The 4th annual Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) announced their winners for the best in film of 2020 as well as bestow several honorary awards this evening in a virtual ceremony. Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman was named Best Picture and Fennell was selected as the winner of Best Original Screenplay, First Feature and was the Filmmaker on the Rise winner.
“Even though cinemas were closed for most of the year, 2020 was a groundbreaking year for film in many ways. Streaming became the norm and prompted many studios to shift their focus to creating content for their digital platforms. Also, a good portion of the films released in 2020 were directed by women or people of color. We, as an organization, hope this continues to happen as we move into the future. We are looking forward to seeing more inclusivity on-screen, hopefully not just in awards films, but in movies in general,” noted HCA Co-Chair Ashley Menzel.
This year’s event streamed virtually on Friday, March 5, 2021 on the official HCA Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
Carey Mulligan’s fiery performance in Promising Young Woman earned her a Best Actress win and the late Chadwick Boseman was named Best Actor for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Paul Raci (Sound of Metal) and Yuh-jung Youn (Minari) received the supporting acting wins.
Birds of Prey was a big winner, scooping up three wins in the genre and below the line categories, taking Visual Effects, Best Action Film and Best Stunts.
Two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Dante Spinotti (Fatale, Black and Blue, Heat) received the organization’s first-ever “Timeless Award,” which is their take on the Lifetime Achievement Award. Sound of Metal‘s Paul Raci was honored with “Breakthrough Performance Actor” while Cristin Milioti will receive “Breakthrough Performance Actress” for her role in Neon and Hulu’s existential comedy, Palm Springs.
This year’s “Acting Achievement Award” was Aubrey Plaza for her tour-de-force performance in Momentum Pictures’ Black Bear. Nicole Beharie received this year’s “Game Changer Award” for her profound performance in Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth. Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross wiere honored with the “Artisan Achievement Award” for their work on Pixar’s Soul and Netflix’s Mank. Both scores by Reznor and Ross are amongst the most memorable scores of 2020.
Sidney Flanigan, the star of Eliza Hittman’s critically acclaimed Never Rarely Sometimes Always, received the “HCA’s Standout Performance by an Actor or Actress 23 or Under Award.” Run star Kiera Allen was the recipient of the “Spotlight Award” (formerly known as the Newcomer Award). Jo Ellen Pellman, who stars as Emma Nolan in Ryan Murphy’s film adaptation of The Prom, will receive the “Star on the Rise Award”.
In the Heights and Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda received this year’s HCA Inspire Award. Each year, the Inspire Award is given to an individual within the entertainment industry whose work serves as an inspiration to others. Lin-Manuel Miranda has broken down barriers while pursuing his dreams and inspiring millions along the way.
Writer and director Emerald Fennell received the HCA Filmmaker on the Rise Award for her directorial debut, Promising Young Woman. Since the film’s premiere at Sundance in January 2020, Promising Young Woman has become one of the most talked about and lauded films over the past year.
Minari composer Emile Mosseri received the Artisan on the Rise Award. Mosseri has made great strides as an artisan in just four years and has composed scores for various television shows and films, including The Last Black Man In San Francisco, Kajillionaire, and Minari.
Dwayne Johnson received the Trailblazer Award, created to highlight and celebrate actors and filmmakers who speak out about important topics and advocate for change. Dwayne Johnson started his illustrious career with just $7 to his name and ambition to be among the best in the world of sports and entertainment. During the pandemic, Johnson made countless donations to frontline workers and first responders and used his voice and recognition to lead the Black Lives Matter movement’s dialogue. He is a long-time supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and has been granting wishes for over two decades.
Zack Snyder received the group’s first-ever Valiant Award. In December of 2020, Snyder and his fanbase helped raise over $500,000 dollars for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. To raise additional funds for the AFSP during the HCA Film Awards, the Hollywood critics association plans to purchase a host of Snyder’s merchandise on the Ink to the People fundraising platform to give away on their social media channels during the ceremony.
Here is the full list of nominees and winners of the 4th Hollywood Critics Association awards.
Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Animated or VFX Performance
Best Male Director
Best Female Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cast Ensemble
Best First Feature
Best Animated Film
Best International Film
Best Documentary (tie)
Best Action Film
Best Blockbuster Film
Best Comedy/Musical Film
Best Horror Film
Best Indie Film
Best Short Film
Best Cinematography
Best Stunts
Best Score
Best Original Song
Best Hair & Makeup
Best Costume Design
Best Production Design
Best Film Editing
Best Visual Effects
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