‘I Saw the TV Glow,’ ‘The Substance’ Lead 16th LGBTQ Critics Dorian Film Award Nominations (GALECA)

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, consisting of over 500 entertainment critics, journalists and media icons, today announced the group’s nominees for its 16th Dorian Film Awards, celebrating 2024’s theatrical and digital releases.
Leading with an impressive nine nominations is writer-director Jane Schoenbrun’s thought-provoking horror tale I Saw the TV Glow. Schoenbrun herself is a double nominee in the group’s unique Wilde Wit of the Year and LGBTQIA+ Trailblazer categories. Demi Moore’s thriller of a comeback in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance was a close second, with eight Dorian nods.
The genre-defying trans mobster musical Emilia Peréz and tense tennis ménage-à-trois drama Challengers each hold six nominations, and Dorian-nominated director Brady Corbet’s artful epic The Brutalist earned five, including Best Director. Other movies GALECA anointed with multi-nominations: Anora, Nickel Boys and Wicked all with four nods each, and Problemista and Queer with three apiece.
In GALECA’s non-gendered lead performance category, nominees include Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez, Justice Smith for I Saw the TV Glow, Daniel Craig for Queer, Cynthia Erivo for Wicked and Colman Domingo for Sing Sing. For supporting performance, Dorian nominations went to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor for Nickel Boys, Brigette Lundy-Paine for I Saw the TV Glow, Yura Borisov for Anora, Margaret Qualley for The Substance, Michele Austin for Hard Truths and more.
In the group’s LGBTQ-specific categories the nominees for LGBTQ Film of the Year are Challengers, Emilia Pérez, I Saw the TV Glow, Love Lies Bleeding and Queer. All were also nominated for LGBTQ Screenplay of the Year with Emilia Pérez swapped out for Problemista.
Some notable titles in the group’s trademark races include the inventive slapstick comedy Hundreds of Beavers vying for Unsung Film of the Year, Madame Web and Trap looking at Campiest Flick honors, and The Brutalist, Nosferatu and Dune: Part Two among the cinematic dazzlers aiming for Visually Striking Film.
The group’s Timeless Star career achievement honoree will be named when the winners are announced Thursday February 13. Galeca’s members are tentatively scheduled to toast winners and nominees in a brunch the following Sunday.
Along with its film nominations, GALECA announced it is donating $1000 to The Los Angeles Press Club’s emergency relief fund, the amount earmarked for entertainment journalists directly affected by the historically devastating wildfires that have destroyed vast swaths LA, leaving thousands of residents homeless.
“Entertainment journalists are an obviously integral part of the Hollywood ecosystem, and we want to make sure they aren’t forgotten in what’s already a very tough environment for those in our profession,” said GALECA Executive Director John Griffiths. Added Vice President Diane Anderson-Minshall: “We applaud our friends at the Press Club and its sister organization the National Arts and Entertainment Journalists Awards for coming to our brethren’s need.” Professional journalists whose main livelihood involves entertainment criticism, editing and/or reportage can apply for help at lapressclub.org.
GALECA is one of the largest entertainment journalists organizations in the world, with an impressive roster of members who contribute to a vast array of noteworthy media outlets in the U.S. and abroad. Separate Dorian Awards for TV and Broadway / Off-Broadway occur later in the year.
Formed in 2009, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics honors the best in film, television and Broadway/Off Broadway, mainstream to LGBTQIA+, via the Dorian Awards. A 501 c 6 nonprofit, GALECA serves to remind bigots, bullies and our own beleaguered communities that the world looks to the informed Q+ eye on entertainment. The organization also advocates for better pay, access and respect for its members, especially those in our most underrepresented and vulnerable segments. GALECA’s efforts also include the Crimson Honors, a college film/TV criticism contest for LGBTQ women or nonbinary students of color.
16TH DORIAN FILM AWARDS LIST OF NOMINEES FROM GALECA: THE SOCIETY OF LGBTQ ENTERTAINMENT CRITICS
FILM OF THE YEAR
- Anora (NEON)
- Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
- The Substance (MUBI)
LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR
- Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Love Lies Bleeding (A24)
- Queer (A24)
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
- Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (A24)
- Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (MUBI)
- Luca Guadagnino, Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
- Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR (Original or adapted)
- Anora (NEON)
- Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Conclave (Focus Features)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- The Substance (MUBI)
LGBTQ SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR
- Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Love Lies Bleeding (A24)
- Problemista (A24)
- Queer (A24)
NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
- All We Imagine as Light (Sideshow/Janus Films)
- Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
- Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films)
- I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics)
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig (NEON)
LGBTQ NON-ENGLISH FILM OF THE YEAR
- All Shall Be Well (Strand Releasing)
- Crossing (MUBI)
- Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
- Queendom (Greenwich Entertainment)
- Vermiglio (Sideshow/Janus Films)
UNSUNG FILM OF THE YEAR (To an exceptional movie worthy of greater attention)
- Dídi (Focus Features)
- Hundreds of Beavers (Cineverse, Vinegar Syndrome)
- My Old Ass (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Problemista (A24)
- Thelma (Magnolia)
UNSUNG LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR
- Femme (Utopia)
- My Old Ass (Amazon MGM Studios)
- National Anthem (Variance, LD Entertainment)
- The People’s Joker (Altered Innocence)
- Problemista (A24)
LEAD FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
- Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (A24)
- Daniel Craig, Queer (A24)
- Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (A24)
- Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
- Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (Universal)
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)
- Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (A24)
- Mikey Madison, Anora (NEON)
- Demi Moore, The Substance (MUBI)
- Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
- Michele Austin, Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)
- Yura Borisov, Anora (NEON)
- Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures)
- Ariana Grande-Butera, Wicked (Universal)
- Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
- Brigette Lundy-Paine, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (A24)
- Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (A24)
- Margaret Qualley, The Substance (MUBI)
- Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
- Dahomey (MUBI)
- Daughters (Netflix)
- The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
- Sugarcane (National Geographic)
- Will & Harper (Netflix)
LGBTQ DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
- Chasing Chasing Amy (Level 33)
- Frida (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Merchant Ivory (Cohen Media Group)
- Queendom (Greenwich Entertainment)
- Will & Harper (Netflix)
ANIMATED FILM OF THE YEAR
- Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films)
- Inside Out 2 (Disney)
- Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films)
- Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix)
- The Wild Robot (Universal/DreamWorks)
GENRE FILM OF THE YEAR
For excellence in science fiction, fantasy and horror
- Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Nosferatu (Focus Features)
- The Substance (MUBI)
- Wicked (Universal)
FILM MUSIC OF THE YEAR
- The Brutalist (A24)
- Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
- I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
- Wicked (Universal)
VISUALLY STRIKING FILM OF THE YEAR
- The Brutalist (A24)
- Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros)
- Nosferatu (Focus Features)
- Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
- The Substance (MUBI)
CAMPIEST FLICK
- Hundreds of Beavers (Cineverse, Vinegar Syndrome)
- Madame Web (Sony)
- Megalopolis (Lionsgate)
- The Substance (MUBI)
- Trap (Warner Bros)
“WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!” RISING STAR AWARD
- Jonathan Bailey
- Vera Drew
- Karla Sofía Gascón
- Brigette Lundy-Paine
- Mikey Madison
- Katy O’Brian
- Drew Starkey
WILDE ARTIST AWARD
To a truly groundbreaking force in entertainment
- Colman Domingo
- Luca Guadagnino
- Coralie Fargeat
- Jane Schoenbrun
- Tilda Swinton
GALECA LGBTQIA+ FILM TRAILBLAZER
For creating art that inspires empathy, truth and equity
- Vera Drew
- Cynthia Erivo
- Luca Guadagnino
- Jane Schoenbrun
- Julio Torres
TIMELESS STAR (Career achievement award)
Honoring an exemplary career marked by character, wisdom and wit
To be announced February 13 with all winners.
- 22nd International Cinephile Society (ICS) Awards: ‘All We Imagine as Light’ Tops the Ballot - February 9, 2025
- 52nd Annie Awards: ‘The Wild Robot’ Dominates with 9, ‘Flow’ Wins Two - February 9, 2025
- 2025 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: ‘A Complete Unknown,’ ‘Sing Sing,’ ‘Shōgun,’ Among Top Winners - February 8, 2025