Phoenix Film Critics Society 2016 Award Winners
Phoenix Film Critics Society has announced its 2016 award winners.
“La La Land,” which led the field in nominations, has also garnered the most wins, with 7, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Director for Damien Chazelle. “Hell or High Water” came in second with three awards, while “Hacksaw Ridge” won two.
These are the 17th annual awards for the PFCS.
“La La Land’s producers have much to sing about as our membership responded to this 21st century musical romance,” said PFCS president Gayle Bass. “La La Land” also won in the Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, Best Original Score and Best Production design categories. “Critics clearly embraced the look and sound of this film.”
Casey Affleck won Best Actor for his role as a grieving brother in “Manchester by the Sea.” Jeff Bridges won one of “Hell or High Water’s” three awards, and Viola Davis takes home the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as the beleaguered wife in “Fences.” Anya Taylor-Joy won the Breakthrough Performance award for “The Witch” and Alex R. Hibbert won Best Performance by a Youth for “Moonlight.” “Hell or High Water” won Best Original Screenplay, while “Hacksaw Ridge” won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Disney’s “Zootopia” won Best Animated Film, beating 4 other films including Disney’s “Finding Dory” and “Moana.” The French-language drama “Elle” won Best Foreign Film. The Best Documentary category was won by “Gleason.” Marvel’s “Dr. Strange” won Best Visual Effects, while “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” won for Best Costume.
The PFCS also awards the film they feel audiences missed, but shouldn’t have, with “The Overlooked Film of the Year” award. This year it was given to “Sing Street.” Says Bass, “Music-oriented films were definitely among the most innovative this year.”
A complete list of winners is provided below. The Phoenix Film Critics Society presents an entire slate of awards each year. The Phoenix Film Critics Society is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, self-funded, independent organization consisting of professional film critics and film journalists in Arizona.
For more information, visit: https://www.phoenixfilmcriticssociety.org
PFCS 2016 AWARD WINNERS
BEST PICTURE
La La Land
BEST DIRECTOR
Damien Chazelle – La La Land
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Emma Stone – La La Land
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jeff Bridges – Hell or High Water
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Viola Davis – Fences
BEST ENSEMBLE ACTING
Hell or High Water
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Hell or High Water
BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM OTHER MATERIAL
Hacksaw Ridge
THE OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR
Sing Street
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Zootopia
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Elle
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Gleason
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
La La Land – City Of Stars
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
La La Land
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
La La Land
BEST FILM EDITING
Hacksaw Ridge
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
La La Land
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Doctor Strange
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Witch
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH
Alex R. Hibbert – Moonlight
THE PHOENIX FILM CRITICS SOCIETY TOP TEN FILMS FOR 2016
(In alphabetical order)
A Monster Calls
Arrival
Florence Foster Jenkins
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Manchester By The Sea
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals
Sing Street