This year's BFCC Pioneer Award is given to Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter for her immense contributions in the area of Costume Design. Since her very first film Spike Lee's "School Daze" to the over 40 films she has designed for including her Academy Award winning work in 2018's Black Panther and her wonderful work in this years "Dolemite Is My Name", Ruth consistently designs costumes that not only enhance our understanding of the characters wearing them, but pay homage to, and become symbols of cultural pride and heritage. Ms. Carters' commitment to artistic integrity has infused every film she works on with costumes that both speak to the audience about character and become iconic in what the clothing represents. As a female designer of color her career has helped expand the boundaries and perception of what women of color can contribute to both the language of film, and the overall cultural landscape. Ruth E. Carter embodies the very essence of the word Pioneer.
