurence Fishburne, Nancy Hult Ganis, Lionsgate
Sid Ganis, Danny Llewelyn, Michael Romersa)
ATL (Producers: Dallas Austin, Jody Gerson, James Lassiter, Will Smith, Warner Bros. Pictures
Tionne �T-Boz� Watkins)
Four Brothers (Producer: Lorenzo di Bonaventura) Paramount Pictures
Inside Man (Producer: Brian Grazer) Universal Pictures
Madea�s Family Reunion (Producers: Reuben Cannon, Tyler Perry) Lionsgate
Tsotsi (Producer: Peter Fudakowski) Miramax Films
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