Delroy Lindo Of ‘Sinners’ To Receive Top Honor From AAFCA
December 28, 2025
Lindo will receive the Beacon Award at the upcoming AAFCA Special Achievement Awards.
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) recently unveiled its slate of Special Achievement honorees for 2026, spotlighting artists, executives, and institutions whose impact help shape film, culture, and opportunity across the entertainment industry.
Among the top honorees is acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo, who will receive the Beacon Award for his work in “Sinners” and his decades-long career marked by uncompromising performances. DeVon Franklin, a producer and thought leader known for bridging faith, film, and commerce, will be honored with the Ashley Boone Award, recognizing his influence as a changemaker behind the scenes, Variety reports.
AAFCA will also recognize Erick Peyton with the Game Changer Award, Jason Aidoo with the Vanguard Award, and Lawrence Lamont as Breakthrough Director.
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group will receive the Impact Award, honoring the studio’s global influence and sustained commitment to filmmaker-driven storytelling. Under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman, the studio has delivered blockbuster franchises such as “Spider-Man,” “Venom,” and “Jumanji.”
In addition to the main honorees, AAFCA announced the 2026 Special Achievement Awards Luncheon recipients. Nikkole Denson-Randolph will receive the Spotlight Award, Lorrie Bartlett will be honored with the Salute to Excellence, Michelle Satter will accept the Film Advocate Award, and Sony Pictures Classics will be presented with the Stanley and Karen Kramer Award.
Satter, a founding senior director of artist programs at the Sundance Institute, is being recognized for her impact on independent cinema. Through the Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Labs, AAFCA notes she has mentored generations of filmmakers, helping shape some of the most important creative voices working today.
Sony Pictures Classics is being honored for championing “bold, socially conscious storytelling and brought acclaimed films to global audiences, according to an AAFCA press release sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The first group of honorees will be celebrated at the 17th Annual AAFCA Awards on Feb. 8, 2026, at The Maybourne Beverly Hills. Additional recipients will be honored during AAFCA’s Annual Special Achievement Awards Luncheon on March 1, 2026, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
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