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  • by Jeff Beck

Boston, New York (Online), Toronto, and San Francisco Film Critics Announce Their Awards for 2016


Moonlight

Today is a big day for the awards race as the Boston Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online, the Toronto Film Critics Association, and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle have all announce their year-end awards. As it turns out, Boston has the best picks of the pack, going with Damien Chazelle's marvelous musical "La La Land" for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Editing. The other three groups have gone with Barry Jenkins' strangely over-hyped drama "Moonlight," giving the film other awards in the process that include Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.

Taking a look at the rest of the winners, we're clearly starting to see some patterns forming. "La La Land" and "Moonlight" are practically neck-and-neck when it comes to wins for Best Picture and Best Director, but "Manchester by the Sea" is a clear favorite in the screenplay category with seven wins thus far (compared to its closest competitors that only have two).

Casey Affleck is on a role for Best Actor for his outstanding performance in "Manchester by the Sea," while Mahershala Ali is the clear favorite for Supporting Actor for his strong turn in "Moonlight." Actress and Supporting Actress are still a little in the air, but it's starting to look like Isabelle Huppert ("Elle") is emerging as a surprise favorite for the former, while Viola Davis ("Fences") is starting to take the lead for the latter. Both women gave outstanding performances in their respective films, making them great choices for the awards.

Surprisingly enough, this long awards day is not yet over, as tonight the Broadcast Film Critics Association will present their annual "Critics Choice Awards." Normally their awards would be held in January, but for some bizarre reason they chose to move them up a month, making the biggest critics group of them all one of the first groups to present (whereas before they were one of the last). Will we see any big surprises tonight? Check back for a complete list of the film winners later on to find out!

In the meantime, please see below for a complete list of today's other winners:

Boston Society of Film Critics

Best Picture - La La Land Best Actor - Casey Affleck for Manchester by the Sea Best Actress - Isabelle Huppert for Elle and Things to Come Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali for Moonlight Best Supporting Actress - Lily Gladstone for Certain Women Best Director - Damien Chazelle for La La Land Best Screenplay - Kenneth Longergan for Manchester by the Sea Best Cinematography - Chung-hoon Chung for The Handmaiden Best Documentary - O. J.: Made in America Best Foreign-Language Film (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) - The Handmaiden Best Animated Film - Tower Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) - Tom Cross for La La Land

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) - Robert Eggers for The Witch Best Ensemble Cast - Moonlight Best Original Score - Mica Levi for Jackie

New York Film Critics Online

Best Picture: Moonlight Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight Best Ensemble Cast: Moonlight Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert, Elle Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Best Documentary: 13th Best Animated Feature: Kubo and the Two Strings Best Foreign Language Film: The Handmaiden Best Debut Director: Robert Eggers, The Witch Best Screenplay: Moonlight Best Cinematography: Moonlight Best Use of Music: La La Land Breakthrough Performance: Ruth Negga, Loving

Toronto Film Critics Association

Best Picture: Moonlight Best Director: Maren Ade, Toni Erdmann Best Actress: Sandra Hüller, Toni Erdmann Best Actor: Adam Driver, Paterson Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Foreign Language Film: Toni Erdmann Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea Documentary: Cameraperson First Feature: The Witch Animated Feature: Zootopia

San Francisco Film Critics Circle

Best Picture: Moonlight

Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Best Actor: Denzel Washington, Fences Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert, Elle Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences Best Screenplay, Original (tie) – Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan (tie) – Moonlight, Barry Jenkins Best Screenplay, Adapted: Arrival, Eric Heisserer Best Cinematography: Moonlight, James Laxton Best Production Design: The Handmaiden, Ryu Seong-hee Best Original Score: Jackie, Mica Levi Best Film Editing (tie) – Arrival, Joe Walker (tie) – Moonlight, Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon Best Animated Feature: The Red Turtle

Best Foreign Language Picture: The Handmaiden

Best Documentary: I am Not Your Negro Special Citation for under-appreciated independent cinema: The Fits

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