View source for Black Reel Award for Outstanding Director

{{short description|Award presented annually by the Black Reel Awards}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox award
| name          = Black Reel Award for Outstanding Director
| image         =
| image_upright =
| caption       =
| awarded_for   = Outstanding Director
| presenter     = [[Black Reel Awards]] (BRAs)
| country       = [[United States]]
| year          = [[Black Reel Awards of 2000|2000]] (to [[Malcolm D. Lee]] for ''[[The Best Man (1999 film)|The Best Man]]'')
| holder_label  = Most recent winner
| holder        = [[Cord Jefferson]] <br /> ''[[American Fiction (film)|American Fiction]]'' ([[Black Reel Awards of 2024|2024]])
| website       = {{URL|http://blackreelawards.com/}}
}}
The '''Black Reel Award for Outstanding Director''' is an award presented annually by the [[Black Reel Awards]] (BRA). It is given in honor of a [[film director]] who has exhibited outstanding directing while working in the [[film industry]].
==History==
Director, [[Malcolm D. Lee]] took home the first award for ''[[The Best Man (1999 film)|The Best Man]]'' at the [[1st Annual Black Reel Awards]].
The Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Director and [[Black Reel Award for Outstanding Film]] has been closely linked throughout their history. Out of the 22 films that have been awarded Outstanding Film, 10 have also been awarded Outstanding Director.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 18 directors or directing teams. [[Ava DuVernay]], [[Ryan Coogler]], [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]], [[Jordan Peele]] & [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]] has received the most awards in this category with two. [[Spike Lee]] has been nominated eleven times, more than any other individual. At age 29, Ryan Coogler became the youngest director to win this award for his work on ''[[Creed (film)|Creed]]''. [[Thomas Carter (director)|Thomas Carter]] holds the record for the oldest director to win at 52 for ''[[Coach Carter]]''.
Brothers, [[Albert Hughes]] & [[Allen Hughes]] are the only directing team to share this award as they won for ''[[The Book of Eli]]'' at the [[11th Annual Black Reel Awards]]. [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]] became the first woman to be nominated and win in this category for ''[[Love & Basketball]]''.
==Winners and nominees==
Winners are listed first and highlighted in '''bold'''.
===2000s===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Director
! style="width:49%;"| Film
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="4" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2000|2000]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Malcolm D. Lee]]'''
| '''''[[The Best Man (1999 film)|The Best Man]]'''''
| rowspan="4" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2000/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2000)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Rick Famuyiwa]]
| ''[[The Wood]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Summer of Sam]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2001|2001]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]'''
| '''''[[Love & Basketball]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2001/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2001)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| Kwyn Bader
| ''[[Loving Jezebel]]''
|-
| [[Hughes brothers|Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes]]
| ''[[American Pimp]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Bamboozled]]''
|-
| [[John Singleton]]
| ''[[Shaft (2000 film)|Shaft]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2002|2002]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Antoine Fuqua]]'''
| '''''[[Training Day]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2002/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2002)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Thomas Carter (director)|Thomas Carter]]
| ''[[Save the Last Dance]]''
|-
| Gary Hardwick
| ''[[The Brothers (2001 film)|The Brothers]]''
|-
| [[Hughes brothers|Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes]]
| ''[[From Hell (film)|From Hell]]''
|-
| [[John Singleton]]
| ''[[Baby Boy (film)|Baby Boy]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2003|2003]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Denzel Washington]]'''
| '''''[[Antwone Fisher (film)|Antwone Fisher]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2003/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2003)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
| ''[[Undercover Brother]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[25th Hour]]''
|-
| [[Charles Stone III]]
| ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]''
|-
| [[Tim Story]]
| ''[[Barbershop (film)|Barbershop]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2004|2004]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[F. Gary Gray]]'''
| '''''[[The Italian Job (2003 film)|The Italian Job]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2004/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2004)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Carl Franklin]]
| ''[[Out of Time (2003 film)|Out of Time]]''
|-
| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
| ''[[Tears of the Sun]]''
|-
| Gary Hardwick
| ''[[Deliver Us From Eva]]''
|-
| [[John Singleton]]
| ''[[2 Fast 2 Furious]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2005|2005]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Mario Van Peebles]]'''
| '''''[[Baadasssss!|BAADASSSSS!]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2005/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2005)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ernest Dickerson]]
| ''[[Never Die Alone]]''
|-
| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
| ''Lighting in a Bottle''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[She Hate Me]]''
|-
| [[Charles Stone III]]
| ''[[Mr. 3000]]''
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2006|2006]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Thomas Carter (director)|Thomas Carter]]'''
| '''''[[Coach Carter]]'''''
| rowspan="5" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2006/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2006)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
| ''[[Roll Bounce]]''
|-
| [[John Singleton]]
| ''[[Four Brothers (film)|Four Brothers]]''
|-
| [[Tim Story]]
| ''[[Fantastic Four (2005 film)|Fantastic Four]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2007|2007]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Spike Lee]]'''
| '''''[[Inside Man]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2007/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2007)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Bryan Barber]]
| ''[[Idlewild (film)|Idlewild]]''
|-
| [[Sanaa Hamri]]
| ''[[Something New (film)|Something New]]''
|-
| [[Clark Johnson]]
| ''[[The Sentinel (2006 film)|The Sentinel]]''
|-
| [[Chris Robinson (director)|Chris Robinson]]
| ''[[ATL (film)|ATL]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2008|2008]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]'''
| '''''[[The Secret Life of Bees (film)|The Secret Life of Bees]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2008/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2008)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
| ''[[Soul Men]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Miracle at St. Anna]]''
|-
| [[Darnell Martin]]
| ''[[Cadillac Records]]''
|-
| [[Gabriele Muccino]]
| ''[[Seven Pounds]]''
|}
===2010s===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Director
! style="width:49%;"| Film
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2010|2010]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Lee Daniels]]'''
| '''''[[Precious (film)|Precious]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2010/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2010)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Bill Duke]]
| ''[[Not Easily Broken]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Passing Strange (musical)|Passing Strange]]''
|-
| [[Scott Sanders (director)|Scott Sanders]]
| ''[[Black Dynamite]]''
|-
| [[George Tillman Jr.]]
| ''[[Notorious (2009 film)|Notorious]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2011|2011]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Hughes brothers|Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes]]'''
| '''''[[The Book of Eli]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2011/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2011)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
| ''[[Brooklyn's Finest]]''
|-
| [[Tanya Hamilton]]
| ''[[Night Catches Us]]''
|-
| [[Sanaa Hamri]]
| ''[[Just Wright]]''
|-
| [[Tyler Perry]]
| ''[[For Colored Girls]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2012|2012]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]'''
| '''''[[Shame (2011 film)|Shame]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2012/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2012)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| Salim Akil
| ''[[Jumping the Broom]]''
|-
| Qasim Basir
| ''[[Mooz-lum]]''
|-
| [[Ava DuVernay]]
| ''[[I Will Follow (film)|I Will Follow]]''
|-
| [[Dee Rees]]
| ''[[Pariah (2011 film)|Pariah]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2013|2013]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Ava DuVernay]]'''
| '''''[[Middle of Nowhere (2012 film)|Middle of Nowhere]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://blackreelawards.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/critics-wild-about-beasts/|title=Critics Wild About Beasts|work=Black Reel Awards|date=February 8, 2013|accessdate=August 1, 2016}}</ref>
|-
| Salim Akil
| ''[[Sparkle (2012 film)|Sparkle]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Red Hook Summer]]''
|-
| [[Peter Ramsey]]
| ''[[Rise of the Guardians]]''
|-
| [[Tim Story]]
| ''[[Think Like a Man]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2014|2014]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]'''
| '''''[[12 Years a Slave (film)|12 Years a Slave]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://blackreelawards.wordpress.com/nominees/|title=2014 Black Reel Awards – Nominees|work=Black Reel Awards|date=December 11, 2014|accessdate=August 1, 2016}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ryan Coogler]]
| ''[[Fruitvale Station]]''
|-
| [[Lee Daniels]]
| ''[[The Butler]]''
|-
| [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
| ''[[The Best Man Holiday]]''
|-
| [[George Tillman Jr.]]
| ''[[The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2015|2015]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Ava DuVernay]]'''
| '''''[[Selma (film)|Selma]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2015/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2015)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Amma Asante]]
| ''[[Belle (2013 film)|Belle]]''
|-
| [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]
| ''[[Beyond the Lights]]''
|-
| [[Chris Rock]]
| ''[[Top Five]]''
|-
| [[Justin Simien]]
| ''[[Dear White People]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2016|2016]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Ryan Coogler]]'''
| '''''[[Creed (film)|Creed]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2016/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2016)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Rick Famuyiwa]]
| ''[[Dope (2015 film)|Dope]]''
|-
| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
| ''[[Southpaw (film)|Southpaw]]''
|-
| [[F. Gary Gray]]
| ''[[Straight Outta Compton (film)|Straight Outta Compton]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Chi-Raq]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2017|2017]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Barry Jenkins]]'''
| '''''[[Moonlight (2016 film)|Moonlight]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2017/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2017)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Don Cheadle]]
| ''[[Miles Ahead (film)|Miles Ahead]]''
|-
| [[Antoine Fuqua]]
| ''[[The Magnificent Seven (2016 film)|The Magnificent Seven]]''
|-
| [[Nate Parker]]
| ''[[The Birth of a Nation (2016 film)|The Birth of a Nation]]''
|-
| [[Denzel Washington]]
| ''[[Fences (film)|Fences]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2018|2018]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Jordan Peele]]'''
| '''''[[Get Out]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2018/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2018)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Maggie Betts]]
| ''[[Novitiate (film)|Novitiate]]''
|-
| [[Reginald Hudlin]]
| ''[[Marshall (film)|Marshall]]''
|-
| [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
| ''[[Girls Trip]]''
|-
| [[Dee Rees]]
| ''[[Mudbound (film)|Mudbound]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2019|2019]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Ryan Coogler]]'''
| '''''[[Black Panther (film)|Black Panther]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2019/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2019)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Barry Jenkins]]
| ''[[If Beale Street Could Talk (film)|If Beale Street Could Talk]]''
|-
| [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]
| ''[[Widows (2018 film)|Widows]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[BlacKkKlansman]]''
|-
| [[Boots Riley]]
| ''[[Sorry to Bother You]]''
|}
===2020s===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Director
! style="width:49%;"| Film
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2020|2020]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Jordan Peele]]'''
| '''''[[Us (2019 film)|Us]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2020/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2020)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mati Diop]]
| ''[[Atlantics]]''
|-
| [[Kasi Lemmons]]
| ''[[Harriet (film)|Harriet]]''
|-
| [[Melina Matsoukas]]
| ''[[Queen & Slim]]''
|-
| [[Julius Onah]]
| ''[[Luce (film)|Luce]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2021|2021]]
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Regina King]]'''
| '''''[[One Night in Miami...]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2021/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2021)|website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
| [[Radha Blank]]
| ''[[The Forty-Year-Old Version]]''
|-
| [[Shaka King]]
| ''[[Judas and the Black Messiah]]''
|-
| [[Spike Lee]]
| ''[[Da 5 Bloods]]''
|-
| [[Channing Godfrey Peoples]]
| ''[[Miss Juneteenth]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2022|2022]]
|-
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Jeymes Samuel]]'''
| '''''[[The Harder They Fall (2021 film)|The Harder They Fall]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2022/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2022)|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref>[https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/the-22nd-black-reel-awards-honors-its-winners-led-by-the-harder-they-fall The 22nd Black Reel Awards Honors its Winners, Led by The Harder They Fall|Festival & Awards|Roger Ebert]</ref>
|-
| [[Halle Berry]]
| ''[[Bruised (film)|Bruised]]''
|-
| [[Nia DaCosta]]
| ''[[Candyman (2021 film)|Candyman]]''
|-
| [[Reinaldo Marcus Green]]
| ''[[King Richard (film)|King Richard]]''
|-
| [[Rebecca Hall]]
| ''[[Passing (film)|Passing]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2023|2023]]
|-
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]'''
| '''''[[The Woman King]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000957/2023/1/|title=Black Reel Awards (2023)|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref>[https://awardswatch.com/23rd-black-reel-award-winners-the-woman-king-black-panther-wakanda-forever-the-inspection/ 23rd Black Reel award winners: 'The Woman King', 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', 'The Inspection' - AwardsWatch]</ref>
|-
| [[Elegance Bratton]]
| ''[[The Inspection]]''
|-
|  [[Chinonye Chukwu]]
| ''[[Till (film)|Till]]''
|-
| [[Ryan Coogler]]
| ''[[Black Panther: Wakanda Forever]]''
|-
| [[Jordan Peele]]
| ''[[Nope (film)|Nope]]''
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| [[Black Reel Awards of 2024|2024]]
|-
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| '''[[Cord Jefferson]]'''
| '''''[[American Fiction (film)|American Fiction]]'''''
| rowspan="6" align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/black-reel-awards-reveals-winners-film-and-television-categories-american-fiction-the-color-purple-1235794783/ |title=Black Reel Awards Reveals Winners of Film and Television Categories; 'American Fiction' and 'The Color Purple' Take Home Top Honors |first=Valerie |last=Complex |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=January 16, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Blitz the Ambassador]]
| ''[[The Color Purple (2023 film)|The Color Purple]]''
|-
| [[Ava DuVernay]]
| ''[[Origin (film)|Origin]]''
|-
| [[Michael B. Jordan]]
| ''[[Creed III]]''
|-
| [[A. V. Rockwell]]
| ''[[A Thousand and One]]''
|}
==Multiple nominations and wins==
===Multiple wins===
; 3 wins
* [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]
; 2 wins
* [[Ryan Coogler]]
* [[Ava DuVernay]]
* [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]
* [[Jordan Peele]]
===Multiple Nominees===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
; 11 nominations
* [[Spike Lee]]
; 6 nominations
* [[Antoine Fuqua]]
* [[Malcolm D. Lee]]
; 4 nominations
* [[Ryan Coogler]]
* [[Ava DuVernay]]
* [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]
* [[John Singleton]]
; 3 nominations
* [[Hughes brothers|Albert Hughes]]
* [[Hughes brothers|Allen Hughes]]
* [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]
* [[Jordan Peele]]
* [[Tim Story]]
{{col-2}}
; 2 nominations
* [[Salim Akil]]
* [[Thomas Carter (director)|Thomas Carter]]
* [[Lee Daniels]]
* [[Rick Famuyiwa]]
* [[F. Gary Gray]]
* [[Sanaa Hamri]]
* Gary Hardwick
* [[Barry Jenkins]]
* [[Dee Rees]]
* [[Charles Stone III]]
* [[George Tillman Jr.]]
* [[Denzel Washington]]
{{col-end}}
==Age superlatives==
<!--These statistics are for this category only.-->
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" | Record
! scope="col" | Director
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Age (in years)
|-
| Oldest winner
| [[Thomas Carter (director)|Thomas Carter]]
| ''[[Coach Carter]]''
| 52
|- style="height:4.5em;"
| Oldest nominee
| [[Bill Duke]]
| ''[[Not Easily Broken]]''
| 66
|- style="height:4.5em;"
| Youngest winner
| [[Ryan Coogler]]
| ''[[Creed (film)|Creed]]''
| 29
|- style="height:4.5em;"
| Youngest nominee
| [[Rick Famuyiwa]]
| ''[[The Wood]]''
| 26
|}
==Diversity of Nominees==
===Female nominees/winners===
Eighteen female directors have been nominated for a total twenty-five times in this category, and three have won the award.
*2001 - '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]''' for '''[[Love & Basketball]]'''‡
*2007 - [[Sanaa Hamri]] for ''[[Something New (film)|Something New]]''
*2008 - '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]''' for '''[[The Secret Life of Bees (film)|The Secret Life of Bees]]'''†
*2008 - [[Darnell Martin]] for ''[[Cadillac Records]]''‡
*2011 - [[Tanya Hamilton]] for ''[[Night Catches Us]]''‡
*2011 - Sanaa Hamri for ''[[Just Wright]]''†
*2012 - [[Ava DuVernay]] for ''[[I Will Follow]]''
*2012 - [[Dee Rees]] for ''[[Pariah (2011 film)|Pariah]]''†
*2013 - '''Ava DuVernay''' for '''[[Middle of Nowhere (2012 film)|Middle of Nowhere]]'''†
*2015 - '''Ava DuVernay''' for '''[[Selma (film)|Selma]]'''‡
*2015 - [[Amma Asante]] for ''[[Belle (2013 film)|Belle]]''†
*2015 - Gina Prince-Bythewood for ''[[Beyond the Lights]]''†
*2018 - [[Maggie Betts]] for ''[[Novitiate]]''
*2018 - Dee Rees for ''[[Mudbound (film)|Mudbound]]'' †
*2020 - [[Mati Diop]] for ''[[Atlantics]]''
*2020 - [[Kasi Lemmons]] for ''[[Harriet (film)|Harriet]]''
*2020 - [[Melina Matsoukas]] for ''[[Queen & Slim]]'' †
*2021 - '''[[Regina King]]''' for '''[[One Night in Miami...]]''' †
*2021 - [[Radha Blank]] for ''[[The Forty-Year-Old Version]]''
*2021 - [[Channing Godfrey Peoples]] for ''[[Miss Juneteenth]]''
*2022 - [[Halle Berry]] for ''[[Bruised (film)|Bruised]]''
*2022 - [[Nia DaCosta]] for ''[[Candyman (2021 film)|Candyman]]''
*2022 - [[Rebecca Hall]] for ''[[Passing (film)|Passing]]'' †
*2023 - '''[[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]''' for '''[[The Woman King]]'''
*2023 - [[Chinonye Chukwu]] for ''[[Till (film)|Till]]''
*2024 - [[Ava DuVernay]] for ''[[Origin (film)|Origin]]'' †
*2024 - [[A. V. Rockwell]] for ''[[A Thousand and One]]''
===Documentary nominees/winners===
Three directors of a documentary film have been nominated in this category.
*2001 - [[Albert Hughes]] & [[Allen Hughes]] for ''[[American Pimp]]''
*2005 - [[Antoine Fuqua]] for ''Lightning in a Bottle''
===Animated nominees/winners===
One director of an animated film has been nominated in this category.
*2013 - [[Peter Ramsey]] for ''[[Rise of the Guardians]]''
===Non-English language nominees/winners===
One director of a non-English film has been nominated in this category.
*2020 - [[Mati Diop]] for ''[[Atlantics]]'', Wolof & French
'''bold''' — Indicates winner <br/>
† — Film nominated for Outstanding Film <br/>
‡ — Film won for Outstanding Film
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Director}}
{{Black Reel Awards}}
[[Category:Black Reel Awards|Director]]
[[Category:Awards for best director]]
[[Category:Awards established in 2000]]