The Screen Nation Film and Television Awards have announced its 2017 nominations, rewarding the very best in black British achievement in film and TV. Dubbed the ‘the black Bafta’s’, the much admired ceremony will take place at the Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel on Sunday 7th May 2017, hosted by BBC London’s News Arts Correspondent Brenda Emmanus.
This year will see the British science fiction and anthology series, Black Mirror, and the American miniseries, Roots, go head to head with four nominations each to leading actress Michaela Coel (Black Mirror), leading actor Malachi Kirby and supporting roles to Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku (Black Mirror), Simona Brown, Rege-Jean Page (Roots) and in the Diversity In Drama Production award.
Brotherhood, Chewing Gum, Damilola, Our Loved Boy and NW have received three nominations in the award categories: Diversity In Drama Production, Favourite Comedy Talent, Female Performance in TV and Male Performance in TV. Actors Arnold Oceng and Noel Clarke will compete in the Male Performance in Film award for their starring roles in Brotherhood, with supporting actresses Wunmi Mosaku and Nikki Amuka-Bird battling it out for the Female Performance in TV award; whilst Danielle Walters, Michaela Coel and Susan Wokoma dominate the Favourite Comedy Talent category with the most nominations for a single award for the TV smash Chewing Gum.
Stage and film actress Gugu Mbatha- Raw receives her second consecutive nomination this year for the Female Performance In Film award for her supporting role in The Whole Truth, Free State Of Jones and Miss Sloane. Singer/TV presenter Rochelle Humes also returns to the public voting category for the Favourite Female TV Personality award for the game show Ninja Warrior UK.
Actor and director, Noel Clarke, leads with the most nominations in three award categories – Achievement in Film Production, Male Performance in Film and Male Performance in TV for the hit film Brotherhood including ITV’s crime drama The Level.
The Favourite Reality TV Talent award returns to the public voting category this year. Other public voting categories includes Favourite Comedy Talent, Favourite Female TV Personality and Favourite Male TV Personality with TV/radio presenter Melvin Odoom nominated twice for the same award for his performance in Strictly Come Dancing and on Bang On The Money with presenter Rickie Haywood Williams.
Major honours goes to the notable Nigerian-Ivorian actor Isaach de Bankole for the Outstanding Contribution Award with The Edric Connor Trailblazer Award going to the legendary director, Horace Ove, popularly known as the ‘godfather of black British film’ whose career has spanned over half a century. The iconic comedic cricket themed TV drama Playing Away will also be acknowledged with a Classic TV Award, as it reaches its 40th anniversary in 2017. Receiving the third ever Screen Nation Special Award will be Stephen Bourne, author of the classic book and celebrating its 25th anniversary, Black in the British Frame; plus the very rarely presented special honorary Legacy Award will be posthumously bestowed upon deceased screenwriter and playwright Michael Abbensetts, who passed away in late 2016.
