'Girls Trip' star Tiffany Haddish was named best supporting actress by the group.The New York Film Critics Circle has named Greta Gerwig's solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, as its best picture of 2017. The acclaimed film was also recognized in the category of best actress, with the critics group picking star Saoirse Ronan for the honor.
Sean Baker's The Florida Project won two awards including best director for Baker and best supporting actor for Willem Dafoe.
The critics group also recognized Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish with its award for best supporting actress, which might be considered a surprising pick as the acclaimed star of the summer blockbuster received the award over actresses from more conventional awards hopefuls.
Call Me by Your Name star Timothee Chalamet was named best actor while Paul Thomas Anderson's script for Daniel Day-Lewis' final film, Phantom Thread, was recognized with a best screenplay honor. The NYFCC award for Phantom Thread is the second high-profile award to be given to the yet-to-be-unveiled film this week, with Phantom Thread also being named best screenplay by the National Board of Review on Tuesday.
Disney-Pixar's Coco followed its NBR award for best animated feature with the same award from the New York Film Critics Circle. However, the NBR's pick for best film, actor and actress, The Post, was missing from the NY critics group's list.
Other Oscar frontrunners not recognized by the NYFCC include Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Darkest Hour, The Big Sick, I, Tonya, Molly's Game, Downsizing and Battle of the Sexes.
The NYFCC also announced that this year's ceremony will be dedicated to the memory of late film critic, filmmaker and author Richard Schickel.
Last year, La La Land was named best picture by the NYFCC, with Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea each taking three awards.
A full list of this year's NYFCC winners follows.- Best Picture: Lady Bird
- Best Director: Sean Baker, The Florida Project
- Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
- Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
- Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
- Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
- Best Supporting Actress: Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip
- Best Animated Film: Coco
- Best Cinematography: Mudbound
- Best First Film: Get Out
- Best Foreign Language Film: BPM (Beats Per Minute)
- Best Nonfiction Film: Faces Places
- Special Award for Career Achievement: Molly Haskell
Founded in 1935, the organization’s membership includes critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines and qualifying online general-interest publications. Every year in December, the group meets in New York to vote on awards for the previous calendar year’s films.
In addition to the regular categories, which include best picture, director, actor and actress, special stand-alone awards are given to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the art of cinema, including producers, directors, actors, writers, critics, historians, film restorers and service organizations.
The awards will be handed out in New York in January.