AFI is thrilled to announce the AFI AWARDS 2025 honorees. The recipients include 10 outstanding motion pictures and 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.
December 4, 2025
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AFI AWARDS 2025 Honorees Announced
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
BUGONIA
FRANKENSTEIN
HAMNET
JAY KELLY
MARTY SUPREME
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
SINNERS
TRAIN DREAMS
WICKED: FOR GOOD
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ADOLESCENCE
ANDOR
DEATH BY LIGHTNING
THE DIPLOMAT
THE LOWDOWN
THE PITT
PLUR1BUS
SEVERANCE
THE STUDIO
TASK
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
“For more than a quarter of a century, AFI AWARDS has held the flag high for community without competition,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “It is AFI’s honor to celebrate these creative ensembles as one, as together they have proved the power of art in challenging times.”
Honorees will gather and be recognized on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills — an event favored by the entertainment community for its informal intimacy and its inclusive acknowledgement of excellence.
FIJI Water is returning as the Official Water Sponsor for the event and will keep luncheon honorees and attendees hydrated with Earth’s Finest, iconic 500mL bottles made from 100% recycled material (rPET).
AFI AWARDS celebrates film and television arts’ collaborative nature and is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole, recognizing those in front of and behind the camera. All of the honored works advance the art of the moving image, inspire audiences and artists alike and enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form. When placed in a historical context, these stories provide a complex and rich visual record of our modern world.
This year’s juries — one for motion pictures and one for television — included artists Lily Gladstone, Lauren LeFranc, Patton Oswalt and Thomas Schlamme; scholars Mark Harris, Leonard Maltin and more from Syracuse University, the University of Southern California, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Santa Cruz; members of the AFI Board of Trustees; critics Ann Hornaday, Janet Maslin, Peter Travers and others from TV Guide, Vanity Fair and more. The juries were chaired by AFI Board of Trustees member Jeanine Basinger (Chair Emerita and Founder of the Film Studies Department, Wesleyan University) and AFI Board of Trustees Vice Chair Richard Frank (former Chairman of Walt Disney Television, President of Walt Disney Studios, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences).
The 2025 recipients join a distinguished group of previous AFI AWARDS honorees whose works define the art form and contribute to our rich cultural legacy. View past AFI AWARDS honorees.
Comments (8)
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Peter Myette
Equally worthy and deserving of greater exposure in 2025 were the following pictures: A House of Dynamite, Black Bag, Blue Moon, Highest 2 Lowest, and The Mastermind, all created by visionary directors with multiple works to their credit.
Ellen
I absolutely agree that the film Highest 2 Lowest is worthy of critical acclaim. I also appreciate the story of how it came to be made! Unfortunately, it comes as no surprise that this film apparently didn’t warrant the attention it deserves. Obviously, it takes quite a bit of “inspired thinking” to judge the art of film-making. Hopefully, one of these days we’ll have such people at that table.
Anthony McBride
This is always a great event. Hope to be there one day.
Arthur Salazar
so happy to see Frankenstein, Hamnet and especially One Battle After Another…One Battle After Another, I predict will be the Best Picture of 2025…and Sean Penn will win a Supporting Actor Oscar…
Ellen
I absolutely loved Frankenstein, and Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Kudos too, to Dir. Guillermo del Toro’s remaking of the story from a scary monster movie, to a more imaginable, and poignant period piece. I’ve seen it twice, so far! 😉
Laura
Glad Bugonia is mentioned.it is a crazy film but brilliant. One Battle after another is my favorite. Sinners is great too. 2025 was a fantastic year for film.
stephanie walter
a wonderful and diverse year for films. I see the precursor for Oscar noms here. Hamnet and OBAA and Train Dreams. All soo good.
Christine Eckel
I, too, was blown away by Frankenstein. The creature was portrayed flawlessly by Jacob Elordi. Frankenstein himself was portrayed extremely well as the “monster” of the story. The sets remind me of the anatomical wax museums I visited in Italy. So beautiful! Del Toro at his very best. He tackled a classic book, which is a classic for good reason, and present it as close to the “truth” of the fictional novel as a film could manage. Absolutely expertly! Bravo, Guillermo Del Toro! You are a master.