2018 New York Film Critics’ Circle Awards

“Roma,” directed by Alfonso Cuarón

After a 5-hour voting session today, we at the NYFCC have announced the winners. I haven’t done as much writing here about current releases this year as I’ve done in the past, outside of my monthly viewing diaries, because I just haven’t had as much extra time this year. I’m hoping to do some year-end roundups here in the next couple of weeks. The only thing on our list I’ve actually reviewed is Eighth Grade – which of course I think you should see. At any rate, here’s our list of winners. I’m pretty excited about our choices. Of course everyone comes in with lists for each category, and there were many many finalists – but, unlike the Oscars, or other awards, we don’t share the finalists. We don’t choose a winner from a set number of nominees, like the Oscar voters do. The field is wide open. That’s the fun of it. We also voted on giving a special award to the curator of the Museum of the Moving Image, here in New York, who is stepping down after 33 years. And we’re also giving an award to Kino Lorber, for their extraordinary box set, Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers, a real breakthrough to have this stuff available and beautifully restored. It’s been a very rich year for film (documentaries, especially), and our list includes “not the usual suspects” in many cases, and that’s always a treat. Congratulations to all the winners. Our awards ceremony will be in January, 2019.

Best Picture: “Roma”

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma”

Best Screenplay: Paul Schrader, “First Reformed”

Best Actress: Regina Hall, “Support the Girls”

Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, “First Reformed”

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”

Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Best Cinematography: “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón

Best Non-fiction Film: “Minding the Gap,” director Bing Liu

Best Foreign Language Film: “Cold War,” director Pawel Pawlikowski

Best Animated Feature: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

Best First Film: “Eighth Grade,” director Bo Burnham

Special Award For Career Achievement: David Schwartz, Chief Film Curator at Museum of the Moving Image for 33 years

Special Award: Kino Classics Box Set “Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers”