National Board of Review (NBR) announces late November awards date for 2021 honors

The National Board of Review (NBR), the oldest organization in the United States to give out film awards, has announced that November 30, 2021 will be the date for their 2021 honors, just one day after the Gotham Awards.

The National Board of Review, made up of critics, journalists, film enthusiasts, professionals and academics, has been handing out film awards since 1929. NBR winners will be honored at the group’s awards gala on January 11, 2022 in a ceremony hosted by NBC News’ Willie Geist.

Last season, the NBR held its awards on January 26, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic that altered every awards group and pushed the season out a full two months later than usual. Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods was named Best Film with Lee also winning Best Director.

After adjusting its eligibility requirements last year because of COVID, moving eligibility to the end of February 2021, the NBR said today that 2021 films will be eligible if screened either in a theater or digitally on or before Sunday, November 28.

The NBR critics select winners in categories including Best Film (plus a top 10), Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film (plus a top 5), Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary (plus a top 5), Breakthrough Performance, a 10 Best Independent Films list and Directorial Debut. It also traditionally bestows the Spotlight Award, Freedom of Expression, the William K. Everson Film History Award and the NBR Icon Award.