Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFWFCA) Choose Moonlight for Best Picture
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The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the intimate drama MOONLIGHT as the best film of 2016, according to the results of its 23rd annual critics’ poll released today.
Rounding out the composite list of the top 10 films of the year were MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (2), LA LA LAND (3), HELL OR HIGH WATER (4), ARRIVAL (5), JACKIE (6), LOVING (7), 20TH CENTURY WOMEN (8), HACKSAW RIDGE (9) and SILENCE (10).
For Best Actor, the association named Casey Affleck for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Runners-up included Denzel Washington for FENCES (2), Joel Edgerton for LOVING (3), Ryan Gosling for LA LA LAND (4) and Tom Hanks for SULLY (5).
Natalie Portman was voted Best Actress for JACKIE. Next in the voting were Emma Stone for LA LA LAND (2), Ruth Negga for LOVING (3), Amy Adams for ARRIVAL (4) and Annette Bening for 20TH CENTURY WOMEN (5).
In the Best Supporting Actor category, the winner was Mahershala Ali for MOONLIGHT. He was followed by Jeff Bridges for HELL OR HIGH WATER (2), Michael Shannon for NOCTURNAL ANIMALS (3), Lucas Hedges for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (4) and Ben Foster for HELL OR HIGH WATER (5).
For Best Supporting Actress, the association named Viola Davis for FENCES. Runners-up were Naomie Harris for MOONLIGHT (2), Michelle Williams for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (3), Greta Gerwig for 20TH CENTURY WOMEN (4) and Judy Davis for THE DRESSMAKER (5).
Barry Jenkins was voted Best Director for MOONLIGHT. Next in the voting were Damien Chazelle for LA LA LAND (2), Kenneth Lonergan for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (3), David Mackenzie for HELL OR HIGH WATER (4) and Denis Villeneuve for ARRIVAL (5).
The association voted THE HANDMAIDEN as the best foreign-language film of the year. Runners-up included TONI ERDMANN (2), ELLE (3), NERUDA (4) and THE SALESMAN (5).
TOWER won for Best Documentary over 13TH (2), GLEASON (3), I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (4) and WEINER (5).
ZOOTOPIA was named the best animated film of 2016, with KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS and MOANA as runners-up. Kenneth Lonergan won the Best Screenplay award for MANCHESTER BY THE SEA over Barry Jenkins for MOONLIGHT.
The award for Best Cinematography went to Linus Sandgren for LA LA LAND, followed by Rodrigo Prieto for SILENCE. The association gave its award for Best Musical Score to Justin Hurwitz for LA LA LAND, beating out Mica Levi for JACKIE.
The association also voted MOONLIGHT as the winner of the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News film critic. The honor is given annually to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 33 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout North Texas. For more information, visit www.dfwcritics.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @dfwfilmcritics.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Todd Jorgenson at dfwfilmcritics@gmail.com.
SUMMARY OF AWARD WINNERS
2016 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
(Choices listed in order of votes received)
BEST PICTURE
Winner: MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; LA LA LAND; HELL OR HIGH WATER; ARRIVAL; JACKIE; LOVING; 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; HACKSAW RIDGE; SILENCE
BEST ACTOR
Winner: Casey Affleck, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runners-up: Denzel Washington, FENCES; Joel Edgerton, LOVING; Ryan Gosling, LA LA LAND; Tom Hanks, SULLY
BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Natalie Portman, JACKIE
Runners-up: Emma Stone, LA LA LAND; Ruth Negga, LOVING; Amy Adams, ARRIVAL; Annette Bening, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Mahershala Ali, MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: Jeff Bridges, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Michael Shannon, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS; Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Ben Foster, HELL OR HIGH WATER
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Viola Davis, FENCES
Runners-up: Naomie Harris, MOONLIGHT; Michelle Williams, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Greta Gerwig, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; Judy Davis, THE DRESSMAKER
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT
Runners-up: Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND; Kenneth Lonergan, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; David Mackenzie, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Denis Villeneuve, ARRIVAL
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: THE HANDMAIDEN
Runners-up: TONI ERDMANN; ELLE; NERUDA; THE SALESMAN
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: TOWER
Runners-up: 13TH; GLEASON; I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO; WEINER
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: ZOOTOPIA
Runners-up: KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS; MOANA
BEST SCREENPLAY
Winner: Kenneth Lonergan, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Runner-up: Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Linus Sandgren, LA LA LAND
Runner-up: Rodrigo Prieto, SILENCE
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Winner: Justin Hurwitz, LA LA LAND
Runner-up: Mica Levi, JACKIE
RUSSELL SMITH AWARD (best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film)
Winner: MOONLIGHT
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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