Three critics voting bodies have weighed in on the best of the best in 2018, and we now officially have three different Best Picture winners.The Gotham Awards—which celebrate independent film—went left-of-center withThe Rider, theNational Board of Reviewchose crowdpleaserGreen Book, and now the New York Film Critics Circle—the most prestigious of the bunch so far—has namedROMAthe Best Film of 2018.Alfonso Cuarón’s masterful Netflix family drama picked up three awards in total, including Best Director and Best Cinematography, both of which went to Cuarón.
But the New York Film Critics Circle refreshingly spread the love around instead of going with the predictable choices.Regina Hallwon Best Actress for her critically acclaimed turn inSupport the Girls, a performance that has garnered serious critical support but which has been left off Oscar prognosticators’ radars—until now. They also went with the 12-year-spanning domestic abuse documentaryMinding the Gapfor Best Documentary over season favoriteWon’t You Be My Neighbor?, and choseSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Versefor Best Animated Film over traditional Disney or Pixar staples.
It’s honestly a really solid lineup, and I do hope these choices help raise the profiles of these contenders in the Oscar race. Check out the full list of New York Film Critics Circle Awards winners below, and for my current take on the Oscar raceclick here.
Best Film –ROMA
Best Director – Alfonso Cuarón,ROMA
Best Screenplay, Paul Schrader,First Reformed
Best Actor – Ethan Hawke,First Reformed
Best Actress – Regina Hall,Support the Girls
Best Supporting Actor – Richard E. Grant,Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Best Supporting Actress – Regina King,If Beale Street Could Talk
Best Cinematography –ROMA
Best Animated Film –Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Best Non-Fiction Film –Minding the Gap
Best Foreign Language Film –Cold War
Best First Film – Bo Burnham,Eighth Grade
Special Award – Kino Classics Box SetPioneers: First Women Filmmakers
Special Award – David Schwartz, stepping down as Chief Film Curator at the Museum of the Moving Image after 33 years
