AHS Awards

AHS Awards: Categories Overview

The AHS Awards are divided into four major categories: Film, Scripted TV, Unscripted TV, and Media, with each category designed to spotlight excellence and celebrate the creativity of People of Color (POC) across diverse areas of entertainment. Over the years, the awards have evolved to become more inclusive and expansive, adjusting and adding categories to better reflect the full scope of storytelling and innovation within the industry.

Film (10 Categories)

In its inaugural year, the AHS Awards originally included both leading and supporting acting categories, but these were later consolidated to streamline the ceremony. Recognizing the need to honor the craft of writing, a Best Screenplay category was introduced in the second edition of the AHS Awards. Additionally, the Short Film category was added in the second AHS Awards to recognize impactful stories in shorter formats covered on A Hot Set's platform.

Categories include:

• Best Film: Awarded to the overall best film of the year created by or starring POC.

• Best Foreign Film: Celebrates an outstanding filmed stand-up performance by a POC comedian, showcasing originality, humor, and cultural relevance.

• Best Animated Film: Honors excellence in animated storytelling, highlighting films created by POC.

• Best Documentary: Recognizes compelling nonfiction films that explore real-world issues, histories, or personal narratives centered on POC experiences.

• Best Stand-Up Comedy Special: Celebrates an outstanding filmed stand-up performance by a POC comedian, showcasing originality, humor, and cultural relevance.

• Best Short Film: Only short films covered on the A Hot Set digital platform are eligible.

• Best Screenplay: Recognizes excellence in original or adapted screenwriting.

• Best Director: Honors outstanding direction in a feature film.

• Best Actor: Recognizes an exceptional performance by a male-identifying actor in a lead film role.

• Best Actress: Recognizes an exceptional performance by a female-identifying actor in a lead film role.

Scripted TV (9 Categories)

Scripted television is divided into drama and comedy, with each subdivision recognizing both traditional and contemporary storytelling formats. The inclusion of soaps and telenovelas highlights the global success and cultural impact of POC in the daily drama series genre, with the intended introduction of acting categories for the fourth AHS Awards honors.

Comedy:

• Best TV Series—Comedy: Recognizes an exceptional sitcom or dramedy series.

• Best TV Actor—Comedy: Celebrates a standout performance by a male in a sitcom or dramedy series.

• Best TV Actress—Comedy: Celebrates a standout performance by a female in a sitcom or dramedy series.

Drama:

• Best TV Series—Drama: Recognizes compelling, multi-season dramas and limited series across all genres.

• Best TV Actor—Drama: Celebrates an outstanding acting performance by a male in a drama or limited series.

• Best TV Actress—Drama: Celebrates an outstanding acting performance by a female in a drama or limited series.

Soap/Telenovela:

• Best TV Series—Soap/Telenovela: Honors excellence in weekly or multiple-episode-a-week serialized storytelling by a soap opera or telenovela. 

• Best TV Actor—Soap/Telenovela: Celebrates a standout performance by a male in a weekly or multiple-episode-a-week serialized soap opera or telenovela.

• Best TV Actress—Soap/Telenovela: Celebrates a standout performance by a female in a weekly or multiple-episode-a-week serialized soap opera or telenovela.

Unscripted TV (10 Categories)

The Unscripted TV categories reflect the broad spectrum of reality-based programming, from traditional talk shows to highly produced docuseries. Categories are defined to ensure recognition of both informative and entertaining subgenres of unscripted television. 

Categories include:

• Best Talk Show: Includes traditional and streaming formats, such as video podcasts, honoring conversational programming (e.g., Asian Boss, Sherri). 

• Best Talk Show Host: Honors the charisma and command of an unscripted television host (e.g., Jennifer Hudson, Shannon Sharpe).

• Best News Program: Celebrates excellence in broadcast, cable, or digital news (e.g., Breaking Points, 20/20). 

• Best News Anchor: Recognizes an outstanding anchor or anchors in a news program (e.g., Adriana Diaz, Lester Holt).

• Best Game Show: Recognizes interactive shows hosted before a live audience with contestant participation (e.g., Let’s Make a Deal, Family Feud).

• Best Game Show Host: Celebrates an engaging and effective host of a game show, acknowledging their energy, timing, and rapport with participants.

• Best Competitive Series: Honors elimination-style competition series (e.g., America’s Funniest Home Videos, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Masked Singer).

• Best Competitive Series Host/Judges: Awards the host and/or judges who bring expertise, personality, and fairness to competitive programming.

• Best Docuseries: Recognizes factual, multi-episode documentaries (e.g., Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)

• Best Docusoap: Celebrates reality shows focused on interpersonal drama and sensational storytelling (e.g., Bling Empire, Young, Rich & African).

Media (2 Categories)

The Media categories recognize the evolving digital landscape and celebrate creators and innovators outside of traditional film and television formats. Best Video Game was added to the third AHS Awards to showcase POC's video game contributions.

Categories include:

• Best Social Media Content Creator: Honors a POC content creator whose engaging digital work spans multiple platforms.

• Best Video Game: Celebrates POC contributions in the gaming industry, whether through design, performance, or production.

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Honoring individuals with over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, the Lifetime Achievement Awards celebrate the enduring legacies of POC whose groundbreaking work has shaped film and television. These awards recognize trailblazers whose influence continues to inspire future generations through decades of artistic excellence, cultural impact, and industry leadership.

Akira Kurosawa Film Award

Akira Kurosawa, a legendary Japanese filmmaker, is consistently ranked among the greatest directors of all time. Known for iconic works such as Seven Samurai and Rashomon, Kurosawa remains the only person of color frequently listed among the top ten directors globally. This award honors veteran POC in film, both in front of and behind the lens, whose legacy has made a lasting impact on the cinematic landscape.

Ethel Waters TV Award

Ethel Waters was a pioneering figure in American television, becoming the first person of color to lead a TV series, The Ethel Waters Show, and later starring in Beulah. The Ethel Waters TV Award honors enduring contributions by POC in television and streaming media, spotlighting those who have opened doors and influenced generations through performance, writing, directing, and production.