The Los Angeles Film Critics Association convened virtually on Sunday to announce its 2020 prizewinners.
In a year where the movie industry has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s awards ceremony abandoned its stringent eligibility rules to include pictures that premiered at film festivals but have not yet had theatrical, streaming or video on demand releases.
Top honours went to Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe,’ an anthology of five films about London’s West Indian community between 1969 and 1982. It took home awards for best picture and cinematography, beating out Chloe Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ in both categories. Additionally, the anthology earned runner-up recognition in the director and music categories for its ‘Lovers Rock’ instalment.
The Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. convened virtually on Sunday to announce its 2020 prizewinners.
In a year where the movie industry has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s awards ceremony took into consideration pictures that premiered at film festivals but have not yet had theatrical, streaming or video on demand releases.
Top honors went to Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe,” an anthology of five films about London’s West Indian community between 1969 and 1982. It took home awards for best picture and cinematography, beating out Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland” in both categories. Additionally, the anthology earned runner-up recognition in the director and music categories for its “Lovers Rock” installment.
Time and
Wolfwalkers are gathering early awards season momentum, having picked up corresponding wins from New York Film Critics Circle on Friday.
LAFCA president Claudia Puig hailed McQueen’s quintet of films centred on the West Indian community in London from the 1960s onwards as “unprecedented, resonant and masterful”.
According to reports Amazon Studios has submitted the
Small
Axe anthology for Golden Globes and SAG consideration, and plans an Emmys campaign in 2021.
Puig added, “Particularly notable in a year when the film industry took a huge blow, our winners reflect extraordinary achievement.”
As previously announced, Harry Belafonte and Hou Hsiao-Hsien shared the career achievement award.
Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ Series Named Best Picture of 2020 by LA Film Critics
Acting awards go to Chadwick Boseman and Glynn Turman for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Carey Mulligan for “Promising Young Woman” and Youn Yuh-jung for “Minari”Steve Pond | December 20, 2020 @ 5:35 PM Last Updated: December 20, 2020 @ 6:30 PM
AWARDS BEAT Small Axe: Lovers Rock / Amazon Studios
Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe,” an anthology of five films set in Black areas of London over a period of decades, has been named the best film of 2020 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, which announced its annual winners on Sunday.
It is the first time that the LAFCA has honored a group of films rather than a single film with its best picture award. McQueen’s anthology, which includes “Lovers Rock,” “Mangrove” and “Red, White and Blue,” is currently playing on Amazon Prime, and neither the individual films nor the series are qualifying for the Osca
LA Film Critics Awards: Complete List of Winners (Updating Live) thewrap.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thewrap.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.