‘Moonlight’ Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics

Barry Jenkins’ quiet masterpiece bested “Manchester by the Sea” and “La La Land”

Cast of Moonlight
Photographed by Genevieve Caron for TheWrap

Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” has been named the best picture of the year by the National Society of Film Critics.

The coming-of-age drama that tackles sexuality and African American male identity took the lead in a voting session with 54 votes, seconded by “Manchester by the Sea” with 39 votes and “La La Land” in third place with 31.

Jenkins also took Best Director at 53 votes, with “La La”‘s Damien Chazelle behind him at 37 vots, trailed by Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester”).

Read the full list of winners:

SPECIAL CITATION for a film awaiting American distribution: Sieranevada (Romania) Cristi Puiu

 

FILM HERITAGE AWARD: Kino Lorber’s 5-disc collection “Pioneers of African-American Cinema”

 

BEST ACTOR
*1. Casey Affleck (65) – Manchester by the Sea
2. Denzel Washington (21) – Fences
3. Adam Driver (20) – Paterson

 

BEST ACTRESS
*1. Isabelle Huppert (55) – Elle and Things to Come
2. Annette Bening (26) – 20th Century Women
2. Sandra Hüller (26) – Toni Erdmann [tied with Bening]

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1. Mahershala Ali (72) – Moonlight
2. Jeff Bridges (18) – Hell or High Water
3. Michael Shannon (14) – Nocturnal Animals

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Michelle Williams (58) – Manchester by the Sea
2. Lily Gladstone (45) – Certain Women
3. Naomie Harris (25) – Moonlight

 

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Manchester by the Sea (61) – Kenneth Lonergan
2. Moonlight (39) – Barry Jenkins
3. Hell or High Water (16) – Taylor Sheridan

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Moonlight (52) – James Laxton
2. La La Land (27) – Linus Sandgren
3. Silence (23) – Rodrigo Prieto

 

BEST PICTURE
*1. Moonlight (54)
2. Manchester by the Sea (39)
3. La La Land (31)

 

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Barry Jenkins (53) – Moonlight
2. Damien Chazelle (37) – La La Land
3. Kenneth Lonergan (23) – Manchester by the Sea

 

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. Toni Erdmann (52)
2. The Handmaiden (26)
3. Elle (19)
3 Things to Come (19) tied

 

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
*1. O.J.: Made in America (64)
2. Fire at Sea (36)
3. 13th (20)

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