The Great Debaters Tops the 39th NAACP Image Awards Nominations

Criticized for the historical inaccuracies, the drama film about black debaters team hits back with 8 nominations from the 39th NAACP Image Awards.

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Criticized for being historically inaccurate, "The Great Debaters" was hailed as the top leader at the 39th NAACP Image Awards nominations. The drama film got a staggering 8 nominations, including Outstanding Motion Picture, in the nominees announcement made on Tuesday, January 8.

The film that is based on the real-life victories of a black debating team in the 1930s also brought about two nods for its actor and director, Denzel Washington. The Academy Award-winning actor was nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture as well as Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture.

Beside Washington, "Debaters" also put up its actress and actors on other counts. Jurnee Smollett got gong for Outstanding Actress in Motion Pictures, while Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker and Denzel Whitaker will have to outshine each other to earn the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture honor.

The Image Awards, which honors those who promote diversity in the arts, will give out awards in 44 categories, including literature and recording. The winners will be announced in a ceremony broadcast live on Fox on February 14 in Los Angeles. The list for the motion categories can be seen below and the complete list for all 44 categories can be read on naacpimageawards.net (PDF).

The 39th NAACP Image Awards Nominees for Motion Picture categories:

Motion Picture:

• "American Gangster"
• "The Great Debaters"
• "I Am Legend"
• "Talk To Me"
• "Why Did I Get Married?"

Independent or Foreign Film:

• "A Mighty Heart"
• "Dirty Laundry"
• "Honeydripper"
• "My Brother"
• "Persepolis"

Actor in a Motion Picture:

• Columbus Short - "Stomp The Yard"
• Denzel Washington - "The Great Debaters"
• Don Cheadle - "Talk To Me"
• Terrence Howard - "Pride"
• Will Smith - "I Am Legend"

Actress in a Motion Picture:

• Angelina Jolie - "A Mighty Heart"
• Halle Berry - "Things We Lost In the Fire"
• Jill Scott - "Why Did I Get Married?"
• Jurnee Smollett - "The Great Debaters"
• Taraji P. Henson - "Talk To Me"

Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:

• Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Talk To Me"
• Denzel Whitaker - "The Great Debaters"
• Forest Whitaker - "The Great Debaters"
• Nate Parker - "The Great Debaters"
• Tyler Perry - "Why Did I Get Married?"

Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:

• Janet Jackson - "Why Did I Get Married?"
• Loretta Devine - "This Christmas"
• Meagan Good - "Stomp The Yard"
• Queen Latifah - "Hairspray"
• Ruby Dee - "American Gangster"

Documentary:

• "Bastards of the Party"
• "Darfur Now"
• "Desert Bayou"
• "Price of Sugar"
• "Sicko"

Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television):

• Denzel Washington - "The Great Debaters"
• Kasi Lemmons - "Talk To Me"
• Preston Whitmore - "This Christmas"
• Sunu Gonera - "Pride"
• Sylvain White - "Stomp the Yard"

Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television):

• John Sayles - "Honeydripper"
• Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa - "Talk To Me"
• Richard LaGravenese - "Freedom Writers"
• Robert Eisele - "The Great Debaters"
• Steve Zaillian - "American Gangster"

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