The Los Angeles Film Critics Association. met virtually on Sunday to announce its 2020 winners.
In a year when the film industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s awards ceremony took into consideration footage that premiered at film festivals but that have not yet been released theatrically, on streaming, or on video-on-demand.
Top honors went to Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’, a five-film anthology about the West Indian community in London between 1969 and 1982. It took home awards for best picture and best cinematography, beating Chloe’s ‘Nomadland’ Zhao in both categories. Additionally, the anthology won second place in the director and music categories for its episode “Lovers Rock.”
Zhao won the director’s award for “Nomadland,” which was recognized as a finalist for best picture and best cinematography. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” also got a lot of love in the annual deliberations, earning recognition in both acting categories as well as recognition in the lead actress category.
Frances McDormand in “Nomadland”.
(TIFF)
The Lead Actor award went to Chadwick Boseman for his performance as a troubled trumpeter in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Riz Ahmed was a finalist for “Sound of Metal”.
Carey Mulligan took the lead actress for “Promising Young Woman,” with Viola Davis named a finalist for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
Youn Yuh-jung won the Supporting Actress award for her role as the long-suffering wife in “Minari.” Amanda Seyfried has been declared a finalist for “Mank”.
Supporting actor honors went to Glynn Turman for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” with Paul Raci named runner-up for “Sound of Metal.”
Emerald Fennell won the screenplay award for ‘Promising Young Woman’, while Eliza Hittman was a finalist for ‘Never Really Sometimes Always’.
The animation winner was Apple TV+’s ‘Wolfwalkers’. Disney/Pixar’s “Soul,” which took top honors for its score, was declared second.
Donald Graham Burt won the production design award for his work on ‘Mank’, with Sergey Ivanov runner up for ‘Beanpole’, the foreign language winner (“Martin Eden” was declared a runner up for the foreign language film ).
Shabier Kirchner won the cinematography award for his work on “Small Axe.” Joshua James Richards has been declared a cinematography finalist for “Nomadland”.
Garrett Bradley’s ‘Time’ won the documentary/non-fiction film award, with ‘Collective’ taking second place. Yorgos Lamprinos won the editing award on ‘The Father’, with Gabriel Rhodes named runner-up for ‘Time’.
The Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Award went to John Gianvito for “Her Socialist Smile”. “The 40-Year-Old Version” director and screenwriter Radha Blank won the group’s New Generation award.
