The Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards shared the difference on its Best Picture award, naming “Everywhere All at once” and “Tar” in a tie.
Although surprising, the tie was not shocking. LAFCA did it four more times: 1975, its inaugural year, with “Dog Day Afternoon” and “One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest”; 1976, with “Network” and “Rocky”; and 2013, with “Her” and “Gravity”.
The organization arguably has a better track record of syncing with the ultimate Best Picture Oscar winner than some New York awards organizations, which is to say some recent examples of their Best Picture winners lined up with AMPAS include those of 2019. Parasite, 2016 Moonlight, 2015 Projector, 2009 The Hurt Locker.
“Brazil”, Courtesy of Universal
However, one thing about LAFCA – they’re not afraid to go rogue: IE 1985 when they anointed Terry Gilliam’s carnivalesque, trippy epic Brazil best film and best director; the filmmaker having made his war with Universal on the film, fresh meat for trades. Brazil was nominated for an Oscar for Art Direction and Original Screenplay.
Other examples of when LAFCA went against the grain in Best Picture were with 2003 American Splendorthe comedy biopic about cartoonist Harvey Pekar and Steve McQueen’s five-film collection, small ax, who wasn’t even up for the Oscars in 2020; this photo relegating nomadland to Runner-Up in the category – which was the Ultimate Best Picture at the Oscars.
Last year, LAFCA gave Best Pictures to Ryusuke Hamaguchi drive my car, which was in the Oscars mix with four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Director, winning Best International Feature Film.
It will come as no surprise that filmmaker Todd Field returns to the big screen after 16 years, Tar, happens big today. LAFCA named their film In the bedroom in 2001 Best Picture. Tar won Best Picture at the New York Film Critics Circle as well as Best Actress for Cate Blanchett as well as one of AFI’s Best Picture of the Year.
For this year’s awards vote, LAFCA will also introduce gender-neutral acting categories, with two awards for Best Lead Performance and two awards for Best Supporting Performance.
Best Picture:
Winners: ANYWHERE, ANYWHERE and TAR (tie)
Best Director:
Winner: Todd Field, TAR
Finalist: SS Rajamouli
Better prospect performance:
Winners: Cate Blanchett, TAR and Bill Nighy, LIVE
Finalists: Danielle Deadwyler, TILL and Michelle Yeoh, ALL EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME
Best Performer in a Supporting Role:
Winners: Dolly de Leon, TRIANGLE OF SADNESS and Ke Huy Quan, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Finalists: Jessie Buckley, WOMEN TALKING and Brian Tyree Henry, CAUSEWAY
Best Documentary:
Winner: ALL BEAUTY AND BLOOD
Finalist: FIRE OF LOVE
Best Screenplay:
Winner: Todd Field for TAR
Finalist: Martin McDonagh for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Best Animation:
Winner: PINOCCHIO BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO
Finalist: MARCEL LA COQUILLE WITH SHOES
Best Editing:
Winner: Winner: Blair McClendon for AFTERSUN
Finalist: Monika Willi for TAR
Best Production Design:
Winner: Dylan Cole, Ben Procter for AVATAR: THE WATERWAY
Finalist: Jason Kisvarday for EVERYWHERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME
Best Music/Score:
Winner: Mr. M. Keeravani, RRR
Finalist: Pawel Mykietyn, EO
Best Cinematography:
Winner: Michael Dymek, EO
Finalist: Finalist: Hoyte van Hoytema, NOPE
Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Award:
WINNER: ON THE MAKING OF THE HUMAN BODY
Best Non-English Film:
Winner: HEY
Finalist: SAINT-OMER
New generation:
Winner: Davy Chou and Park Ji-Min, RETURN TO SEOUL