With awards season getting ready to ramp up, the Atlanta Film Critics Circle (of which I am a voting member) has announced their awards winners for the 2020 film viewing year. In addition to naming our Top 10 movies of the year, we awarded specific categories for the creative players involved as well as our two special awards, the AFCC Special Awards for Best Breakthrough Performer and Best First Feature Film. Among the winners from this year, Marvel’s Eternals director Chloe Zhao‘s new film Nomadland took home the #1 slot in our Top 10 as well as two other highly coveted awards. Newcomer Maria Bakalova of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm also took home a prize on her own, with Disney-Pixar’s Soul nabbing multiple wins as well. Find the full list of winners below!
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“The ability to stream has never been more critical than it has been in 2020,” FanBolt critic and AFCC member Emma Loggins said in a statement. “Year after year, we’ve continued to see cinema’s evolution and how Hollywood meets the fan on their terms. This past year especially, some of the best films were delivered by Netflix and Amazon Prime.”
“I think our selections speak to the way Hollywood helped society deal with the collective pain of 2020,” member Jason Evans said of this year’s AFCC awards. “Most of our choices are films with characters who had to overcome difficult, almost hopeless situations — but they refuse to give up. If these characters can find the hope to keep pushing forward, so can we.”
Top 10 Films:
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
the Trial of the Chicago 7
Minari
One Night in Miami
First Cow
the Father
Mank
Da 5 Bloods
Honorable Mention: Soul, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Palm Springs, Time
Best Lead Actor:
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Best Lead Actress:
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Best Supporting Actor:
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Best Supporting Actress:
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Best Ensemble:
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Director:
Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
Best Screenplay:
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
Best Documentary:
Time
Best International Film:
Another Round (Denmark)
Best Animated Film:
Soul
Best Cinematography:
Joshua James Richards for Nomadland
Best Original Score:
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Soul
AFCC Special Award for Best Breakthrough Performer:
Kingsley Ben-Adir for One Night in Miami
AFCC Special Award for Best First Feature Film:
Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman
