Apple TV+ 'The Banker' wins at NAACP Image Awards

The Apple TV+ film "The Banker" has won the award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.

Posted on Twitter late on Friday, the Apple TV+ Twitter account celebrated the win of the category of "Outstanding Independent Motion Picture" for its drama, "The Banker." The tweet congratulated the team behind the film on the accolade.

Starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson, "The Banker" follows a pair of black businessmen as they build a real estate and banking empire. To succeed, the duo bring aboard a working class white man to pose as the privileged face of the empire.

The film won its category against a strong showing, including "Emperor," "Farewell Amor," "Miss Juneteenth," and "The 24th."

Honored to be able to tell stories like #TheBanker. Congratulations to The Banker team on their #NAACPImageAwards win for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture!

Watch now on the Apple TV app with an Apple TV+ subscription. https://t.co/FqDN6q5JXY pic.twitter.com/0lBPml5YsO
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) March 27, 2021

The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those who promote social justice through creative work. The 52nd awards will air on BET on Saturday, starting at 8pm Eastern Time.

The film is inspired by true events, which caused problems for the film's release. The debut in November 2019 was cancelled due to sexual allegations surrounding a producer, followed by requests by the producer's ex-wives to not release the film at all.

It was eventually put to a theatrical release in March 6 and was available to stream on Apple TV+ later that same month.

The award is the latest earned by content airing on Apple's streaming service. Popular comedy "Ted Lasso" is leading the way, including a Golden Globe and other wins from the Writers' Guild Awards, along with nominations for its other programming.

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9 Comments

jjthomas2012 2 comments · 12 Years

About 3 years ago

Very inspiring! I saw this a while ago and as a commercial and residential realtor, I loved it!

ronn 684 comments · 20 Years

It was a flat, cliched movie. And although "inspired by true events," it greatly divulged from the facts. That coupled with the former producer/perpetrator's inclusion was disappointing.

just cruisin 108 comments · 9 Years

ronn said:

it greatly divulged from the facts.

What does that mean?

just cruisin said:

ronn said:

it greatly divulged from the facts.

What does that mean?

They combined both of his wives to make it appear that he was married once; the producer son was from his first wife and was not involved with his stepmother until he was a teen. In the movie it's made to appear that his mother (the 1st wife) was the dad's biz partner and connected him to her old boss as an investor/money man. The 2nd wife in real life was instrumental in his real estate business start and expansion. He willingly engaged in some shady biz dealings, it wasn't the white biz partner that embroiled them in bad contracts.

Xed 2871 comments · 4 Years

ronn said:

just cruisin said:

ronn said:

it greatly divulged from the facts.

What does that mean?

They combined both of his wives to make it appear that he was married once; the producer son was from his first wife and was not involved with his stepmother until he was a teen. In the movie it's made to appear that his mother (the 1st wife) was the dad's biz partner and connected him to her old boss as an investor/money man. The 2nd wife in real life was instrumental in his real estate business start and expansion. He willingly engaged in some shady biz dealings, it wasn't the white biz partner that embroiled them in bad contracts.

How would any of that have made for a more entertaining story?

I don't know how old you are or what your education is but I'd wager that you should understand why ancillary characters are combined in stories (explicitly on screen) time, structure, and pacing when separating them out are not essential for the plot.