‘Carol’ Tops New York Film Critics Circle 2015 Winners
Todd Haynes’ drama wins four awards, including picture and director; acting honors go to Michael Keaton, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Rylance and Kristen Stewart
Todd Haynes‘ lesbian drama “Carol” was named the best film of 2015 by the New York Film Critics Circle on Wednesday. The film also won awards for director Haynes, cinematographer Edward Lachman and screenwriter Phyllis Nagy.
The victories provided a measure of vindication for the Weinstein Company’s subtle ’50s-set film starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which was shut out at Monday night’s Gotham Awards. At that show, it lost the best-picture award to Open Road’s “Spotlight.”
The critics did give their Best Actor award to Michael Keaton, a member of the “Spotlight” ensemble. The Oscar campaign for Keaton is positioning him as a Best Supporting Actor candidate, rather than Best Actor.
Saoirse Ronan was named best actress for Fox Searchlight’s “Brooklyn.”
Kristen Stewart claimed Best Supporting Actress for the drama “Clouds of Sils Maria,” a role which made her the first American actress to win France’s top acting prize, the Cesar, also for supporting actress. Mark Rylance took Best Supporting Actor for his role as a Russian spy in “Bridge of Spies.”
Pixar’s “Inside Out” was named Best Animated Film. “Timbuktu,” an Oscar nominee last year, was named Best Foreign Language Film, while this year’s foreign-Oscar frontrunner, Laszlo Nemes’ “Son of Saul,” was named Best First Film.
Special awards were given to film composer Ennio Morricone and, posthumously, to William Becker and Janus Films.
The NYFCC currently consists of 35 critics for New York-based newspapers, magazines and websites.
In the last 20 years, the group’s winner has gone on to win the Best Picture Oscar only four times: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2004, “No Country for Old Men” in 2008, “The Hurt Locker” in 2009 and “The Artist” in 2012.
Other recent NYFCC winners include “American Hustle,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Social Network,” “Milk,” “United 93” and last year’s winner, “Boyhood.”
Four of last year’s winners in other categories, however, did go on to win the Oscar: supporting actor and actress J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette, documentary “Citizenfour” and foreign-language film “Ida.”
The awards will be handed out at the NYFCC’s annual dinner on Jan. 4, 2016.
Below is the complete List of 2015 NYFCC Winners:
Best Film: “Carol”
Best Director: Todd Haynes, “Carol” Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, “Brooklyn” Best Actor: Michael Keaton, “Spotlight” Best Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance, “Bridge of Spies” Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Stewart, “Clouds of Sils Maria” Best Animated Film: “Inside Out” Best Screenplay: Phyllis Nagy, “Carol” Best Cinematography: Edward Lachman, “Carol” Best Nonfiction Film: “In Jackson Heights” Best First Film: “Son of Saul” Best Foreign Film: “Timbuktu” Special Awards: Composer Ennio Morricone, posthumous honor for William Becker and Janus Films
Oscars 2016 Contenders Party Report: Premieres, Parties, and People (Updating Photos)
At Robert Evans' Woodland Estate in Beverly Hills, documentarians huddled to celebrate Brett Morgen and "Montage of Heck" on Thursday, November 5. The intimate crowd of 25 was dense with doc A-listers: Lauren Greenfield ("Queen of Versailles"), Morgen, Amy Berg (upcoming Janis Joplin doc "Janis") and Liz Garbus ("Nina Simone").
Grey Photography
Amidst framed pictures with Evans pals like Michael Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Brett Ratner, and fellow Paramount studio chiefs like Sumner Redstone and Brad Grey, Morgen surveyed the crowd. "It's nice to see so many other documentarians here...campaigning for their own films," he deadpanned. Kirby Dick and Abigail Disney were also on scene.
Grey Photography
Sam Mendes and Harrison Ford stare each other down at the Britannia Awards on October 30. Mendes was honored with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing presented by The GREAT Britain Campaign and Ford was honored with the Albert R. Broccoli trophy “for worldwide contribution to entertainment.”
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Meryl Street was going right to the top at the Britannia Awards: British Consul General Chris O’Connor. When accepting her award, Streep thanked the British government for giving her several work permits.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Mark Ruffalo points out the real Michael Rezendes at the Boston premiere of "Spotlight" on Wednesday, October 28. Ruffalo plays the Boston Globe investigative reporter in the buzzy pic out November 6.
Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Warner Brothers
Director Tom McCarthy and Open Road CEO and President Tom Ortenberg made the trip to Boston, after the film's NYC premiere earlier in the week.
Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Warner Brothers
Boston royalty John Henry (Owner, Boston Globe, Boston Red Sox, and more) with wife Linda Pizzuti.
Paul Marotta/Getty Images for Warner Brothers
Earlier, Ruffalo hosted GQ Publisher Howard Mittman's Gentleman's Fund event in NYC.
Getty Images
Abigail Disney's "Armor of Light," an engaging documentary of Capitol Hill Tea Partiers' far-right evangelical Reverend Rob Schenck's inability to reconcile being "pro-life" and "pro-gun," to the chagrin of his passionate base, had its L.A. premiere at the DGA on Wednesday, October 13. (His constituency thinks the "NRA is a liberal organization," Schenck (far right) said.) Diane Warren (bottom right, with Disney) got an early look before the film opens on October 30.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
The "Truth" comes out....for its Academy screening. Star Cate Blanchett headlined the L.A. reveal of the film on Monday night, October 5. The James Vanderbilt-directed drama with Robert Redford and Elisabeth Moss is a contender tackling Dan Rather's censured report on President George W. Bush's military service. Sony Pictures Classics releases it in NYC and LA on October 16.
(Thomas Concordia/WireImage)
The producers' billing block on the film includes Brett Ratner, Andrew Spaulding, and Doug Mankoff ("Nebraska"). The reception in the lobby featured regular SPC partners Ketel One and STK Out.
(Thomas Concordia/WireImage)
The guestlist for Davis Guggenheim's "He Named Me Malala" L.A. premiere? 7,000 high school aged L.A. girls, who filled the Microsoft Theatre on Tuesday morning September 29 at the event hosted by Megan Chernin's L.A. Fund. Peter Chernin, host Megan Chernin, J.J. Abrams, Katie McGrath, and Gracie Abrams helped kick off the "Girls Build L.A. Challenge" at the event, leading in to October's "Girls Empowerment" month.
John Salangsang (3); Instagram/MTouceda (bottom right)
Later on the same day, Fox Searchlight brought "He Named Me Malala" to a LACMA screening with Film Independent, where the Oscar winning Guggenheim sat down with Elvis Mitchell.
Araya Diaz/Getty Images
David Nevins and Brian Grazer (left, center) hosted a private advance screening of Amy Berg's doc "Prophets Prey" at the UTA Theater on the night after the Emmys. Previous Oscar nominee Berg's film, an investigation into Warren Jeffs and the cult of the FLDS, goes in to theaters on Sep. 25 for an Oscar qualifying run.
Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Showtime/AP Images
"Showtime" family Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell came to the screening. Amy Berg introduces the Showtime Documentary Films production which will come to the cabler on October 10. Bottom right, Exec Producer Brian Grazer
Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Showtime/AP Images
Oscar contenders were pouring out at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival.
Getty Images
No party for "Black Mass" at TIFF, but Johnny Depp looked intimidating and Amber Heard looked ready for festivities arriving at Monday's premiere in Toronto. With the film opening this Friday, in a non-festival week, it would have likely premiered south of the border on the same night.
Getty Images
"Spotlight" star Michael Keaton with Anonymous Content's Steve Golin at the two-floor sprawling Soho House party for the ripped from the headlines film getting awards buzz. Vulture called it "The Best Picture Front-Runner".
Getty Images
Ray Donovan has a word for his "Spotlight" director Tom McCarthy at the Grey Goose hosted after party.
Getty Images
Anonymous Content main man Michael Sugar and wife Lauren Sugar at the "Spotlight" party. Sugar is a producer on "Spotlight".
Getty Images
"Juno" pals Jason Reitman and J.K. Simmons reconnected at Simmons' post-premiere party for "The Meddler" at Soho House on Monday, September 14.
Getty Images
Making mom proud: "The Meddler" director Lorene Scafaria gets the ultimate hug-of-approval.
Getty Images
Ratner and Rather: The director and the news legend connected at the "Truth" party at Patria.
Getty Images
Catherine Hardwicke took off her "Miss You Already" baseball hat she had been wearing for Women In Film and Tiffany's panel on Monday, Sep 14. "The Duff" Producer Susan Cartsonis and "Grey Gardens" writer and now "Into the Forest" director Patricia Rozema participated.
Getty Images
Olivia Wilde won the inaugural IMDB "Starmeter" award at TIFF 2013. On Monday night, "Room" director Lenny Abrahamson presented it to his lead, Brie Larson.
Getty Images
Lots of buzz around "Our Brand is Crisis". Participant CEO Jeff Skoll and producer George Clooney at Participant's party.
Eric Charbonneau/InVision for AP
"Selma" director Ava DuVernay and Participant EVP Jonathan King at Participant's bash.
Eric Charbonneau/InVision for AP
Nicholas Hoult rocked a "deliriously funny" turn in "Kill Your Friends," as an A&R man in navigating the Brit-Pop explosion of 1997.
One Shot George
"Twenty Feet from Stardom" Oscar winner Morgan Neville (right) is back with another music doc: "Keith Richards: Under the Influence". They celebrated at TIFF at Nikki Beach's popup at the Spoke Club.
Getty Images
The party you wanted to be at on Saturday night: HFPA and InStyle at the Windsor Arms. Zoe Kazan, Paul Dano, and Susan Sarandon at the cross-industry party.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for HFPA
Carmen Ejogo with "The Danish Girl" lead and reigning Best Actor.
George Pimentel/Getty Images for HFPA
Learn this name: Jacob Tremblay. He stars with Brie Larson in "The Room". One awards commentator called him a "lead pipe cinche" for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nom.
Two rhyming directors in the awards mix: Tom Hooper ("The Danish Girl") and Scott Cooper ("Black Mass").
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for HFPA
The Oscar winning Hooper with his Oscar nominated "The Kings Speech" actor Geoffrey Rush.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for HFPA
Matt Damon met Torontonians before "The Martian" premiere on Friday night, September 11. Multiple awards commentators said the same thing -- his campaign is "blasting off."
"The Martian" co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor (an Oscar nominee two seasons ago) gives Wireimage founder Jeff Vespa an "Is that so?" at the Guess Portrait Studio on Sept. 11.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
WME co-CEO Patrick Whitesell with Jake Gyllenhaal inside Soho House after the "Demolition" premiere on TIFF's opening night. Highly praised, "Demolition" will be looking at Oscars 2017, as it does not arrive in theaters until April 2016.
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Elizabeth Olsen goes "Jaws" on co-star Tom Hiddleston's cake at the Addison on Sept. 11 while celebrating "I Saw the Light," the Hank Williams biopic.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Classics
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classics Co-President Tom Bernard was equally loose at the "I Saw the Light" party.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Classics
Cannes hit "Sicario" touched down on Sept. 11 on the west side of the Atlantic. Oscar winner Benicio del Toro leads the cast, which includes Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin. The after party at Soho House was part of Grey Goose's series of high-profile bashes.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images
More in Emmys territory than Oscars, the Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott (as well as off-screen bro J.D., left), hosted TIFF honcho Cameron Bailey at the Producers Ball on Friday night of opening weekend.
Mike Windle/Getty Images
Jonathan and Drew Scott taste-test the Level Over and Samsung VR as Oscar contenders filtered through the Samsung space for interviews by Fandango's Dave Karger.
Stephen Lovekin/Variety/REX Shutterstock
Christopher Simon acts like he just married Catherine Hardwicke, whose "Miss You Already" hit the fest.
Buckner/Variety/REX Shutterstock
The scene inside the Guess Portrait Studio on opening weekend.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Guess
Naomi Watts and Elle Fanning prepare to take a selfie the morning after Fox Searchlight's "Demolition" opening night festivities.
Buckner/Variety/REX Shutterstock
Fox Searchlight's David Greenbaum with Heather Lind, who plays Julia in "Demolition."
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Chris Cooper also partied at Soho on Thursday night.
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Jason Reitman grips director Jean-Marc Vallee, who previously wowed TIFF with "Dallas Buyers Club" two seasons ago. Reitman is an executive producer on "Demolition."
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Gyllenhaal has a first-look deal with Bold Films (President Gary Michael Walters is center). Denis Villeneuve also made the Soho House after party hosted by Grey Goose.
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Vallee with screenwriter Bryan Sipe. Sipe's script appeared on the Blacklist, the collection of hot unproduced film lit.
Stephanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose
Grey Goose's global face Joe McCanta (the chemist behind the awards season cocktails) chats with Monica Bacardi at Soho House.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images
Oscar winner Jean Dujardin popped in to Fandango and Samsung Galaxy's Studio on Friday.
Stephen Lovekin/Variety/REX Shutterstock
At the Venice Film Festival, Sunrise and Mark Ruffalo celebrated "Spotlight." Moet & Chandon and Chopard threw a bash at PalazzinaG.
Marilynne Mungovan
Dujardin's former co-star in "The Artist," Berenice Bejo, toasted "The Childhood of a Leader" at the Venice Film Festival, with Elizabeth Banks, Odessa Young, and more at the PalazzinaG.
Marilynne Mungovan
1 of 58
Top pics from inside the bashes as fall festivals and premieres bring out awards contenders, pretenders and hopefuls for the Oscars on February 28, 2016
At Robert Evans' Woodland Estate in Beverly Hills, documentarians huddled to celebrate Brett Morgen and "Montage of Heck" on Thursday, November 5. The intimate crowd of 25 was dense with doc A-listers: Lauren Greenfield ("Queen of Versailles"), Morgen, Amy Berg (upcoming Janis Joplin doc "Janis") and Liz Garbus ("Nina Simone").