‘Lady Bird’ flies high with 4
The National Society of Film Critics has named “Lady Bird” the best picture of the year, bestowing a total of four awards on Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut.
The actress-turned-filmmaker was also honored for her directing work and screenplay. Laurie Metcalf, who stars in “Lady Bird” as the mother of an angst-ridden high school senior, won for supporting actress.
The Society, comprising 59 movie critics from across the country, voted for its annual awards on Saturday.
Daniel Kaluuya won the actor prize for “Get Out.” Other victors included Sally Hawkins, who won as actress for her near-silent performance in “The Shape of Water” and more under-theradar work in “Maudie,” and supporting actor Willem Dafoe, who plays the owner of a run-down motel in “The Florida Project.”
Last year, the Society named “Moonlight” its top film of the year; that movie went on to win an Oscar for best picture.
Any film that opened in the U.S. in 2017 was eligible for one of the critics’ prizes, which will be sent to winners via “scrolls suitable for framing.” The critics dedicated the awards to film historian Richard Schickel, one of the group’s founding members, who died last February. The full list of winners: Best picture: “Lady Bird”
Director: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “Blade Runner 2049”
Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” and “Maudie”
Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Supporting actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Supporting actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Foreign-language film: “Graduation”
Nonfiction film: “Faces Places”
Special Citation for a film awaiting U.S. distribution: Agnieszka Holland, “Spoor”
Experimental film: “Good Luck,” Ben Russell
Film Heritage Award: “One Way or Another: Black Women’s Cinema 1970-1991,” BAMcinématek; Dan Talbot for his pioneering work as an exhibitor and distributor.