NEW YORK(SMI-WIRE,11.30.17)The New York Film Critics Circle, an organization of film reviewers from New York-based publications that exists to honor excellence in U.S. and world cinema, announced and released its 2017 NYFCC Award Winners.

 

Founded in 1935, the Circle’s membership includes critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, and qualifying online general-interest publications. Every year in December the organization meets in New York to vote on awards for the previous calendar year’s films.

Among the categories: best picture, director, screenplay, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, cinematography, animated film, and best first feature. Special standalone awards are also given to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the art of cinema, including producers, directors, actors, writers, critics, historians, film restorers, and service organizations.

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The Circle’s awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nomination, which are announced each February. The Circle’s awards are also viewed, perhaps more accurately, as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring aesthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures.

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The 2017 New York Film Critic Circle Award Winners:

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Best Picture

Lady Bird

Best Director

Sean Baker THE FLORIDA PROJECT

Best Screenplay

Paul Thomas Anderson PHANTOM THREAD

Best Actress

Saoirse Ronan LADY BIRD

Best Actor

Timothee Chalamet CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Best Supporting Actress

Tiffany Haddish GIRLS TRIP

Best Supporting Actor

Willen Dafoe THE FLORIDA PROJECT

Best Cinematographer

Rachel Morrison MUDBOUND

Best Animated Film

Coco

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary)

Faces Places

Best Foreign Language Film

BPM (Beats Per Minute)

Best First Film

Jordan Peele  GET OUT

Special Award

Molly Haskell CAREER ACHIEVEMENT